Exclusive Q&A: Marquez sees Peterson as potential target

On Wednesday in his native Mexico City, WBA/WBO lightweight titleholder Juan Manuel Marquez met with Top Rank President Todd duBoef and Zanfer Promotions' President Fernando Beltran.

The subject was a potential fourth bout with Manny Pacquiao, who is coming off November's controversial majority decision over Marquez that most ringsiders thought Marquez had won.

Having battled through a draw and a split-decision loss to Pacquiao previously, Marquez is among five fighters being considered as Pacquiao's next opponent, most likely in May or June.

The others are WBC welterweight beltwinner Floyd Mayweather Jr., IBF/WBA junior welterweight titlewinner Lamont Peterson, WBA junior middleweight beltholder Miguel Cotto and WBO junior welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley.

If neither Marquez nor Peterson gets Pacquiao, Marquez told RingTV.com that he would like to take a tuneup fight on March 17 in a newly-constructed venue in Mexico City before perhaps rising a weight class to challenge Peterson.

A victory over Peterson would make Marquez only the second Mexican fighter to win a fourth title over as many different weight divisions, a mark that was first achieved in September when Erik Morales scored a 10th-round TKO over Pablo Cesar Cano for the vacant WBC junior welterweight belt.

But if Marquez were to face Peterson, he would be taking on a fighter who idolizes him.

"It's a lot of things about him," Peterson said, "and it's a lot of things that I try to take from him and learn from him. Overall, I love his fighting style, and he's an exciting fighter who throws a lot of combinations. He's willing to mix it up with anyone."

"[Marquez] reminds me of myself a lot...warrior all the way through. But he's intelligent."

Below is the interview with Marquez:

RingTV.com: So what do you want to do for your next fight?

Juan Manuel Marquez: I am not sure what to expect for my next fight. I don't know what will happen. I talked with Fernando Beltran. Maybe I will fight in March.

And then, I don't know who will be the next opponent for my next fight. But, I told Fernando that my next opportunity I would like it to be against Manny Pacquiao. Everybody knows.

I want to take maybe one fight for preparation. That would be in March. Maybe. I don't know. But I need to sit down again with Fernando Beltran.