MANILA, Philippines - It’s not likely that Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will do a fifth fight in September.
But it doesn’t mean that both fighters who caught everybody’s attention following their fierce battle last December isn’t going to fight soon.
Bob Arum is not in a hurry to do Pacquiao vs Marquez 5.
But he’s hoping to sit down with both boxers in Macau when they visit Asia’s gambling capital for a big card led by Brian Viloria and Zou Shiming the first week of April.
“Marquez is going with me to Macau and Manny is coming from Manila to watch the April 6 show,†Arum told www.8countnews.com yesterday.
“We’re going to have a very interesting discussion while both fighters are in Macau,†said the energetic chief of Top Rank Promotions.
Pacquiao wants to avenge his devastating knockout loss to Marquez, but the 39-year-old Mexican has sounded off that he’s not itching for another rematch with the Filipino.
It may be part of the negotiations.
It was reported that Marquez wants $20 million to do another fight with Pacquiao, more than triple than the $6 million he got for the fifth fight.
Other sources said Arum can’t go beyond $15 million for Marquez. It’s also a big question how much or how less Pacquiao should get following a $23 million payday last December.
Arum said Pacquiao vs Marquez could happen next year, and for the meantime, the two superstars could end up facing other guys by the end of the year.
Arum said they will have to see how the battle between Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov turns out on Sunday as well as the awaited rematch between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado on March 30.