Marquez 'first in line' to fight Pacquiao - promoter

In an interview with Jose Luis Camarillo of BoxingScene.com, Fernando Beltran, Juan Manuel Marquez's promoter, says that there are "serious ongoing negotiations" for Marquez to fight Manny Pacquiao anew at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, on either December 1 or 8. "We are first in line [to fight Pacquiao], without any doubt," Beltran said. Should the fight happen, it would give Marquez the opportunity to try to notch a win against the Sarangani congressman. The two fought to a draw back in 2004 when they first tangled. Pacquiao eked out a split-decision in the rematch in 2006, and then the Filipino fighter snagged a controversial majority decision back in 2011. Earlier in June, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Beltran said that a fourth fight with Marquez was "a logical thing" and that it made more sense than a rematch with Timothy Bradley, who won a controversial split-decision over Pacquiao during that month, which was later overturned by a WBO review. Marquez has also voiced out his desire for a fourth fight with Pacquiao, telling RingTV.com, "My people want to see me fight Manny again, and I'd feel very happy to do it again." Pacquiao has yet to decide on whom his next opponent will be, and the actual date of the fight has been up in the air as well. It was reported earlier that the fight would have to be pushed back to December 1, from a November 11 date, to allow him to file for re-election in Philippine congress, but Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz later said that those problems have been resolved. A scheduling issue with HBO, which will air a Miguel Cotto bout on December 1, also made the switch back to November 11 necessary. Should this fight with Pacquiao not push through, Beltran says that Marquez could instead fight the man who beat Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley. "Juan Manuel and I do not depend on Pacquiao. We have various options; one of them is Tim Bradley, but yes [I think] the fight with Pacquiao will [happen]. We just need to get all of the conditions in writing." Marquez is one of the options "Pacman" is considering. He also has a rematch clause against Bradley, and would consider fighting Miguel Cotto. The recently released from jail Floyd Mayweather, is considered to be an unlikely choice. - AMD, GMA News