Life hasn't been easy for Juan Manuel Marquez. The last time we saw him, he was pummeled and battered for 12 rounds at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. At 36 years of age, Marquez is still looking for the defining moment of his career. The multi-divisional champion and future Hall of Fame entrant is now looking at one last shot at greatness and, considering the circumstances, it may be vindication in a career plagued by shortcomings.
We've seen Marquez lose two narrow decisions to Manny Pacquiao, fights he arguably could have won. We have seen him defeat future legends like Marco Antonio Barrera and Joel Casamayor, but they were both years removed from their prime. We have also seen him defeat young champions like Juan Diaz, but now Diaz doesn't seem as good as he was when he fought Marquez.
Marquez's opportunity could be coming this summer against former jr. welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, himself a victim of both Mayweather and Pacquiao, in what could very well be a farewell fight for either man. Although the fight has not been officially announced, Golden boy promotions CEO Richard Schaefer has said both Marquez and Hatton have agreed to terms verbally, with a venue to be determined.
Although Hatton isn't at the top of his game and is eyeing a possible retirement following this fight, win or lose, he presents Marquez a big opportunity to finally beat a big-name fighter. Though this fight has less significance considering that both Marquez and Hatton lost their last fights decisively, this fight will draw a large audience for not only the boxing savvy, but general public alike.
The general public believes that Hatton's days of being a top contender are over. It should be no surprise that Marquez, despite being the physically smaller man, will be the favorite. Yet, nobody has wondered what Marquez has left after years of physically grueling fights. The bitter truth is simply this: this will be the last chance Marquez will have to prove that he is a high-caliber fighter.
A victory will easily put him in line for a title shot at jr. welterweight if he decides not to campaign at lightweight anymore after the Hatton fight. It would be likely that Marquez returned to lightweight because his frame may not support the 140 pound weight class, but the opportunities may arise in either division. A loss would mean an unfortunate end of the road.
I am of the belief that Hatton is the only winnable fight for Marquez, following his beating at the hands of Mayweather. If you consider his age, the constant wars, and the level of opposition at both 135 and 140, it just seems extremely unlikely that Marquez will win the title again. The same can be said for Hatton, whose real claim to fame was a five-year reign at jr. welterweight where talent was scarce.
When his career is over, Marquez may not be mentioned in the same breath as Barrera or Erik Morales, but a victory over Hatton, one of the most popular fighters of this generation, can be used as a gateway for the casual fan to discover what a great career Marquez had and Marquez himself can find solace in the fact that he will be remembered for all time.
POTSHOTS
Timothy Bradley is the next superstar in boxing. Not only will he be unstoppable at 140 pounds, but I can see him dominating the welterweight division in the coming years.
As if this was a surprise to anybody, Amir Khan may vacate his title in favor of fighting his mandatory and horrifyingly strong puncher Marcos Maidana. I guess the only thing not championship caliber on Khan is his heart.
Who could Bernard Hopkins be fighting next? Names in the mix are Paul Williams, Tomasz Adamek, Danny Green, David Haye or Lucian Bute. Williams may be the most available and maybe the most winnable fight of the bunch.
Here's to hoping I never see Kevin Johnson fight again. If the WBC will not rank Cris Arreola for six months due to foul language, they should ban Johnson indefinitely due to foul performance.
If Juan Diaz asked me what he should get for Christmas, I tell him a new trainer and a strength and conditioning coach. Not only did Ronnie Shields give awful advice against Malignaggi, but Diaz didn't look fully prepared either.
Have a Merry Christmas and a safe new year!