Juan Manuel Marquez expressed no interest in facing Manny Pacquiao again, but the Mexican boxing warrior is not closing his door for another fight this year.
Marquez, who has not fought since scoring a unanimous decision win against Mike Alvarado in May last year, said in an interview with Tha Boxing Voice that he sees no reason for a fifth fight against Pacquiao.
The 41-year-old Mexican scored a scintillating sixth-round knockout victory against Pacquiao in their fourth fight in December 2012. But aside from his victory in their last fight, Marquez insisted that he won in all fights, including their first three showdowns, which all ended in controversial decisions.
"The last three fights with Manny, I won the fights," Marquez said, referring to their first three fights. "A lot of people know what happened in those fights. In the first fight, I won a close decision, but it was a draw. The second fight, I won another close decision-maybe two points, three points. In the third fight, I won very clearly."
Marquez, who holds a 56-7-1 record with 40 knockouts, knows that facing Pacquiao will give him a lucrative paycheck before he retires, but the Mexico City native reiterated that money will not be a factor in picking his next opponent in case he decides to fight one more time before hanging up his gloves for good.
"The money is not the most important in this case," Marquez added. "The most important is the glory, The Mexican People. The money is not the most important."
Most fans are still hoping, though, that Marquez will eventually face Pacquiao because of the Filipino boxing icon's World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title.
Marquez made it no secret that he wants to become a world champion in five different divisions before calling it quits, but has also insisted that Pacquiao is not his lone option.
International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion Kell Brook is reportedly an option for Marquez. When asked about the possibility of facing the British boxer, Marquez said that he is not closing his door because he is really determined to become a five-division world champion.
"If I have the desire to return, we are not closing the door to anyone and not closing the door to Brook," Marquez told ESPN Deportes via BoxingScene. "If there is a possibility to fight for a fifth title, in due course we will evaluate the possibilities of what may happen."
A fight against Brook will have to wait, though, because the 28-year-old Yorkshire native is scheduled to defend his title against Ionut Dan Ion on March 28 at Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield.
