:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/961400/marquez_donaire.jpg)
Top Rank is considering a big Cowboys Stadium show on July 14 featuring Juan Manuel Marquez and Nonito Donaire in a "Mexico vs Philippines" theme show, reports Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com.
Right now, the tentative plan for Marquez is a return on April 21 in Mexico in a tune-up, possibly against powerless Cesar Cuenca of Argentina, and then the July 14 date. Donaire was reportedly being set for a June 16 return on HBO, but that may be changed.
Golden Boy did a couple shows like this a few years back with the Mexico vs Philippines theme on a smaller scale, and they were pretty fun. Top Rank, of course, had their "Latin Fury" and "Pinoy Power" pay-per-view series, and both were successful with lower expectations, which is sort of what this would be: A super-charged Latin Fury/Pinoy Power type of show, probably with HBO backing it.
The idea for now, says Reeno, would be Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO) returning to the 135-pound division and defending his lineal championship and whatever belts he still has against Filipino prospect Mercito Gesta (24-0-1, 12 KO). The 24-year-old Gesta is a quality prospect who, of course, draws comparisons to Manny Pacquiao because he's left-handed and Filipino. He signed a four-year deal with Top Rank last year.
Donaire (28-1, 18 KO) would potentially defend his WBO super bantamweight title against Victor Terrazas (32-2-1, 18 KO). Terrazas is coming off of a very good performance in an upset of Fernando Montiel on November 19, and went 4-0 last year. He's risen up the ranks as a legitimate contender and would fit the role here very nicely.
WBO flyweight titlist Brian Viloria (30-3, 17 KO) could also be featured on the card. Viloria, 31, is currently slated to face Omar Nino on March 31 (April 1 in the Philippines). That will be the third fight between the two -- Nino upset Viloria in August 2006, handing Viloria his first loss, and the two went to a majority draw three months later on the Pacquiao vs Morales III card, which wound up ruled a no-contest when Nino failed a post-fight drug test.
All of this is far from set in stone and seems more in the floated idea stage than anything, but it's an interesting idea and could be a good "fight fan's" show.