LOS ANGELES, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Filipino southpaw Manny
Pacquiao is expected to return to the ring on Dec. 8 for a
fourth fight against long-time rival Juan Manuel Marquez of
Mexico, according to several media reports.
Promoter Bob Arum told Reuters on Thursday that fight
negotiations were being hammered out this week with a decision
likely in "a couple of days."
Arum was not prepared to give any further details, though
some media have reported that a formal news conference promoting
the fight will take place on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Pacquiao beat Marquez with a controversial majority decision
when they met in Las Vegas in November, and said afterwards he
would be happy to take on the Mexican again "any time."
The Filipino has fought just once since then, surrendering
his WBO welterweight title on a hotly disputed split decision to
American Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas in June.
That stunning result ended a run of 15 consecutive wins by
Pacquiao, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight
weight divisions.
After that fight, both boxers expressed enthusiasm for a
re-match on Nov. 10.
"It will make me a warrior in having this kind of re-match,"
Pacquiao, whose record slipped to 54-4-2 with 38 knockouts, said
at the time. "In the re-match, I want to finish him before the
whole 12 rounds. I want the re-match."
However that re-match has since been put on ice, reportedly
because the pay-per-view sales for their first bout were
relatively weak.
Bradley was a 5-1 underdog against Pacquiao and their June 7
fight failed to attract a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden
Arena.
TOUGHEST OPPONENT
In contrast, Marquez has consistently been the Filipino's
toughest opponent and their most recent bout generated nearly
400,000 more pay-per-view buys than the Bradley-Pacquiao fight.
Marquez and Pacquiao are renowned for their aggressive
approach in the ring and they fought to a draw when they first
met in May 2004.
The Mexican then lost his WBC super-featherweight title to
the Filipino in a controversial one-point split decision in
March 2008.
Ten months ago, Pacquiao was tested to the full in their
third encounter before narrowly retaining his WBO welterweight
title after his preparations had been hampered by various
distractions, including marital difficulties.
Though the southpaw earned two of the verdicts from the
three judges, he delivered one of the least impressive
performances of his career and boos echoed around the arena from
the disgruntled Mexican fans.
Asked afterwards if he would consider a fourth bout with
three-division world champion Marquez, Pacquiao replied: "Any
time, any time. I am a fighter and my job is to fight in the
ring."
Marquez, who lifted his arms in triumph when that fight
ended, was bitterly disappointed with the outcome, after firmly
believing he had been cheated of victory in his two previous
meetings with Pacquiao.
"It's hard when you're fighting your rival and the three
judges, too," the Mexican said in his dressing room, having
stormed out of the ring after the decision was announced and his
chance of vindication denied. "I got robbed."
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by
Frank Pingue)