Saturday, February 01, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

COLUMN: Royce Feour

Featherweights Marquez, Medina set for showdown

Boxers Juan Manuel Marquez, left and Manuel Medina, right, pose with comedian Paul Rodriguez at Mandalay Bay, the site of tonight's Marquez-Medina IBF featherweight title fight. Photo by Amy Beth Bennett.

The featherweight division has been one of boxing's best the past few years, with such outstanding fighters as Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Johnny Tapia, Prince Naseem Hamed and Paulie Ayala.

Two featherweights who have been among the world's best, Juan Manuel Marquez and Manuel Medina, will be on display tonight. Marquez and Medina will meet for the vacant IBF featherweight title on a pay-per-view card at Mandalay Bay.

Marquez has been a top contender for at least five years but has received only one title shot.

He lost a unanimous decision to Freddie Norwood in a WBA championship fight in 1999 at Mandalay Bay.

The decision was disputed by some, but it was the right one. Marquez, at the time the No. 1 contender for Hamed's WBO featherweight title, gave a lackluster performance against Norwood.

To his credit, the 29-year-old Marquez has learned from that setback.

"I think after the first title fight I've been getting better," Marquez said. "I've been improving mentally and physically. It was a big boost I got from that fight."

He has quietly reeled off 10 consecutive victories, nine by knockout, to become the IBF's top contender.

Marquez (39-2) is a 5-1 favorite over the 31-year-old Medina (60-12), a three-time former champion who rightfully should already hold the IBF 126-pound title. (He lost a controversial decision to Tapia, who later vacated the IBF belt.)

Tonight's bout will be in the same ballroom where Marquez lost to Norwood.

"I am glad we are fighting in the same place," Marquez said. "I will probably remember that night and come out firing."

Marquez, a good all-round fighter, is better than he looked against Norwood.

"I would say 70 percent of the time I am a boxer; 30 percent of the time I am a puncher," Marquez said. "It depends on the fight. If I need to be a boxer, I'll be a boxer. If I need to be a puncher, I'll be a puncher."

He said he plans to be aggressive against Medina.

"I think the key is to pressure him," Marquez said. "This guy is very strong. I want to go to the body first and take away from his conditioning."

Marquez said he has been using bigger sparring partners to prepare for the 5-foot-9-inch Medina.

"He has a style that is hard," Marquez said. "It is kind of tricky. He knows how to use distance. He is taller than most (featherweight) fighters. That's what we're looking to do: get inside on him."

Marquez said Medina offers different challenges than Norwood.

"I don't think you can compare them," Marquez said. "Norwood is left-handed to start with. Norwood never came to fight. I was chasing him the whole night. Medina will not do that. He will come to fight."

Royce Feour's boxing column is published Saturday. He can be reached by phone at 383-0354, fax at 383-4676 or e-mail at rfeour@reviewjournal.com.