Manny Pacquiao, right, and Juan Manuel Marquez clash in Las Vegas with the Filipino winning on a points decision to retain his WBO Welterweight title.
Manny Pacquiao, right, and Juan Manuel Marquez clash in Las Vegas with the Filipino winning on a points decision to retain his WBO Welterweight title.

Manny Pacquiao set for fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez



Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is in talks for a fourth fight against rival Juan Manuel Marquez.

The Filipino fighter had been in talks with Tim Bradley over a rematch of their controversial title fight earlier this year, but those have fallen through.

Reports from the US suggest that Pacquiao's next fight will be December 8 in Las Vegas - with Marquez is a likely opponent.

Miguel Cotto is understood to have rejected the opportunity to face Pacquiao, while the long-anticipated superfight against Floyd Mayweather Jr remains unlikely following the fighter's recent spell in jail.

Promoter Bob Arum told ESPN: "We're having a meeting about Manny's next fight and to get everything finalised.

"My goal is to finalise the Marquez fight, but I have to meet with (Koncz)."

The 33-year-old first face Marquez in May 2004, where their fight was controversially scored a draw despite the Mexican having been put down three times by Pacquiao.

Four years later, the rematch saw the Filipino win by split decision to claim The Ring and WBC super featherweight belts.

Their most recent clash came last November as a catchweight bout for the WBO welterweight title, when Marquez again lost by split decision - a decision which angered the Las Vegas crowd.

Bradley looks set to fight before the end of the year in New York, dashing the prospect of an immediate rematch with Pacquiao following the split decision victory by the American in their bout in June.

The WBO Championship Committee had recommended a rematch after scoring the fight in Pacquiao's favour following a review of the bout.

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