Kung matutuloy ang $200 milyong welterweight megabout nina WBO champion Manny Pacquiao at WBC at WBA titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr., naniniwala si Mexican four-division world title holder Juan Manuel Marquez na mananalo pa rin ang Amerikano sa Pinoy boxer.
Sa panayam ng ESPN Deportes, iginiit ni Marquez na kahit may tatlong sunod na panalo si Pacquiao laban kina world champion Brandon Rios, Timothy Bradley at Chries Algieri, pawang ng United States, ay mahihirapan itong talunin si Mayweather.
“For me, Mayweather would win. He is not a puncher, but he is an artist in the ring. He is the best in terms of defense and he’s very quick with counter-punches and that’s what hurts Pacquiao,” ani Marquez.
“He handles timing very well and it is an important factor and a very harmful weapon against Pacquiao.”
Gayunman, nilinaw ni Marquez na ayaw nang labanan sa ikalimang pagkakataon ang Pinoy boxer na hindi magwawagi si Mayweather sa pamamagitan ng knockout.
“[Mayweather] won’t win by knockout, but on points. We know that defensively Mayweather is the best in the world and he is considered as the best pound for pound,” dagdag ni Marquez.
Kaugnay nito, inamin ni Golden Boy Promotions boss Oscar dela Hoya na gustong makalaban ni dating WBC light middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez ng Mexico sina Pacquiao, Mayweather at Miguel Angel Cotto ng Puerto Rico sa 2015.
“He wants to go and fight Miguel Cotto, he wants to fight (Floyd) Mayweather, he wants to fight (Manny) Pacquiao,” sinabi ni DeLa Hoya sa BoxingScene.com. “He wants to fight the top, top guys. This kid is 24 years old, he is going to be the next superstar in boxing for like the next 10 years.”