Nacho
By Rene Umanzor
Trainer Nacho Beristain says a fifth bout between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao is nothing more than a money grab. He says another battle between the two fighters adds no value to the sport, and it ruins the historic ending of the fourth meeting from 2012 - where Marquez finally had his hand raised with a sixth round knockout of Pacquiao.
He feels strongly that a fifth fight would very brutal for both boxers, because Pacquiao would be hungry to get revenge for knockout loss. Top Rank is targeting a date of November 8, in Macau, for a fifth meeting.
"I think it would be unfair to spoil that moment [when Marquez knocked out Pacquiao]. A fifth fight would fail the people because it’s no longer about sports. They know that that fight would generate a lot of money," Nacho said.
"It would be a terrible, hard, very difficult fight because Manny will go for everything, for revenge. I would like them not to fight."
But Pacquiao holds the WBO welterweight title, and Marquez, at 40-years-old, wants to capture a fifth divisional belt before retirement.
"We've talked but he still insists on a fifth title… I think he has every right in the world to try to be the first Mexican to win five titles," Nacho said.
Rene Umanzor covers boxing in Mexico for The Record.
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