LAS VEGAS --WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) champion, Juan Manuel Marquez
, has a July 31 defense against former two-time world champion, Juan Diaz, that is a rematch of their February, 2009 Fight Of The Year, which Marquez won by ninth-round knockout.A titlist in three different weight classes, the 36-year-old Marquez (50-5-1, 37 knockouts) still is chasing that elusive, third bout with seven-division king, Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), with whom he has battled to a draw, and, lost to on a split-decision.
During an interview on May 1 in Las Vegas, Marquez talked about his unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), the potential for another clash with Pacquiao, and, his return bout with Diaz in this Q&A.
FanHouse: What did you learn from the Floyd Mayweather fight?
Juan Manuel Marquez: Floyd Mayweather was a tough fight. But for me, I came back to lightweight because I lost my strength [advantage] at [welterweight,] and I feel very good at lightweight. I don't know what will happen in the future, but right now, I'm just thinking about my next fight, which is Juan Diaz.
Do you feel like you took a lot of punishment against Floyd Mayweather and may have left anything in the ring?
No, Mayweather is a good fighter, but Mayweather didn't ever really hurt me. In the second round, I went down. But in the other rounds, I felt good. If felt great. I didn't feel the strength of Mayweather.
How badly do you want to fight Manny Pacquiao?
Always I like to fight the best fighters. I told Richard Schaefer that I want to fight with Manny Pacquiao again. I badly want the fight with Pacquiao, but he doesn't want it. He doesn't want to fight with me again. That's because everybody watching the two fights with Manny knows that I won.
The first fight, they called it a draw. In the second fight, it was a split-decision. I think that I won the two fights. I don't know what happened with the judges with the second fight and the split-decision. Everybody watched, and everybody saw that I won the fight.
Would you go up to 147 to fight Manny Pacquiao?
Maybe I would fight with Manny Pacquiao at 140, 142.
Do you feels as if you have Manny Pacquiao's number?
With Pacquiao, each boxer has a different style. Shane Mosley beat Oscar De La Hoya twice. Vernon Forrest beat Mosley twice. Ricardo Mayorga beat Forrest twice. It's styles. And I know Manny Pacquiao's style. I concentrate for Pacquiao. I know how to fight Pacquiao. I know how Pacquiao'style is.
What would a fight with Manny Pacquiao mean to your career?
Well, I would have to fight and beat Diaz, and then, finally, I would fight Pacquiao. If Golden Boy told me, 'Do you want to fight with Pacquiao?' I would say, 'Yes.' Maybe after Pacquiao fight, I would retire because, finally, I got the fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Do you think that a fight with Pacquiao will ever happen?
On a scale of 100, I would say, 70 percent, no. Because Bob Arum and Pacquiao are scared of me. Pacquiao and Bob Arum know who won the fights. Otherwise, why don't he fight me? He doesn't want it. I have a tough fight for July, and I don't know what will happen after the fight.
Do you feel that you have anything to prove against Juan Diaz?
No, nothing. Because everybody knows me. Everybody knows who I am as a fighter and what I've accomplished. I like doing my job in the ring. I've challenged at a higher weight, and, now, I'm going back to my real weight.
Will you do anything to compensate for the fast start Juan Diaz had in the last fight?
I've already forgotten about the last fight. Juan Diaz, in the early rounds, he was better. And now, I'm preparing myself very hard for this fight. I dont' know what happened in the first fight, but when the bell rings to start this fight, I'll have a my strategy in place in the ring.
Would you have taken the Mayweather fight again under the conditions you took it -- with him coming in above the 144 pound catchweight at 146?
No. Maybe I wouldn't have fought Mayweather if I had it to do over again. Because that's not my weight. Maybe at 140, if we did it there. Because Mayweather has been fighting a while at 147. Right now, I'm back at lightweight.
This is an important fight for me, and I don't know what will happen in the future.
What did you think of your brother, Rafael Marquez, taking a fourth fight with Israel Vazquez?
That fourth fight, it is what the people want. The people want to see this kind of fight. Rafael is always training hard. I think that this is the best fight for these two fighters because another fight won't pay the same, and this is the best fight for both fighters.
What are your thoughts on fighting Robert Guerrero, a southpaw?
I fight with southpaws, with right handers, with anyone. This is not true that I wouldn't fight him because he's a southpaw. But I'm looking for looking for maybe a Ricky Hatton, the bigger names. Guerrero is a very good fighter, but he doesn't have the recognition for the people and for television.
For the pay per view. And I'm looking for the biggest names.
Will you be drinking urine again during the training for your fight with Juan Diaz?
Yes. Always, I do it. In each fight, I do it. So yes, I will be doing that again.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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