Juan Manuel Marquez admits he turned down 5th fight with Pacquiao

It seems that no amount of money can make Juan Manuel Marquez fight Manny Pacquiao again.

 

The Filipino fight icon's main rival, Marquez elevated himself as the no. 1 contender to Pacquiao's WBO world welterweight title when he defeated Mike Alvarado this past May.

 

Marquez said a lucrative offer to fight Pacquiao for the fifth time was on the table, but he ended it up turning it down.

 

"I've been offered a lot of money for a [fifth] fight with Pacquiao," Marquez told Boxingscene.com.

 

"But for me honor, prestige and respect for a country comes first. And, why do a fifth fight? Considering we won."

 

Marquez won his fourth fight with Pacquiao with a decisive knockout with a second remaining in the sixth round in December 2012. Prior to that, the two men engaged in three ring classics. Their first fight ended in a draw, while Pacquiao eked out close decisions in their next two bouts.

 

The 41-year-old Marquez has spent 21 years in the professional arena. He holds a record of 56-7-1 with 40 knockouts and is now contemplating retirement. — JST, GMA News