When Raul Marquez was in Bamberg, Germany, for an Oct. 4 mandatory challenge against middleweight titlist Arthur Abraham, he was ready to fight, only to have the bout postponed that morning because Marquez came down with a sudden illness.
The fight was rescheduled for Saturday (Integrated Sports PPV, 3 ET) and Marquez is back in Germany, again ready to fight and hoping Abraham doesn't bail on him again.
The former junior middleweight titlist doesn't buy that Abraham was sick last month. He believes Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) was so drained from making weight that he pulled out because he was weak.
"I knew he was having trouble making weight. Before the weigh in, we both checked out our weight -- I was on but he was over a half-pound," said Marquez (41-3-1, 29 KOs), who earned the shot by defeating Giovanni Lorenzo in a title eliminator June 21 on the undercard of Abraham's knockout of Edison Miranda. "I was called for the official weigh in and made it; he was called but was 10 minutes late. He came in wearing a robe because he had to go in the sauna. Maybe he was sick, but if he really was, it was because of what he had to do to make weight. It's all positive for me.
"I'm looking at it as they stopped [the fight from happening] for a reason. If he really was sick it would have taken him two weeks to get back to where he was. Four weeks isn't going to help him if he's having trouble making 160 pounds. I've heard that he's had trouble making weight for his last few fights and his last was fought at a catch weight of 166."
Abraham was not amused by Marquez's accusation.
"I want to thank Marquez for his medical diagnosis," Abraham said. "Maybe he can work as a doctor once I have defeated him. I know for a fact that he will not be the new IBF middleweight champion, so it might be wise to think of an alternative career. I know he has worked as a TV commentator, but if he likes to share his thoughts on weight problems, he should try and land a job with Weight Watchers."
Abraham said he is perfectly healthy heading into his eighth title defense.
"I was unfortunate to get sick but there is nothing you can do about it," he said. "It just happens. I have fully recovered and quickly returned to practice. Everything has been going fine and I will be in great form."
