Beltran: Marquez wants Peterson at Dallas Cowboys Stadium

RING lightweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez wants to take a tuneup bout in his native Mexico City, go after his fourth belt in as many weight classes against IBF/WBA junior welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson, and then pursue a fith belt against Manny Pacquiao, his promoter, Fernando Beltran, told RingTV.com on Friday.

"Definitely, definitely, that's what we're working on right now. We want Lamont Peterson. We want to fight in Mexico first, and that would mean a lot in Mexico for him to fight in his [home country] before his fans," said Beltran, president of Zanfer Promotions.

"Right after that, we really want to go and fight Lamont Peterson, and then, of course, we want to deal with Manny Pacquiao. I have been reading everything about Manny, but I don't think he wants Marquez immediately."

Marquez is being considered as a potential rival for Pacquiao along with Peterson, Floyd Mayweather Jr., 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 third 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.

"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," said Marquez, who would be facing a fighter who idolizes him in Peterson.

"I would like a fight with Lamont Peterson for my fourth title...Lamont Peterson is a great fighter because he won over Amir Khan, who is another good fighter. So Lamont Peterson is a great fighter for me to fight."

Beltran agrees.

"I think that Peterson is a very good fighter who stays in front of you. He throws a lot of punches and he's a very experienced guy," said Beltran, who said Marquez has "no interest" in facing Morales in an all-Mexican clash. "Styles make fights, and I really think that it will be a really tremendous match up."