Marquez and Pacquiao doubleheader: Jessie Vargas, Vyacheslav Senchenko possible opponents

With promoter Bob Arum reportedly working on an April doubleheader to feature tune-up fights for Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, opponents have now had names floated in the press by Zanfer promoter Fernando Beltran, who works with Marquez.

From BoxingScene.com:

"We are thinking about serious opponents, someone who would make for a good fight. Jessie Vargas and Vyacheslav Senchenko have been mentioned [for us and] for Pacquiao, and perhaps they will allow us choose [the opponent] first."

This show is just in the development stages at best, as Beltran hopes to have Marquez in the ring in Mexico on April 13 or 20, but Marquez hasn't actually made a concrete decision that he'll be returning. There remains the possibility that he will retire following his career-best win over Pacquiao in December.

Vargas (21-0, 9 KO) came to Top Rank last year after being with Mayweather Promotions, and has fought the same level of mediocre opposition with the big company that he was fighting before. There was hope that his competition would improve in 2013, but going from Vito Gasparyan and Aron Martinez to Marquez or Pacquiao is pretty wild, to say the very least.

Senchenko (33-1, 22 KO) makes more sense. Not only would Top Rank not be sacrificing a prospect -- whatever level that prospect is -- but they'd be getting Senchenko at the hottest he's ever going to be in his career, coming off of his KO win over Ricky Hatton, and he'd lose handily to either Marquez or Pacquiao, because he's just not at their level.

If they do it, it would probably be better to put Marquez with Vargas, and Pacquiao with Senchenko, style-wise, or at least that's what I think. Neither is really a great fight, and I'd still be surprised if this card actually happens, but I can dig it for what it is.