Pacquiao vs Marquez IV Still Being Negotiated

A fourth fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez is still the plan and still in the works, according to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, who spoke with Bob Arum on Monday and learned that the plan is still December 8 between those two working legends.

Pacquiao and Marquez went to a draw in 2004, and then Pacquiao won a split decision in 2008, followed by a majority decision in 2011.

Marquez has reportedly been the chosen opponent for a few weeks, and one supposed candidate was eliminated from the race when Miguel Cotto signed to face Austin Trout on December 1.

Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz says Marquez isn't necessarily the chosen opponent -- Timothy Bradley is the only other fighter in the mix -- but this seems more like something he has to say than something that is likely the real case:

"We're still looking at both guys and we haven't decided to go with Marquez. We just have been talking about both guys and today we happened to discuss a purse for Marquez. But I don't want to get into it and start to negotiate or divulge what we're thinking in the media."

There has been seemingly little demand for a Pacquiao-Bradley rematch following Bradley's incredibly controversial June 9 win over Manny, and while Pacquiao-Marquez IV also doesn't seem to have a massive buzz around it at the moment, the general feeling is that it's the money fight of the two.

Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KO) and Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KO) are both seemingly winding down careers that will easily land them in the Hall of Fame someday. Marquez last fought on April 14, routing Serhiy Fedchenko in Mexico.

For those wondering about Marquez's earlier objections to facing Pacquiao again in Las Vegas -- which would be the plan, since that's where the money is -- Arum says it hasn't come up once.