Juan Manuel Marquez to announce retirement – report

MANILA, Philippines – Four-time world boxing champion Juan Manuel Marquez is set to announce his retirement on Friday, August 4 (Saturday Manila time), a source tells ESPN.

A month away from his 44th birthday, the Mexican boxer Marquez will end his career that started in 1993, and is expected to land him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Marquez’s decision could become official and final during a Golpe a Golpe telecast, where he is a boxing analyst, on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Mexico.

If Marquez goes through with his retirement, he’ll be the latest in a series of champions to do so recently, including former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, plus Robert Guerrero, with former Marquez foe Timothy Bradley also reportedly set to announce his ring exit.

Marquez held world titles at featherweight, junior lightweight, and lightweight, but it was his 2012 welterweight fight against Manny Pacquiao which he’ll best be remembered for. After losing two razor-thin decisions and surviving 3 first round knockdowns to earn a draw in their first 3 meetings, Marquez got off the deck again to knock Pacquiao out with one right hand in the sixth round in December of 2012. 

Marquez was last seen in the ring on May 2014 when he defeated former world champion Mike Alvarado at Los Angeles, California. He had repeatedly rejected Pacquiao’s pleas for a fifth fight, saying not even $100 million could lure him into the fight.

There had been rumors of a clash between Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto, but Marquez’s ongoing knee injuries had hindered his training.

Marquez has a 56-7-1 record with 40 knockouts. – Rappler.com