MANILA, Philippines - It looks like Manny Pacquiao won't be able to get his revenge against Juan Manuel Marquez as the latter's wife is insisting it's time for the Mexican boxer to put his boxing gloves away.
Erika Marquez said she fears the possible outcome of a prolonged rivalry between her husband and Pacquiao.
"What I want is for him to retire and to devote his time to enjoying his family. When Juan fights, I suffer enough. In this fight [with Pacquiao] it was no exception," she said in Boxing Scene.
Pacquiao has already had four tough battles with Marquez.
Although the Filipino boxer drew the first bout and won the next two on points, he suffered a huge blow in their last meeting.
No more Pacquiao versus Marquez? Photo by Rem Zamora, ABS-CBNnews.com
Marquez tagged Pacquiao with a right to the jaw in the sixth round, inflicting the Filipino's first knockout loss since 1996.
Erika said she understood what Jinkee Pacquiao felt when the latter saw her husband slumped, face down on the canvass.
"I was very [upset] when I saw Pacquiao's wife crying, desperate to climb into the ring. She feared the worst. I saw what she felt and I reflected, and understood her suffering. I felt her anguish when I saw that Pacquiao did not move and did not get up," said Marquez's wife.
Erika said that extending the rivalry would do more damage to both fighters.
"Yeah, [there are a lot of] offers to continue fighting, but all of the money in the world won't buy you another life, and no money in the world will buy you another brain," she said.
Jinkee shares the same sentiments with regard to her husband.
In an earlier interview with USA Today, Jinkee said Pacquiao already has a successful career in boxing and that he has nothing left to prove.
"He already has eight (title) belts. He can retire -- stop -- at any time. I want him to stop now. But he is the one who has the last say," she said.
"Boxers risk their lives; [some] end up in wheelchairs. I don't want that to happen to Manny," Jinkee added.
Citing the thrilling outcome of the fourth bout, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has proposed a fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez.
Arum said the knockout ending proved that the fourth installment of the Pacquiao-Marquez saga was different from the previous clashes.
"This fight shows the health of the sport," he said. "Great fight, shown all over it. The knockout happening right in front of the guy who was almost president of the United States [Mitt Romney]," he said.
"No. 5 is now the biggest fight in boxing, bigger than Pacquiao-Mayweather."
