Juan Manuel Marquez is still remaining firm on his stance when it comes to facing Manny Pacquiao for the fifth time should the Filipino boxing icon wins against Timothy Bradley in their rematch on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
In an interview with BoxingScene, Marquez reiterated that his goal is to win a fifth title. He could fulfill that goal if Pacquiao reclaims the WBO welterweight title from Bradley, but the Mexican boxing icon insisted that he has still zero interest in a Pacquiao vs Marquez 5 showdown.
"A fifth world title excites me, but a fifth fight with Pacquiao does not," Marquez said.
The 40-year-old Mexican pointed out that he wants to keep the memory of his stunning win over Pacquiao in their fourth showdown in December 2012.
Marquez said that he wants fans to remember his sixth-round knockout win over Pacquiao, and he is not interested with adding another chapter that could ruin the memory of that impressive win.
"The important thing is to stay with that feeling of December 8, 2012 - not just for me but for all Mexicans. We won't forget that date for a long time. I don't want to lose that feeling with a bad decision, like what happened in the second and third fight. I would go through life wondering why I accepted a fifth fight and why I would risk something that I worked really hard to get," Marquez stressed.
In the event Bradley scores another victory over Pacquiao, Marquez said that he will make a strong push for a rematch. But if Bradley fails to retain his title, he would consider other options, including staging his final fight in Mexico.
"If Bradley wins, we would go for a rematch. But if he doesn't win, we have to analyze the pros and cons [of what to do next]. I'd like to retire in Mexico. It would be a compliment and a great satisfaction to say goodbye to my people, my country. It would be the right to do, to thank my people for their affection by fighting for them," Marquez said.
