Peterson vs Marquez: Arum Wants the Fight in July, Cowboys Stadium

Though Lamont Peterson's manager/trainer Barry Hunter says that the two of them may be leaning toward a rematch with Amir Khan, Bob Arum is still pushing a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez for Peterson, and has given an undisclosed offer to Hunter to mull over and compare to the Khan rematch offer.

The fight, in Arum's mind, would take place on July 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. I have no earthly idea why anyone is fixated on putting a fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and Lamont Peterson in Cowboys Stadium, but they keep saying it, so I guess that's really the plan.

From RingTV.com:

"Hopefully, we'll be able to conclude July 14 for Cowboys Stadium. We're holding Cowboys Stadium for the Marquez-Peterson fight. ... If we do their fight in July, then Marquez is going to look at fighting an easy fight in Mexico. And then, maybe we'll talk to Lamont about fighting an easy, non-title fight also."

Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO) has had preliminary talks to face David Diaz on March 17 in Mexico. Diaz (36-4-1, 17 KO) is a hard-working fighter, but lost his last bout by knockout to Hank Lundy on Friday Night Fights in August, and at 35, is fairly washed-up. But he always makes for fun fights and is a likeable guy who doesn't present Marquez with much genuine risk. For tune-ups, it'd be a lot better than Marquez's summer 2011 farce against Likar Ramos. (Diaz was the originally requested opponent for that fight, but asked for too much money and wound up fighting and losing to Lundy for much less than Marquez offered him.)

Peterson's offer from Golden Boy is known: $1.5 million and 50-50 share of worldwide revenue. It's a great offer. But Arum knows that offer same as we do now, and must have gone above that with something to entice Peterson to face Marquez.

In theory, the winner of Peterson vs Marquez would face the winner of Pacquiao vs Bradley later this year.