Junior Welterweight

It has barely been a month since Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1 39 KOs) beat Serhiy Fedchenko (30-2 13 KOs) in Mexico City. Marquez was coming off of a controversial loss to Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2 38 KOs) and was looking to get back onto his feet by putting on an impressive show for his fans in Mexico by fighting in Mexico City for the first time in almost 18 years.

Marquez is still angry over the fact that he believes that he defeated Pacquiao again, but wasn't able to win on the scorecards as Pacquiao took a majority decision. He's now pursuing a fourth matchup against Pacquiao to prove that he can officially prove he's better than Pacquiao by putting the W on his record.

Plans were to have Marquez fight one more time in July before deciding whether he'll be given an opportunity to face Pacquiao yet again in the fall, given Pacquiao wins his upcoming fight with undefeated Timothy Bradley (28-0 12 KOs).

Talks were that Marquez wanted to face a southpaw to help prepare him for Pacquiao, just like when Marquez fought Likar Ramos before he faced Pacquiao last year.

Names being tossed around as possible opponents early on were undefeated Mercito Gesta (25-0 13 KOs) and world title challenger Paul McCloskey (23-1 12 KOs). Brandon Rios was considered at one point to be an opponent, but Marquez reportedly wasn't interested in fighting Rios.

Earlier today, Steve Kim tweeted that Arum is going to make the announcement for Marquez's next fight this Monday and there's a possibility it may be Zab Judah (42-7 29 KOs).

"Steve Kim ‏ @stevemaxboxing
Bob Arum says JM Marquez announcement on who he faces next will be made on Monday. My money( which I have zero) is on Brandon Rios #boxing"

"Steve Kim ‏ @stevemaxboxing
Ok, new name thats been mentioned to face JM Marquez on July 14th.... Zab Judah.....Couple of solid sources have told me tha"

Chris Mannix from has also tweeted that talks between the two promoters are actually getting serious.

"Chris Mannix ‏ @ChrisMannixSI
"Hearing Main Events and Top Rank are having serious talks about a Zab Judah-Juan Manuel Marquez showdown in July"

Now, this is just Twitter banter, but we'll find out if all of this is true this coming Monday. It seems likely, though, that this fight may happen as Judah is a southpaw, quick and experienced. With a win over him, any resume would look good. 

This is an intriguing matchup and would be better than a matchup with Gesta or McCloskey. Zab has fought better competition, is better known and looked fantastic in his last fight against former undefeated prospect Vernon Paris.

Do I think he'll win?

No, but he'll put on a better show than the other opposition that was rumored to be in the running. 

In a near shut-out, Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KO) dominated Serhiy Fedchenko (30-2, 13 KO) en route to an unanimous-decision victory. Marquez won with scores of 119-109 and 118-110 (twice).

Marquez used a steady onslaught of bodyshots and jabs to keep Fedchenko guessing as to what to do next. With this victory, he claims the interim WBO junior welterweight (140 lbs) world title.

The 140-lb strap will make Marquez a world titlist in four weight classes, following in the steps of his Mexican countryman Erik Morales (52-8, 36 KO).

With this victory, Marquez will likely target a July 14 fight with undefeated rising star Brandon Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Rios defeated his opponent tonight as well, Richard Abril, by split decision. Judging by the weight problems Rios experienced against Abril at 135 lbs, a clash with Marquez will definitely be at 140 lbs.

A fight that is being overlooked this weekend is longtime pain in Manny Pacquiao's neck, Juan Manuel Marquez, taking on little-known Ukrainian fighter Sergey Fedchenko. The two will be fighting for the vacant WBO junior welterweight crown in Mexico City Saturday night, as a co-main event with the Brandon Rios-Richard Abril WBA title bout on HBO pay-per-view.

The fight is not one of the bigger fights Marquez had hoped for after losing yet another controversial decision to Pacquiao last November, but a win against Fedchenko most likely sets up a bout with one of the two fighters he originally wanted, the winner of the June bout between Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley.

Fedchenko (30-1, 13 KOs) is entering a heavy hometown advantage for Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KOs), as the Mexican-born fighter is making his first appearance in his hometown of Mexico City since 1994. Marquez will be the main attraction of the first sporting even held at the newly opened, $300 million Mexico City Arena.

Look for Marquez to dominate the fight, as this will be the first time in Fedchenko's 31 professional fights that he will be fighting outside of Europe. Fighting in the hometown of one of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world will make nerves a factor in the bout.

Marquez will be out for blood after the latest disappointing chapter of his saga with Pacquiao and I think the 40th-knockout victory of Marquez's storied career will be almost a sure bet against the largely untested European champ.

Mick Akers is a boxing featured columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @mickakers

The storied career of future Hall of Fame boxer Erik Morales seems to be nearing the end of the road, after being dominated by the up-and-coming Danny Garcia Saturday night in Houston, Texas.

Morales had his moments early in the fight, but as the bout wore on, Morales' age began to show, as he looked winded and slower towards the end of the fight.

Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs) put on an impressive boxing display and showed he also has some power in his punches when he knocked down Morales (52-8, 36 KOs) in Round 11.

The win gave Garcia the vacant WBC junior welterweight title that was stripped of Morales at the weigh-in for the bout when he came in two pounds over the 140-pound weight limit.

The 24-year-old Garcia's career appears to have a bright future as 35-year-old Morales' is nearing the end.

Morales has fought 60 professional fights and has had a great career, but it is time for the four-division titlist to give retiring for the second time in his career a serious look.

Going 1-2 in his last three fights, many are questioning his desire in the ring, as made evident when he didn't even give burning off the two extra pounds he needed to make the fight's weight a thought, as he sat right down and began to drink water after hearing his weight.

Morales would be better off retiring with dignity, instead of fighting on and taking a few brutal beatings along the way, as he is not the fighter he once was.

“I know his weaknesses, his favorite combinations. In my mind, I'm definitely going to win. I'll take it to this guy,” said Timothy Bradley when talking about his biggest fight yet against Manny Pacquiao.

“It wasn't so much that Marquez exposed Pacquiao, as much as he is not as spectacular. Look, Marquez had Pacquiao's number, and Marquez is 38 and past his prime. Here, they were making excuses, after Ariza had said before Marquez, that even God himself couldn't beat Pacquiao,” continued Bradley.

This is a very good sign, a sign that Bradley is confident and is ready to go to war. The question is, is Bradley thinking right?

Calling Marquez old is fair in the sport of boxing, and even calling him past his prime is probably reasonable. But what makes Bradley so sure that he is better than Marquez?

Bradley is far behind when it comes to experience and ring I.Q. when compared to Marquez. Juan may be older, but his stamina and all other physical attributes seem to be top notch. To be perfectly honest, when Marquez fought Pacquiao, even for the first time, there was a good reason to expect real warfare between the two, but what does Bradley offer in their upcoming bout?

Sure he is unbeaten, but what else? He walks in and likes to fight toe to toe. For Pacquiao, a monster when it comes to power, this is a dream come true.

Maybe he has noticed some mistakes and weaknesses in Manny Pacquiao, but we can’t assume that he is the only one that has gotten those thoughts out of all of Pacquiao’s former foes. Freddie Roach is a tremendous trainer, and he strategizes no less, if not more,G than any other boxing coach on this planet.

"I'm younger, stronger and faster than Marquez," said Bradley in the same interview. Is Bradley younger? Yes, he sure is. Is he stronger and faster than Pacquiao? Mr. Bradley, please don’t count on those things to win your fight.

I like Timothy and enjoy watching him go to work in the ring. He is certainly confident and excited to finally face Manny Pacquiao. The reward for winning this fight would be life changing for Timothy, thus I recommend he hold the statements for until after the fight is over.

What would you say if Juan Manuel Marquez didn't get back in the ring with Pacquiao this year and instead decided to go for his fourth title in a different weight division? That he would be willing to fight against the top fighter at 140 to solidify his place in boxing history and join Erik Morales and Jorge Arce as the third Mexican fighter to be a four-division champion?

That would be an awesome thought, wouldn't it?

Now, what would you say if I told you that there is a possibility that these two men can meet in the ring? That would be crazy, wouldn't it?

Well, both men wouldn't mind fighting each other in the near future.

Recently, Marquez was interviewed (video interview in Spanish here) about who he'd like to face at junior welterweight since he has made notions that he'd be open to fighting at that weight class. 

In the video interview, Marquez responded by saying he'd like to face the best at that weight, and the best person at that weight who is also regarded as a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter is Timothy Bradley.

I think that this is pretty good and something boxing fans can really look forward too. Erik Morales is also residing in the junior welterweight division and a fight with him in Mexico would be monumental in both the viewership and money earned. The fact that he would go for a younger and better opponent in Timothy Bradley really says something about Marquez as a fighter and his love for the sport.

Upon hearing this, Bradley has responded by saying he'd welcome a fight with Marquez if he doesn't get selected to be Pacquiao's opponent for the spring.

This is excellent news for boxing fans and I don't see why Arum wouldn't try to put this together.

Allow me to explain my reasoning for this. 

Pacquiao vs.Marquez III didn't end the way many people were hoping it would and left the fans with a dissatisfying taste in their mouth. Arum tried to see how well the idea of a fourth match between the two men would do, but the fan reaction was negative from what I've seen to have an immediate rematch. I don't think they'd have a fight between the two right away as I think Pacquiao needs a fight to make him look impressive again.

Bradley is a young, undefeated champion who is recognized by boxing media everywhere as the top boxer at 140 and a top 10 P4P, but he's highly underrated by boxing fans all around. While he was able to get good exposure against Casamayor on the Pacquiao vs. Marquez III undercard, a fight with Marquez would do so much more for his career.

If Marquez were to win this fight, he wins another title in another weight division and a fourth fight with Pacquiao couldn't be too far off. Pacquiao already has to fight off the notion of avoiding Mayweather from fans, does he really need fans to prattle about Marquez, too?

If Bradley were to win this fight, he'd get a win over a living legend who has proven he still has a lot of bite in him. He'd also get more fan exposure and maybe a better shot to fight Pacquiao. 

So I'm eagerly awaiting for an announcement of who Pacquiao's next opponent can be. Not because I'm interested in who he's fighting, but because it'll affect the possibility of this fight materializing between these two talented men.

In the wake of Amir Khan's controversial loss to Lamont Peterson, many observers have called for an immediate rematch to take place. It has been reported in The Ring today that Khan's camp have offered Peterson $1 million to get it on again.

However, this is the last thing that Khan should be thinking of.

The fight may go down as a loss on his record, but nearly all observers know that if not for some strange refereeing decisions, Khan would have won against a game Peterson and then would have moved up to welterweight to attempt to challenge Floyd Mayweather.

The version of Khan that fought Peterson has little chance of beating Mayweather, but there are other fights to go after at 147 pounds.

Fight and beat Peterson in a rematch and where would that leave Khan?

Exactly where he was in the first place. He would beat Peterson and then be looking to move up to welterweight.

By moving up now, Khan would bypass a relatively pointless fight.

If Khan feels that his career has been derailed somewhat by this loss, then beating Peterson would not be the only way to get back on the tracks. A move up in weight opens up the possibilities of fights that could be just as exciting as a Peterson rematch.

An all British clash with Kell Brook could be a huge event if promoted correctly. If Khan would rather stay in America, then the winner of Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto II could await Khan.

A big name victory over Shane Mosley perhaps?

Or a fight with up-and-coming Mike Jones?

Or the worst case scenario for Khan could happen, and he could lose a rematch with Peterson. This would leave him in the wilderness at 140 pounds. If he would then decide to move up, he could struggle to find fights.

Stay at 140 pounds and his career would be truly stagnant. He would have to spend a year at least rebuilding to position himself for another title fight.

Sure, if he beats Peterson it would set the record straight and bolster his pride. Beyond that though, it really does nothing for his career.

A rematch with Peterson does have its advantages— most keenly for the fans. The first fight was hugely entertaining and another tear up could be exciting. However, just because one fight is exciting doesn't guarantee that another will be.

Khan's reputation has not really been hurt by this loss. Nearly all fighters lose and in the manner that Khan lost, does anyone care?

This is no Breidis Prescott loss.

In the Peterson fight, from the pre-fight instructions onwards, the referee had the air of a man who wanted to be noticed.

By the end of the night he made sure he was.

Meanwhile, Peterson is the new champ at 140 pounds and should enjoy that. A rematch with Khan may make him rich, but he would be favoured to lose. Peterson deserves a fairly easy defense in front of his fans, against someone like a Jessie Vargas or a Humberto Soto possibly.

Then, he could decide to chase the big names such as Tim Bradley or Khan. By taking on Khan straight away he may never get to feel gold around his waist again.

Should Khan finish his business with Peterson at 140 pounds? Or do possible fights at 147 pounds make more sense? Comment below.

Amir Khan (26-2, 18 KO) wants his two titles back, and his promoter Golden Boy is putting up a $1 million offer to Lamont Peterson (30-1, 15 KO) for a rematch on May 19 at the L.A. Staples Center.

According to Ring Magazine, CEO of Golden Boy Richard Schaefer had this to say about the offer:

"Nevertheless, we started immediately with the negotiations with Peterson's manager, because we were led to believe that Barry Hunter wanted the rematch. We want to get that done, and so we made them an offer of seven figures, and you know, now we'll see if they will agree to a rematch."

Khan was the WBA and IBF junior welterweight (140 lbs) world champion until he met mandatory challenger Peterson December 10 in Peterson's hometown of Washington, D.C.

Peterson defeated Khan by split decision, with a deduction of two points from Khan for pushing being the deciding factor. Khan and Schaefer have expressed outrage and demand the Washington D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission review the fight.

Schaefer had this to say about his request to have the decision against Khan overturned:

"I think that it was another one of those unfortunate circumstances where you had poor officiating. I think that the District of Columbia should do the right thing and overturn the decision. We have asked the IBF and the WBA to do the same, or, at worst, order an immediate rematch. Where there is smoke, there is fire, and I think that you can say here that Rome is burning. It's clearly more than enough reason to overturn the decision."

Peterson, meanwhile, will have a decision to make as to whether he wants the rematch with Khan or another offer. Peterson made a career-high payday fighting Khan for $650,000 in their first match.

That offer came after turning down offers of $300,000 and lower earlier in the year. Now that Peterson has improved to $1 million, he may be tempted to jump or be patient enough to wait it out like before.

Khan wants his titles and his revenge, but unless the D.C. Commission, IBF or WBA say differently, Khan's fate is entirely in Peterson's hands.

My Two Cents

Timothy Bradley (28-0, 12 KO) gave Peterson his only loss and Bob Arum (Bradley's promoter) wants Bradley to get the biggest match possible.

How about pitting Peterson against Bradley in a rematch? Arum has the funds to counter Golden Boy's offer. Peterson's team can go to Arum and ask what they're willing to put up.

Peterson's a free agent and can listen to offers from anyone. Also, Bradley's guaranteed a spot on the next Manny Pacquiao undercard. That's major exposure as well as big money.

It's not a guarantee that Arum will offer Peterson more money, but it's definitely worth investing. Peterson has no obligation to Khan and should do what makes the most sense.

Going into last night’s fight, nobody gave Lamont Peterson much of a shot against Amir Khan.  In the end, Peterson gave it his all and made it a close fight but he didn’t deserve the ridiculous split-decision victory he received.

Amir Khan dominated the first two rounds of this fight.  He knocked down Peterson twice in the first round, but only one was ruled a legit knockdown.

It was apparent early on that Khan’s speed was problematic for Peterson.  Peterson spent too much time waiting on his punches and was getting picked apart by Khan.

Peterson came alive in the third.  He focused his punches to Khan’s body and started to throw punches in bunches.  After this point in the fight, it came down to Khan’s speed vs. Peterson’s bodywork—and the judge’s unfair influence on the scorecard.

Rounds four, five, and six were all close, but Khan should have won the majority of those rounds.  The turning point came in round seven.

Peterson won round seven, which should have resulted in a 10-9 score but referee Joseph Cooper called time within the closing seconds of the round to deduct a point from Khan for pushing.

Khan was pushing, but should never have lost a point.  It is illegal to push, but to take a point away in a close fight for something so menial is criminal. This single point could have easily given the entire fight to Peterson. The fighters should decide the outcome of a fight, not the referee’s stupidity and bias.

Referee Joseph Cooper’s favoritism continued to play a role throughout the end of this fight.

Cooper failed to notice a low blow landed by Peterson in the eighth round, and offered minimal warnings to Peterson for leading with his head. 

Khan’s pushing was no more egregious than Peterson’s use of his head.  To be honest, no points should have been deducted in this entire fight. 

If it wasn’t already obvious that Peterson was receiving some “home cooking,” it became disgustingly evident in the 12th round. 

The 12th round in a close fight is when two boxers are supposed to leave everything in the ring and battle for victory—not when a referee unfairly decides the outcome of a fight.

With 1:51 left in the final round, and in the midst of good back-and-forth action, Joseph Cooper again called time to deduct another point from Khan for pushing.  This was one of the worst point deductions in boxing history.

Referee Joseph Cooper’s two horrible point deductions made it possible for Lamont Peterson to win a very close split-decision.  Judges George Hill and Valerie Dorsett scored the bout 113-112 for Peterson, while Nelson Vasquez scored it 115-110 for Khan. 

I can’t fault the judges’ scoring but I can blame Joseph Cooper for making poor deductions in a close fight. Khan came to the U.S. to defend his title and got robbed by Joseph Cooper in the process.

In order to take a champ’s belt the challenger usually has to decisively win the fight.  Peterson put up a great effort, but didn’t deserve this victory.  He was the benefactor of a clearly biased American robbery on the part of Joseph Cooper.