Juan Manuel Marquez Tries For 4th Title in Mexico City

Thirty year old Ukrainian light welterweight  Serhiy Fedchenko travels overseas for the first time ever to contest the WBO Interim Junior Welterweight title that could  earn Juan Manuel Marquez his 4th divisional belt. Come April 14th, Fedchenko should have quite the eye opener against the certified future Hall of Famer boxing’s most rabid capital, Mexico City.

Oddly enough, the native Mexico City born Marquez hasn’t boxed in Mexico City since 1994, fighting primarily in California and Nevada, so that’s some kind of 18 year Mexican homecoming he may have coming. Truth be told, Marquez was always the odd amigo out in the popularity stakes dominated by Los Otro Amigos,  Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales who often fought in Mexico, but I’d guess his stature has grown there since they have more or less been in the retirement phase.

Sergey Fedchenko

Since almost all of Fedchenko’s bouts were staged in Ukraine, not much is known about him other than his record, 30-1, 13 KO as the current “WBO European Lightwelterweight titlest.” The only name opponents on his record are his sole majority decision loss to Kaizer Mabuza and a unanimous decision against DeMarcus Corley.

It goes without saying that Serhiy “The Professor” Fedchenko has never been stopped and is following on the heels of a stampede of talented Ukrainian champs and contenders in boxing. With only 13 KOs of European quality fighters, he is a boxer, not a slugger,  and boxing his only hope since the last 5 of Marquez’s 6 losses have come at the hands of highly rated boxer types of various styles, Freddie Norwood, Manny Pacquiao x2, Chris John, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

Fedchenko is obviously not in the class of the above, but he could move up to the bigtime if he were to knock the heavy favorite Marquez off his throne. Hungry East Europeans have made a pretty fair name in boxing doing just that, but can Fedchenko adjust to the manic atmosphere likely to accompany this fight?

Manny vs The Juan

I see this as a stay busy, wow the Mexican crowd with a homecoming in advance of Marquez’s next blockbuster fight. That could come against Manny Pacquiao in an epic 4th encounter IF Pacquiao wins his bout against undefeated Ring P4Per Timothy Bradley, a much bigger challenge and certainly not an easy victory.