Manny Pacquiao will be stepping into the ring against Shane Mosley in less than two weeks, but his promoter, Top Rank, has already potentially lined up the next opponent for the pound-for-pound champ: Juan Manuel Marquez.

Dan Rafael of ESPN reports that “a formal, written offer” has been sent by Bob Arum’s outfit to the Marquez camp for a third fight against Pacquiao if the latter is victorious against Mosley. Golden Boy Promotions, whose promotional contract with Marquez expired recently, still owns the right to match any offer made to the Mexican fighter, and confirmed the receipt of a copy of the offer to Marquez by Top Rank.

Marquez figured in two epic fights against Pacquiao. In 2004, he survived three knockdowns in the first round to force a draw against the Filipino pugilist. In their 2008 rematch, Marquez lost a razor-thin split decision to Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao has since gone on to international superstardom with victories over Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, and Antonio Margarito. Juan Manuel Marquez, meanwhile, still feels bitter about what he perceived to be bum decisions against him in the Pacquiao fights, and has since been on a Captain Ahab-like quest to forge a third duel against Pac-Man.

But Marquez’s efforts have been hampered by the squabbles between Top Rank, which promotes Pacquiao, and Golden Boy, the two biggest boxing promotions which had been involved in a “cold war”. Since the De la Hoya fight, Top Rank’s Arum has only placed Pacquiao in bouts against boxers who are not promoted by Golden Boy, leaving Marquez out of the loop.

Curiously, Pacquiao’s opponent, Shane Mosley, used to have a promotional contract with Golden Boy as well, apart from being part-owner of the company. But Sugar Shane was able to sign a deal to fight Pacquiao after cutting ties with Golden Boy and declaring himself a free agent. The message seems crystal clear for Marquez: the Pacquiao fight is his if he wants it.

Much has changed since the two fighters last faced each other; Pacquiao has grown much bigger and much better, while Marquez, even though he has shown signs of age, has stayed in the pound-for-pound rankings, mostly by eschewing his technical style and becoming more of a brawler.

But I’d probably be more interested in this fight for Pacquiao than just about any other realistic opponent save for Floyd Mayweather; it’s not just style that makes fights, there’s also simmering bitterness and resentment, which Marquez has carried with him through the years.