Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez Rematch Looms

For no less that $28 million in guaranteed purse, Manny Pacquiao is willing to face Mexican counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time to put an end to the long-running feud and in order to determine who among them is indeed the better fighter.

In an interview with a local TV crew in his home province, Pacquiao said he might face Marquez again because boxing fans were not contented with the outcome of their third fight, which was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena last Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Nev.

In their last fight, Pacquiao was reported to have been paid $20 million in guaranteed purse while Marquez made $5 million, the biggest in this professional career.

Pacquiao and Marquez have fought three times in the last eight years, and all of those fights ended in controversies, with Marquez claiming he was robbed of his victories.

In 2004, Marquez and Pacquiao fought to a controversial draw in a featherweight bout (126 pounds). Pacquiao should have won on a split-decision if not for a scoring error committed by one of the judges, who scored a round at 10-7 instead of 10-6 for Pacquiao's three knockdowns of Marquez.

In 2008, at super featherweight (130 pounds), Marquez and Pacquiao clashed again in a hotly contested rematch with Pacquiao earning a split decision. Pacquiao's third-round knockdown of Marquez must have influenced the decision of the judges, as they gave the winning score to the Filipino boxing star.

In 2010, Pacquiao ran away with a majority win over Marquez in a controversial fight held at the MGM Grand which generated close to 1.5 million pay-per-view buys. Again, Marquez claims he was robbed of his victory for the third time.

Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, is scheduled to arrive in Manila Sunday to confer with Pacquiao on his choices of opponents for his next fight.

"I'll sit with Manny and explain everything to him, tell him what I think each of these fights would do on pay-per-view," Arum told ESPN.com on Wednesday.

"We'll talk about what (trainer) Freddie (Roach) thinks and about what (Top Rank matchmaker) Bruce (Trampler) thinks. Then I'll let Manny make the decision on which opponent he wants to fight, which I am sure he will do while I am there."

Arum has lined up at least four possible contenders for Pacquiao's next fight, which may come in May or June. They include: Timothy Bradley, Lamont Peterson, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Bradley, who is undefeated in his professional career, is a newly-recruited Top Rank fighter and is fresh from his victory over Cuban Joel Casamayor in the Pacquiao vs. Marquez undercard last Nov. 12. Peterson, who used to fight under Top Rank, is likewise fresh from his controversial win over top-rated British boxing idol Amir Khan.

Marquez and Cotto are former Pacquiao foes who are both salivating for another crack at Pacquiao as they both aspire for the biggest and most lucrative fight of their career.

All of the shortlisted contenders are Arum's Top Rank fighters. Fight negotiations with any one of them will not pose a problem for the 80-year-old lawyer and promoter.

Meanwhile, the fighting congressman from the Philippines has been very busy attending to the victims of the recent calamity in Northern Mindanao, where thousands people died due to flash flood caused by Tropical Storm Sendong.

Aside from cash and goods he shared with the flood victims, Pacquiao has also donated more than 200 thousand square feet of land to be used for the resettlement of the homeless flood victims.

Michael Koncz, Manager of MP Boxing and Pacquiao's controversial but often reliable adviser, is reported to be traveling with Arum on Sunday for a business meeting with Pacquiao.

Koncz is expected to launch the MP Boxing website soon, which will help in the promotion of Pacquiao as a boxer and promoter as well as the contract fighters under MP Promotions.

Arum and Koncz are expected to announce Pacquiao's next foe soon after their meeting with the pound-for-pound king.