Marquez-Mayweather close for July 18

by Scott Christ on Apr 20, 2009 3:46 PM EDT in Boxing Rumors

Many sources close to the situation are reporting that the rumored comeback of former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr., is closer than ever, with only a couple pounds of weight being an issue.

Mayweather (39-0, 25 KO) would return on July 18 on HBO pay-per-view against current lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KO) at a catchweight somewhere between junior welterweight (where Marquez wants it) and welterweight (where Mayweather wants it).

Marquez told BoxingScene.com he was willing to go up to 143 or 144 pounds. 142 has also been mentioned. It's been said that Mayweather might be willing to come down to 145. It would seem to me that this fight will happen. HBO already has the date reserved, they've no doubt got at least a preliminary set-up for a location in Vegas, and neither of these guys have anoyne else on their minds for the time being.

It's such a weird fight, really. I know some of you really hate the fight, and I don't love it, but I'm genuinely interested. It's a no-brainer buy for me. You only get so many Floyds and so many Marquezes. Both are great fighters, and Marquez is showing a remarkable willingness to fight upward and onward by calling out Mayweather and then actually going through with negotiations for a fight. Floyd's bigger than him (5'8" with a 72" reach to Marquez's 5'7"/67"), faster than him, more accurate than him, and frankly, just better than him. Marquez is the diehard fan's choice, though, natural talent be damned. And who knows what the layoff has done to Floyd's reflexes? Who knows if Marquez can go any higher than 135 and retain credible power?

There'll be more to come out of this. For now, it's still in its infancy stages.

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Marquez would get destroyed

This is such a bad fight for him on so many levels. Marquez is starting to fade a bit, and Floyd has always been a bad stylistic matchup for Marquez (just like I’ve maintained that Guzman would always beat Marquez if the two ever met). It’s a nice cash out for Marquez if it happens, but I would have hoped that Floyd would have chosen to come back against someone who at least poses a threat. I mean, Mosley probably brings more money to the table, and it’s still a much more intriguing matchup than Marquez. Same goes for Cotto.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Apr 20, 2009 4:57 PM EDT reply actions

I'm rarely comfortable saying "never"

But I do believe Mayweather-Mosley will never, ever, ever happen, no matter what. I, too, wish Floyd would fight Shane or Cotto or Tall Paul or SOMEONE, but I’ll take this for a comeback. Part of it is that I really love that Marquez gets a huge payday, which he deserves.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by Scott Christ on Apr 20, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I guess so

But it sure does give ammunition to the people who claim that Floyd has cherrypicked his way to a perfect record.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Apr 20, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I think most times those people take it too far, like he’s never fought anyone, but there’s no denying that at 147 he’s hardly taken on the best challengers, particularly if this goes through. Judah was the right idea to start but got deflated, I accepted Baldomir for historical purposes, and Hatton was a money thing. Fine, great, but Marquez ain’t a money thing, there’s nothing historical about it really, and he’s never fought over 135 pounds.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by Scott Christ on Apr 20, 2009 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions

The thing is, it’s hard to call it cherry picking when there are only one or two fighters who anyone seriously thinks can offer you a challenge.

Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"

by Matt Miller on Apr 21, 2009 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions

I can think of 4 who would be a greater challenge than Marquez

Not including anyone at 154, and at least three of those guys would be bigger money draws than Marquez (although two of them are with Arum).

135 and below, it’s tough to make the argument, though there are a lot of people out there who think he avoided Spadafora.

At 140, he never faced Tszyu, Hatton (and when he did, it was at 147 even though Mayweather probably still could have made 140) or Cotto, or really anyone else who was a legitimate contender (people thought Gatti was legit at the time, but in retrospect he was at about 60% when he fought Floyd and the beating Floyd gave him completely ruined him).

At 147, he never faced Mosley, Cotto, Margarito or Williams.

Look at what happened to his opponents after their fights, and it becomes pretty obvious that there was a lot of smoke and mirrors between Castillo and Hatton.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Apr 21, 2009 2:17 AM EDT up reply actions

much rather would have hoped for pacman – marquez 3 especially now that JMM’s stock is at an all time high, but since this more than likely will set up a pacman-mayweather fight in late 09 i’ll take it

The Dude Abides

by battle axe of doom on Apr 20, 2009 5:56 PM EDT reply actions

I really have my doubts about that. Floyd and Oscar can make deals, but Floyd and Bob Arum still aren’t, erm, friendly with one another. Lots of still-boiling animosity there.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by Scott Christ on Apr 20, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

well that sucks. my dad just reminded me that during the build up of pac-DLH, people were saying that it wasn’t a big deal if pacman lost that fight since he’d be gaining 10 lbs. the same will apply for JMM for this fight, and hopefully his stock is still high enough after the mayweather fight to set up a third fight with pacman

The Dude Abides

by battle axe of doom on Apr 20, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Marquez

I wouldn’t count Marquez out of this fight if it happens.I have come to respect his skills in the ring so much that I will never doubt his chances. While I agree that Floyd will have a huge advantage,Marquez is a supremely intelligent fighter and if he can carry his power to whatever weight they fight at,I believe he does at least pose a threat.

by Full Throttle on Apr 20, 2009 6:07 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t even think Marquez even walks at 147… Mayweather in a route if this fight happens. It is the safe fight that can get him paid.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Apr 20, 2009 6:44 PM EDT reply actions

It sounds strange, but I’d rather see Floyd fight Berto than Marquez. A 135 fight about four years ago would have been pretty epic, but this is just a screwy idea. The departed welterweight champ returns to arrange a catchweight fight against a lightweight? I know Floyd started out light, but he was never “small,” and isn’t physically too small to take on top welterweights (well, unless you still want to count Paul Williams, who smalls down everyone). The welter talent pool is still pretty shark-infested here in 2009. If Floyd wanted to to stay down at lightweight and own the joint, I think he should have just done that. I think he was a great lightweight, and would probably still be champion down there today with a bulletproof career. But Oscar climbed upwards to get a butt-kicking from Hopkins, which was typical of that man’s guts. It’d be hard to blame somebody for thinking this fight is typical of something else in Floyd.

"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb

by jrok on Apr 20, 2009 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

seeing him fight any welter would be better.

by lcollins1 on Apr 21, 2009 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like a “tune up” fight to me.

by bazzlad on Apr 21, 2009 3:41 AM EDT reply actions

my heart wants Marquez, but I can’t think that Floyd will show up unprepared or that rusted. He might even finish Marquez. If Diaz could consistently land on Marquez, I know PBF can/will.

Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei.
http://theworldsoldestsport.blogspot.com/

by theworldsoldestsport on Apr 21, 2009 11:06 AM EDT reply actions