Op-Ed: A win by Manny Pacquiao over Bradley could silence Marquez

Mexican counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez will stop acting like a diva in rejecting a fifth fight with Manny Pacquiao the moment the Filipino star wins over Timothy Bradley when they clash on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Although nothing has been officially announced regarding the Pacquiao-Bradley rematch, it appears that Bradley will prevail over Ruslan Provodnikov as Pacquiao's next opponent.

Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum have very little option but to go along with a rematch with Bradley. At least they will be assured of over one million in pay-per-view buys which they can share among them on top of the guaranteed purse. During their first encounter they made at least 900,000 in PPV buys.

After meeting with Pacquiao's Adviser Michael Koncz, Arum said he is leaving the decision to Pacquiao and will announce his choice within the week. Obviously it will be a no-brainer decision for Pacman since he knows that Provodnikov does not have a PPV record to lean on. It will be his first PPV outing in his career if he is chosen over Bradley.

Marquez has consistently refused a fifth fight with Pacquiao, saying that there is nothing more to prove as he brags about his stunning knockout win over the eight-division champion in December 2012..

It may be recalled that Marquez had called out Pacquiao in the past in an effort to secure a third fight against the Filipino star, prompting him to even travel to the Philippines to practically beg Pacquiao for another fight that eventually led to their fourth encounter.

Now that it is Pacquiao's turn to request for a rematch (fifth fight), he is now playing and acting like a diva despite the prospect of breaching a $10 million guaranteed prize in what appears to be his most lucrative fight ever.

Pacquiao's decision to choose Bradley over Marquez will ultimately sideline Marquez and leave him begging again for another PPV blockbuster with Pacquiao.

A win by Pacquiao over Bradley will practically diminish Marquez chances of getting another crack at the lucrative Pacquiao sweepstakes.

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