Marquez takes on Katsidis tonight
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
Juan Manuel Marquez still holds out hope he’ll get a call from Manny Pacquiao, setting up a third fight and finally settling their old score.
Yet Marquez can’t sit around waiting for the phone to ring.
Mexico’s most accomplished active fighter is still superb at 37, and Michael Katsidis is the latest opponent to draw the wrath of the lightweight champion who just might be boxing’s least appreciated superstar.
“At this stage of my career, there are no easy fights,” Marquez said. “Everybody comes in there to cut off my head.”
Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KOs) will meet Katsidis at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tonight in a fight most expect Marquez to win in dramatic fashion. Katsidis (27-2, 22 KOs) is an exciting Australian brawler who often shows little regard for defense, and Marquez has made a career out of eating up foolhardy opponents with precision and counterpunching.
But Marquez has been full of praise and caution when discussing Katsidis, who went ahead with the fight despite the death of his brother, jockey Stathi Katsidis, in October.
“I feel very sorry for what happened, but I know he’s going to be motivated for this fight,” Marquez said. “He’s very strong and has a difficult style, a very commercial style. He’s coming to fight hard, and it’ll be a great match of styles. He throws a lot of punches, and that’s the best thing he does.”
Marquez turned down a $750,000 deal for his first rematch with Pacquiao and instead flew to Indonesia in 2006. He made $30,000 while losing his featherweight title to Chris John in a hometown decision simply because trainer Nacho Beristain thought it was a good idea.
Marquez twice came agonizingly close to beating Pacquiao, who rose to the apex of their sport after sweating out a draw in 2004 and a split decision over Marquez in 2008.