Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Marquez landed in Manila!

Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez arrived in the Philippines before dawn Thursday to promote his upcoming fight with Philippine boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao.

Marquez, who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 aboard a Philippine Airlines PR-103 flight, said he looks forward to the Nov. 12 fight with Pacquiao, who he said is a "great fighter."

"We're friends outside the ring; inside the ring he's a great fighter," he said in an interview aired on dzBB radio.

He said he will be training while in the Philippines, and will be working on his speed and power.

But he also said he plans to watch a billiards match in Manila scheduled for this month. He said he is a billiards aficionado.

"Yes, I like to play billiards; in Mexico I have a business [and] I want to see the tournament [in Manila]," he said.

On the other hand, Marquez promised his "best effort" for Nov. 12, adding he will "prepare mentally" as well.

"I've been waiting for this fight [for] three years," he said.

On November 12, Pacquiao vs Marquez will again step into the ring in Las Vegas to end a boxing trilogy.

Upon his arrival at the NAIA-2 at 4:55 a.m., Marquez went through the mandatory procedures including a thermal scan.

A report by radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen said the thermal scan is standard procedure now that the government is on alert for the bird flu virus.

A separate report by dzBB’s Carlo Mateo said Marquez received a warm welcome at The Manila Hotel where he will be billeted during his stay in Manila.

While in Manila, Marquez is to pay a courtesy call on Mayor Alfredo Lim where the Mexican boxer is to be feted as the city's adopted son.

He will then hold a joint press conference with Pacquiao about their November fight at the Luneta Park on Saturday. — LBG, GMA News

Source: gmanews.tv

Pacquiao starts training today in Rizal Park

By Timothy James,

Manny Pacquiao is known for only wanting a 6 week camp. Usually he has to be talked into doing a full eight weeks. That is not the case this time around.

Manny Pacquiao has a fire in his belly. He has said that Marquez irritates him.

Manny Pacquiao stated to MP8.ph, “Training starts tomorrow.” We will start filming The Road To Marquez early for the fans.”

This footage can only be seen on Manny Pacquiao’s Official Website www.MP8.ph

Tomorrow at 4:00 pm training time begins in Malate Rizal Park. It will feature jogging, light punching, warm ups, and abs. This will be about a two hour workout.

Source: mp8.ph

Tight schedule for Marquez's 4-day stay in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — With the Manila Hotel serving as the official residence, Juan Manuel Marquez will arrive in the country Thursday morning along with his handlers and a powerhouse cast from Top Rank led by big boss Bob Arum.

Marquez and the other boxing bigwigs will be here for the kickoff leg of the four-city promotional tour for his Nov. 12 rubber match with Manny Pacquiao.

Manila is the first stop and the first press conference will be staged at the Quirino Grandstand this Saturday afternoon with Pacquiao and Marquez in attendance.

Marquez will be joined by his trainer Ignacio Beristain and two key members of his entourage — Raul De Anda and Plutarco Gatica — as well as top Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran and ace publicist Fred Sternburg.

After a short welcome with the airport media upon his arrival via Philippine Airlines, Marquez will be whisked to the Manila Hotel where he and the other dignitaries will be warmly welcomed.

In the afternoon, Marquez will pay a courtesy call to Manila mayor Alfredo Lim at the City Hall followed by a live interview on 24 Oras.

In the succeeding days, Marquez will meet with the Mexican ambassador to the Philippines, honor interviews from various talk show hosts and hear mass at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday.

Marquez is also set to attend a dinner that will be hosted by Solar Sports at the Midas Hotel and grace the World Pool Master at SM North Edsa.

Source: mb.com.ph

I expect the best of Marquez - Manny

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing congressman Manny Pacquiao believes he will face the best Juan Manuel Marquez in their third fight.

Pacquiao thinks his Mexican rival will be very motivated to beat him on November 12.

“I expect the best Marquez on that night,” the 8-division champion told KO Boxing.com.

At stake at the 144-pound catch weight fight is Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title.

Marquez has battled Pacquiao in 2 hard-fought matches.

The first fight in 2004 ended in a controversial draw. The second fight 4 years later ended in a split decision in favor of Pacquiao.

“I've already fought twice with Marquez so I know his style,” said the Filipino boxer.

He, however, expects the third fight to be a tough one as well.

“It's a hard fight. I have to train hard for this fight,” said Pacquiao.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Marquez will take a beating - Doug Fischer

"Thanks for the RingTV show and your work with RingTV.com. I noticed that you've been completely writing off Juan Manuel Marquez against Manny Pacquiao this coming November. Although I agree that Marquez doesn't perform as nearly as well at a higher weight, we only have his performance against Mayweather (the most gifted boxer out there) to use as a comparison. But nonetheless, Marquez went 12 rounds with Floyd Jr. (and Manny ain't no Mayweather). In my opinion, Marquez is a more technically skilled -- not athletically skilled -- fighter than Pacquiao and if he succeeds in making it a boxing match and in controlling tempo as Erik Morales did, we'll have a new Mexican welterweight champion in a few months. -- John, Santa Paula, CA"

You’re absolutely right, John. I am writing Marquez off in his third bout with Pacquiao and I hate myself for doing it because I have so much respect for him.

However, I can’t get the image of Marquez getting shaken by punches from Juan Diaz and dropped hard on his ass by Michael Katsidis in LIGHTWEIGHT bouts. Now he’s going to face Pacquiao at a weight that his arch rival has proven the ability to hurt naturally bigger fighters -- and not just any fighters -- tough, proud world-class veterans (Cotto, Margarito, and Mosley). He made Cotto and Mosley basically b___h out after dropping them early.

I’m not even factoring in Marquez’s fight with Mayweather, who never tried to take out the Mexican veteran (but probably could have). “Manny an’t no Mayweather?” Um, yeah. Pacquiao lets his hands go. Maybe that will give Marquez an opportunity to clip him with counter punches. We’ll see (PacMan’s aggressive nature was supposedly going to give Mosley a shot, too, remember?). I don’t see Marquez playing it safe against Pacquiao if he gets hurt the way Sugarless Shane did, and thus I see him taking a beating. I hope I’m wrong. I hope we get a good fight.

Source: ringtv

Anxious already about Pacquiao-Marquez III

A friend visited me from Mexico last week. Between trips to Austin and strolls along the San Antonio River, we had occasion to watch a number of old Marco Antonio Barrera fights – the Junior Jones debacles and the classic trilogy with Erik Morales. But it was the first Manny Pacquiao fight that filled me with a dull sense of foreboding about November.

What does Barrera have to do with November? Probably not much unless Top Rank needs undercard filler. What Barrera tells us about Pacquiao’s waning interest in combat, though, might be plenty instructive as we begin to look forward to Pacquiao’s third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

First, a note or two about what it was like to be an average boxing fan in Mexico for the last decade. My friend lives in Tampico, Tamaulipas, a city located about 300 miles south of the U.S. border. In the 1940s, he boxed in amateur events as a boy in the Mexican state of Veracruz. He loves boxing at least as much as you do.

But until last week, he had never seen Barrera-Morales I, II or III. Those fights, you see, were on pay channels, and a municipal employee in Tamaulipas’ fifth-largest city didn’t earn a salary large enough to justify such an expense. That meant, in some way, boxing stopped commanding his interest. There were the old days, nostalgia for such scrappers as Rodolfo “Chango” Casanova, sure, but with its accessibility issues, boxing moved to a distant second behind soccer.

That is now changed. Boxing is everywhere on Mexican public airwaves again. But the lost decade of Mexican prizefighting, and its consequences for the quality of product coming out of Mexico today – read: Canelo and Junior – is worth an annual reconsideration or two by American fight fans looking at bandwagons to jump.

The Barrera that fought Morales in February of 2000 has never been seen again. He would go on to teach Naseem Hamed how to box in 2001 and decision Morales in their 2002 rematch, but he would never fight with the abandon he showed in his first match with “El Terrible.”

Seventeen months after winning a first decision over Morales, Barrera would come to San Antonio and get fully undone by a young Filipino prodigy nicknamed Pac Man. With trainer Freddie Roach whispering in his ear about Texas judges – with the ghost of Chavez-Whitaker still haunting the Alamodome scorer’s table (and yes, trivia buffs, Gale Van Hoy was an official judge for Barrera-Pacquiao I) – Pacquiao would make no mistakes in his championship rounds with Barrera.

Fresh as an insolent child after 30 minutes of combat, Pacquiao would hunt and raze Barrera. Beginning in the ninth round, Barrera would glide, retreat and engage only when imperiled. And Pacquiao’s ferocious fighting spirit would not stop imperiling the champion till Barrera’s corner stopped the match.

Four years later, in a fight that marked a temporary rapprochement between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, Barrera challenged Pacquiao to a rematch Barrera had no thought of winning. Barrera cashed himself out, gliding and retreating for 36 minutes, engaging only when imperiled and announcing a retirement immediately afterwards.

And Pacquiao let him. Fighting as the favorite in Las Vegas, Pacquiao had no fears of crooked Lone Star scorecards. He did enough to win each round. Drained from making 130 pounds for the last time, Pacquiao did a 12-round dance with Barrera that looked like nothing so much as a business transaction.

What happens, then, if that Manny Pacquiao meets the wrong Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 at MGM Grand?

To this point, worries about Pacquiao-Marquez III have all treated Marquez’s health. Marquez, great as he is, does not belong in a fight one ounce above the lightweight limit of 135 pounds. Pacquiao is an established, if ever-light, welterweight. Their rubber match will happen at 144, where Pacquiao seems most comfortable.

Marquez has shown us that he, too, is capable of a business transaction. Told by his trainer and longtime manager Nacho Beristain not to fight Floyd Mayweather at welterweight in 2009, Marquez did it anyway to gain a career payday. Dropped early in the match, Marquez fought hard enough to frighten the ever-cautious Mayweather from pursuing a knockout in the half hour that followed. Mayweather could not knock out Marquez, in other words, because he hated the thought of a hellacious exchange.

After losing most every round to Mayweather, though, Marquez showed no regret. On the contrary, he stated plainly that he had nothing about which to feel shame. He’d challenged a much larger man, remained on his feet and cashed a much larger check.

Since then, Manny Pacquiao has shown, in fights with Joshua Clottey and Shane Mosley, that if an opponent is hellbent on not-fighting, Pacquiao won’t force him to do it. The likely beneficiary of every close round, Pacquiao now stays busy, picks his moments, flurries and leaps out, and collects decision victories and immense paydays.

What happens, then, if that Pacquiao squares off with that Marquez? Two words, actually: Uh oh.

We’re readying the boxing rally caps, I know – the now-annual rite of Pacquiao-Mayweather-fight promises will soon spill forth as if on a timer – but it might be helpful to remember this. Whatever happens from here, however easily Mayweather decisions Victor Ortiz in a few weeks, however easily Pacquiao decisions Marquez two months after that, Pacquiao-Mayweather will never again hold the promise it held at the end of 2009.

The Fight to Save Boxing, 2012 vintage, is an event already corrupted by greed and shortsightedness. Let us hope nothing happens in November to cause further erosion of interest.

Source: 15rounds.com

Juan Manuel Marquez feels he was robbed against Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines — Juan Manuel Marquez phoned a dear friend in Los Angeles a few days ago, reminisced about their good old days, asked about his trip to Manila this coming week and told him how thrilled he was facing Manny Pacquiao for the third time.

Ricardo Jimenez, the Spanish-speaking publicist of Top Rank, said Marquez was animated during their conversation about the long journey to the Philippines as though he was a kid who was about to go to Disneyland for the very first time.

“He told me he has been waiting for a long time for this (third) fight to happen,” Jimenez said, sensing the bitterness in Marquez’s voice.

Marquez feels he was robbed of a win when judges ruled a split draw the first time he fought Pacquiao in May 2004 and the mental anguish worsened when Pacquiao escaped with a split decision four years later.

While the Nov. 12 rubber match Pacquiao and Marquez 3 has already been signed, sealed and delivered by both camps, Marquez is looking forward to the day that Top Rank big boss Bob Arum makes the formal announcement at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

Manila will be the kickoff leg of a four-city press tour that travels to New York City, Los Angeles and Mexico City and Marquez is actually bringing along a crew from TV Azteca to film some portions of a program for the Mexican TV network.

Jimenez said Marquez is a talent of TV Azteca and as much as 10 people from the station are setting up camp in Manila to do some filming.

Jimenez said he had been with Marquez two weeks ago for a promotional shoot and was not surprised at all the fighter looked in great shape despite the inactivity.

“Marquez always takes good care of his body,” said Jimenez.

“He doesn’t get fat like Erik Morales or Miguel Cotto when they’re not in training.”

As animated their talk was, Jimenez said he felt guilty not to call Marquez back.

“As I was looking at Marquez’s personal data, I saw something and immediately got him back on the line.”

“Hey, happy birthday,” said Jimenez.

Marquez turned 38 last Aug. 23

Pacquiao-Marquez Trilogy more popular than Mayweather-Ortiz fight

Theres still a few more days to go and it will be September, it means more Boxing in store for you before the Christmas season.

First thing that we will be looking at is the come back of the former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather. The American boxer will step on the ring once again to face Victor Ortiz in a title fight this September 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Next to this will be the Pacquiao vs Marquez third and final fight between long-time rivals this coming November 12.

If we compare these two exciting match ups, Pacquiao and Marquez III is more popular because it really created a buzz. With so many promotions and tours the long time awaited trilogy is on the top.

“I’m not hearing much about Mayweather-Ortiz. Hopefully the buzz will pick up soon,” said Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

This is indeed true, Mayweather’s lawsuits are much more talked about than his upcoming fight. Maybe because he is fighting Ortiz not Pacquiao or maybe because his crimes is pulling him down.
Mayweather had another lawsuit that came from his former friend. And add uop his past accusations by his ex-girlfriend and the bodyguards.

On the other hand, Pacquiao who is very confident in ending Marquez’s career is hoping to have the mega fight next year.

“There is a big possibility that by next year there will be a fight between me and Mayweather . I think the fight will push through,” said Pacquiao.

While the Pacquiao-Marquez is continously reaching out to all of the boxing fans around the world, the Mayweather-Ortiz campaign is slowing down.

“The Marquez-Pacquiao III has more fans than a fight between a ducker (Mayweather) and another Mexican soutpaw. We can really tell,” said A.J Samonte of the Philippines.

“The reason why the people shows low interest in the upcoming Mayweather fight is because of Mayweather’s past actions,” Tim Jones of Carolina.

The same Marquez will fight an improved Pacquiao

Age has nothing to do with it. Even at 38 years of age, Dinamita remains a sensational fighter who shows no signs of the wear and tear that sometimes plagues boxers who are in such an advanced stage of their careers. Marquez’s age will not be a factor in his fight against Pacquiao, but the latter’s superior skills will be.

The Skill Factor:

The great Mexican warrior seems oblivious to the fact that Pacquiao is not the same fighter he was when the two met previously in March of 2006 and again in March of 2008. Both matches ended with great controversy; the first resulting in a draw and the second in a split decision loss.

Marquez feels that he won both fights. Following his November 11, 2010 TKO victory over Michael Katsidas, he showed up at the post fight press conference sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Marquez Beat Pacquiao Twice”.

Both fights were close, but Pacquiao simply isn’t the same fighter he was when the two last met. Knockout victories over bigger men like Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto with unanimous decision wins over Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, and the much bigger though shopworn Shane Mosley stand as testament to the fact.

Over the course of these fights it is clear that the Pacman has improved exponentially.

The Weight Factor:

Pacquiao could have easily made the 140 to 142 lbs catchweight that was first proposed by Marquez, but both teams settled on a catchweight of 144.

Marquez weighed in at 134 and rehydrated to 145 against Katsidis. His official weight against Ramos was 138, and he likely weighed around 145 again on fight night.

Pacquiao has weighed in at 144.5 and 144.6 respectively against Margartio and Mosley, rehydrating to 148 for both fights.

As far as fighting weight, we’re only talking about a disparity of 3 lbs.

If Team Pacquiao had agreed to a 140 lb catchweight it would have been to Marquez’s advantage, but would it have been enough to give him THE advantage? Boxing trainer Stacy Goodson of Paris, Arkansas doesn’t think so.

“It doesn’t matter,” Goodson said. “You’ll see. It’s a new and improved Pacman. The ghost of his past will stay in his past, and in six rounds you’ll have another mangled Pacman victim.”


examiner.com

A knockout to clear all doubts

IS Floyd Mayweather Jr., at age 34, a fading ring veteran?
We will know after his Sept. 17 title fight with Victor Ortiz.

Is Manny Pacquiao, who’s turning 33 on Dec. 17 about to fade as pound-for-pound champ?

We’ll know after his crown defense against 38-year-old veteran Juan Manuel Marquez.

For now, Manny is assuring JuanMa of a speedy resolution to his quibbles of blown calls when they tangle anew Nov. 17 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Two months is all I need to get in shape and I’ll be ready for Marquez despite the long interval in our fights,” a fussy Manny tells this corner, adding that his intention this time is to “beat Marquez clearly to erase all doubts.”

“I want a knockout win to do away with questioned decisions as what occurred in my failed bids against Pacquiao,” Marquez punched back.

Call it any other way, but I smell a knockout any which way this rubber bout goes.

So brace up for an action-filled gig, courtesy of boxing’s tested aces out to conclude matters within the 12-round order of business.

Three weeks in Baguio City, the Philippines’ summer capital, is where Manny starts re-sharpening his hooks, straights and uppercuts dulled somewhat by inactivity after his disposal of Shane Mosley.

The Pinoy idol is into light drills now, but goes full bore in his preparations as soon as the press tour, which starts Sept. 3 in Manila concludes, following stops in Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles, where he takes a Philippine Airlines flight back to Manila.

Topping Pacman’s agenda is a treat from the protagonists, who have been wanting to put in order the final stanza of their fistic telenovela.

“It’ll be a great, if not the greatest performance of Marquez, but that won’t be enough to stop Pacquiao,” crowed Top Rank’s Bob Arum as he puts the final touches on his chart-topper that’s likely to bring in huge pay-per-view revenues and a packed gate attendance.

There has never been a dull fight where the boxing congressman figured in. Same goes for the game Marquez. And with Pacquiao eyeing next year a bigger if not the biggest prize--Floyd Mayweather Jr.--expect an engaging finale of the Manny-JuanMa curtain call.

Source: manilastandardtoday.com

Pacquiao-Marquez will clash at SM Mall Of Asia Press Tour

An expected epic Pacquiao vs Marquez trilogy needs a media-hype like no other.

That’s exactly what the promoter, Top Rank Promotions, has prepared: A one-week, four-city press tour that will start in Manila on Sept. 3 and end in Mexico City.

More than 100,000 people, including members of the international media, are expected to witness the planned extravaganza complete with music starring Pacquiao himself, who is expected to sing his hit single "Sometimes When We Touch."

The first leg of the press tour in Manila is expected to draw some 50,000 at the Mall of Asia, a throng Marquez’s turf in Mexico will try to match.

On Sept. 4, the Pacquiao-Marquez entourage will leave for New York for a media conference on Sept. 5 (Sept. 6 in Manila).

The next stop in Los Angeles was originally scheduled for two days but was reduced to one (on Sept. 7), with the final leg in Mexico set on Sept. 8 (Sept. 9 in Manila).

After the press conference in Mexico, Pacquiao will catch a flight back to Manila.

Team Pacquiao, including chief trainer Freddie Roach and physical conditioning coach Alex Ariza, will then motor to Baguio City where the World Boxing Organization welterweight champ will start training for the Nov. 12 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, VisionQuest president and CEO Michael Lodge and his team left in a huff yesterday after failing to seek an audience with the eight-division champion, who terminated the services of Lodge’s firm barely weeks after signing a contract.

Source: malaya.com.ph

Baguio City is ideal camp for Manny - Alex Ariza

MANILA, Philippines – Conditioning coach Alex Ariza thinks it's more convenient for Manny Pacquiao to hold his training camp in Baguio City.

Pacquiao is set for a November 12 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez and is likely to hold high-altitude training again in the City of Pines.

"It served really well for us, I thought it did," Ariza said in Fighthype.com. "It's a good place. I like the Philippines for a camp a lot."

Baguio City has been Pacquiao's favorite training camp since the Miguel Cotto fight.

Ariza said it was easier for him to monitor Pacquiao's progress in Baguio because they were all billeted in the same place.

"His camp is inside the hotel. My room is a few rooms down from Manny's so I don't have the same problems there that I have here in LA, you know, because our houses are so far apart, the traveling, and this and that, and waking him up, or being able to supervise his eating," said the conditioning coach.

He added that everything is all taken care of as far as their training needs are concerned.

"We have everything there. Freddie bought all the stuff years ago during the Cotto camp. All of our training equipment, our conditioning equipment, we had it all shipped up there, so we have all that stuff there and it's just easy to just get up, knock on the door, and go right downstairs and get to it," said Ariza.

Pacquiao will begin training following his global press tour to promote the Marquez fight.

He is expected to hold half of his camp in Baguio City.

The other half will be concluded at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Marquez needs a KO to WIN against The Pacman

By Chris Williams: Former three division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) realizes that in order for him to be guaranteed of a win over WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) he may have to knock the Filipino out on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s kind of sad that the soon to b 38-year-old Marquez has to win by KO just to get the ‘W’, but that’s probably the reality of it.

Marquez didn’t get the decision in his two previous fights with Pacquiao, even though he appeared to win both fights in the eyes of many boxing fans. I certainly had Marquez winning both fights, but it kind of shows you how tough it is to beat Pacquiao. You got to beat him badly if you want to win a decision, and the best way is to simply take the judges out of the mix by knocking him out.

Marquez has the best tools to accomplish that with his excellent body punching. If there’s an area where Pacquiao is vulnerable it’s to the body. You look as his fight with Antonio Margarito and in some of his other fights, and that’s where he’s been hurt before. Marquez needs to double triple up on his hooks to the liver to take Pacquiao out.

You got to pound his body and then come up with a good plan to defeat his grabbing once he makes it back to his feet. His trainer Freddie Roach no doubt has come up with a survival plan for Pacquiao to use when and if he gets hurt. You can expect a load of clinching. Marquez needs to continue to blast Pacquiao in the bread basket even while being held.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Marquez is slower, Pacquiao by KO within 5-8 Rounds - Donaire

MANILA, Philippines - Back in the US to prepare for his title defense against unbeaten Argentinian Omar Narvaez, WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. said the other day he expects Manny Pacquiao to knock out Juan Manuel Marquez anywhere from five to eight rounds when they clash in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

“It’ll be an exciting fight,” said Donaire, referring to the third meeting between Pacquiao and the Mexican whiner who insists he was robbed in a draw and a loss by split decision in their first two encounters. “Marquez is slower now. He’s even chunkier. But he won’t fight Manny like (Sugar Shane) Mosley. Marquez will go out there trying to take out Manny. That’s why it’ll be a lot more exciting than Manny’s fight against Mosley. Manny won’t have a problem finding Marquez. It’ll be over in five to eight rounds.”

Donaire was in town with wife Rachel for about three weeks and left for the US last Thursday.

Marquez, 38, is moving up from the lightweight division to challenge Pacquiao who’s defending his WBO welterweight title at a catchweight limit of 144 pounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao, 32, tipped the scales at 145 for his bout against Mosley last May while Marquez was at 138 for his first-round knockout over Likar Ramos last July. The heaviest Marquez has weighed in for a bout was 142 in losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2009. Marquez was floored once enroute to dropping a lopsided decision to Pretty Boy. It was evident that Marquez couldn’t carry the extra weight and was sluggish because of the excess baggage.

Pacquiao floored Marquez thrice in their featherweight battle in 2004 and did it once when they fought as superfeatherweights in 2008. Now, Pacquiao is bigger and stronger as a welterweight. If Marquez was floored four times by Pacquiao when they were almost equal in weight, the betting is the Mexican – who’s a natural lightweight – wouldn’t be able to withstand the Filipino icon’s welterweight power.

Donaire said he hopes to follow in Pacquiao’s footsteps and collect a truckload of titles. Pacquiao is in the record books as the only fighter ever to win eight world crowns in eight different weight divisions. Donaire has so far won two world championships in two weight classes. He’s booked to face Narvaez at the Home Depot Center in Carson City, California, on Oct. 22. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum recently confirmed the fight as a done deal. After the Narvaez fight, Donaire said he’s moving up to superbantamweight. His goal is to take on the winner of the Oct. 1 showdown between Marquez’ brother Rafael and WBC 122-pound champion Toshiaka Nishioka of Japan. It will be Nishioka’s sixth defense. Rafael Marquez is a former WBC superbantamweight and IBF bantamweight titlist.

Donaire had planned to fight twice more before the year ends but a spot in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito mainer at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 3 was scratched because it’s too close to the Oct. 22 fight against Narvaez. Besides, Donaire has an appointment with Rachel to do a church wedding in Alabang on Nov. 11. A duel with the Nishioka-Marquez winner is a possibility for January.

Source: philstar.com

UFC will compete with Pacquiao-Marquez Trilogy

Let the games begin," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum chortled into the phone on Thursday.

Arum was talking about the competition he is about to face from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has its first free event under its new deal with Fox coming on Nov. 12 at 9 p.m. ET -- directly against the HBO PPV card that Arum is promoting. You know the one, right? The one headlined by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, who defends his welterweight title against Juan Manuel Marquez in the main event in their long-awaited third showdown.

Early Thursday, Fox and UFC announced the deal -- widely reported to be for seven years and worth about $100 million annually -- that will move the mixed martial arts promoter's events to the Fox family of television networks from Spike and Versus.

While the Fox's coverage of the UFC event will go head-to-head with the pay-per-view's first hour, UFC officials said it will be over by the time the actual Pacquiao-Marquez bout begins.

The biggest part of the deal in terms of exposure is that Fox -- which airs in more than 100 million homes and regularly carries sports events such as the Super Bowl and World Series -- will carry four events per year, including the first one opposite Arum's Pacquiao-Marquez III pay-per-view.

"They're just being fair and balanced," Arum quipped, using the catchphrase of Fox News Channel.

Believe him or not, but Arum says he thinks the move will actually benefit the boxing pay-per-view event.

"I think it helps it because there will be a lot of talk about it, and people who follow boxing and love boxing are gonna vote with their dollars," he said. "We're going to rally the base. We've got all the Democrats and Independents. They'll all be watching boxing."

So does Arum think the Fox/UFC move was by design?

"Of course. It's not an accident," he said. "Let the games begin."

Arum said he believes Fox will use the deal with the UFC to pressure cable operators to add their smaller networks, such as Fuel, which will carry UFC programming.

"We welcome the competition," he said. "That's what we thrive on."

But in the next breath, Arum said he wasn't concerned and didn't view a free UFC event airing opposite a boxing pay-per-view as serious competition.

"As far as we're concerned, it is irrelevant," Arum said.

Does it mean he will beef up the undercard for the Pacquiao-Marquez PPV to give consumers more bang for their buck?

"We were always planning a tremendous, quality event," he said. "It's going to be an unbelievable undercard, with pizzazz and great fights -- the same type of shows we've been putting on for Pacquiao fights. Of course, we still have to finalize everything with the fights. We don't want to announce it piecemeal."

Arum said he would wait to announce the undercard until after the Sept. 17 Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Victor Ortiz HBO PPV card, which he is not promoting.

Arum didn't say where he got his statistics from, but he claimed that less than 5 percent of the viewers who watch UFC also watch boxing, so it wouldn't have an impact on the PPV.

"There is no competition," he said. "If Fox was to put on a top movie that night, it might be more competition. If Fox put on Manchester United that night, it would be more competition."

Arum said the mere notion of a competition, however, would "energize cable systems to really go full bore [to promote the PPV] because the 800-pound gorilla [Fox] has thrown a dare at them trying to hurt them" by putting the free UFC event on against Pacquiao-Marquez.

Cable systems generally reap nearly half the gross television revenue from a pay-per-view event, giving them incentive to heavily market the biggest events, such as a fight involving Pacquiao.

"If Showtime put on a big [boxing] card against us, that would be cause for concern and get me really pissed off," Arum said. "Not this."

Source: espn.go.com

Juan Manuel Marquez in Superb Condition

By Chris Williams: The November 12th Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 fight is still three months away and Marquez, 38, already looks to be in fighting shape judging from the photo he took posing with Brandon Rios and Mikey Garcia in Los Angele, California on Tuesday.

Marquez looks lean and youthful compared to Rios, who appears to be out of shape and sporting a little paunch.

This isn’t good news for Pacquiao, because Marquez seems to be taking this fight very seriously by being in such good shape so early on.

Marquez and Pacquiao have fought twice before with the first fight ending up a 12 round draw in 2004, and the second with Pacquiao winning a very controversial 12 round split decision in 2008.

Many top boxers and writers think that Marquez should have won both fights, and was given the shaft. I’m in agreement with that.

I saw Marquez bettering Pacquiao in both fights, but it shows you how difficult it can be to defeat a guy like Pacquiao. You’re not just beating him, you’re beating his popularity as well, and that’s really hard to get past.

Marquez was the better fighter in those two fights. Pacquiao was just the popular guy that got the judges’ decisions. In some ways I think boxing is like professional wrestling unfortunately.

Marquez will have to be on Pacquiao early and take the fight to him to make sure he doesn’t get any momentum. That’s the advice that was given to him by Erik Morales, who defeated Pacquiao in 2005.

I’m sure Marquez really doesn’t need Morales’ advice given that Marquez arguably should have won both fights with Pacquiao. But Morales did a better job against Pacquiao by in his win over him compared to Marquez.

The difference was that Morales threw many more combinations, drove Pacquiao back repeatedly and stayed on his feet. Morales didn’t let Pacquiao knock him down the way that Marquez did in his two fights with him.

Marquez is going to have to stay on his feet in the third fight with Pacquiao because that will give the judges any excuse they need to give the fight Pacquiao.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Pacquiao is ridiculously strong right now - Andre Berto

By Dennis 'dSource' Guillermo

Recently at the Undisputed Gym in the Bay Area, I caught up with former WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-1-0, 21 KOs) who is currently training hard for his IBF title fight on September 3 against the Slovenian champion Jan Zaveck (31-1-0, 18 KOs) in Biloxi, Mississippi to talk about his return to the ring after suffering the first loss of his career against Victor Ortiz last April.

Among a lot of things that I talked to Berto about, were his thoughts on the upcoming third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez in November, and whether he thought that the 8-1 underdog Marquez has a chance in beating Pacquiao.

"You know what, Pacquiao right now... I believe he (Marquez) does have a chance, but Pacquiao, he's just looking so ridiculously strong right now and fast," Berto told me.

"He's completely different from when they fought back in the day, while Marquez is still a naturally small guy. He's coming up to fight Pacquiao. Pacquiao, like I said, is looking tremendously strong fighting big 147 pounders. It's almost ridiculous how strong and fast he looks. We're talking about Mosley, Mosley was like, "that's one of the hardest punchers he's ever fought," and I'm like "that's crazy". I believe it's going to be a good fight, but it's going to be tough to deal with Pacquiao's speed and power."

Asked how he would try to beat Pacquiao if the opportunity presented himself, Berto replied to me with a few interesting concepts.

"I believe a lot of people, they're, I guess afraid of his speed and power; they don't really want to commit too much. I think the only way to beat Pacquiao is to not be afraid to come in and commit," Berto claimed.

"Everybody that really committed with him, you see Cotto when he fought him, the first round was good. Cotto touched him pretty good. He's not too hard to touch, but you just got to remember that he's coming back with some heat, and I think that kind of gets people out of the game. But you just got to be there to fight. You just can't take a shot and ball up the rest of the fight and call it quits. That's the type of guy you need to fight with. Like I said, if it were me, I'm going to fight fire with fire; a lot of speed a lot of power, and be smart as well- turning off angles and keep him off balanced a little bit."

Source: boxingscene.com

Feeling Safe: On Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez III

On November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Pacquiao vs Marquez will meet for the third installment of a rivalry that has thus far been classic. In bloody chess matches in 2004 and 2008, the two were as evenly-matched as possible. Both possessing deep reservoirs of moxie, Pacquiao overcame Marquez’ edge in rounds won by lifting the Mexican icon off his feet a combined four times. Just as you thought Marquez had taken control with superior ring generalship, Pacquiao’s movement would become more expeditious, his attacks more surgical, and he would take the reigns back behind explosive athleticism. The battles crescendoed into dramatic final rounds in which both men showed the desperation we yearn to see in the closing moments of championship bouts. Their styles seem divinely configured for each other.

Consequently, the reasons a boxing fan would lack enthusiasm for a rubber match are peripheral but substantial. There would be nary a complaint if the trilogy concluded at lightweight, months after the rematch. But plenty has happened in the last three years, the most significant of which was Marquez suffering the lone uncompetitive loss of his career to Floyd Mayweather in an ambitious leap to welterweight. He’s about to make that leap again.

Logic follows that Pacquiao, now six fights deep at welterweight, is far more comfortable above 140 pounds than Marquez is, comfort that’s perceived as a profound enough advantage to make him an 8 to 1 favorite in Vegas. Mayweather, of course, has made many an accomplished opponent look silly, so nobody knows exactly how much the added weight factored in Marquez’ lopsided loss. The image of a sluggish Marquez swatting at air nonetheless remains prominent when sizing up how he’ll fare against his old nemesis on November 12th.

Within a larger trend, Marquez is Pacquiao’s third consecutive opponent who started his professional boxing career in the early 90s. The dust cloud from the Filipino star’s run through Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto – when his jump to higher weight divisions was still novel – has long dissipated. Now, Pacquiao fights carry a safe feel to them, even if Marquez likely provides the sternest test since the last time they locked horns.

Shane Mosley’s shiftless dawdling during 22 of the 24 rounds he spent inside the ring with Pacquiao and Mayweather left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth, amplifying the demand for adversaries with fresh legs as we wait for the mega-event that may never materialize. As a result, news of Marquez-Pacquaio III prompted more than a few yawns, while, despite Victor Ortiz’ limitations, Mayweather’s decision to fight someone under the age of 35 induced gasps and raised eyebrows.

Still, the 37-year-old Marquez, with Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera, is part of a trio of Mexican icons who have shown resiliency against age and low expectations. Recall that Barrera, also moving up to a new division, was placed as a firm underdog in his 2004 rubber match against Morales before beating his rival in close, but convincing fashion. More recently, Morales, thought to be fodder for the bigger, younger Marcos Maidana, flashed power to go along with his trademark know-how and durability to give as good as he got. And, of course, Marquez well exceeded pre-fight assumptions in his rematch with Pacquiao, trumping the notion that a more developed right hook would give Pacquiao the decided advantage that he lacked in their first bout. Pacquiao is susceptible to skilled fighters with strong right hands, and the two opponents that fit the description since Marquez – Joshua Clottey and Mosley – were far too gun shy to test him.

The odds are undoubtedly stacked against Marquez. The mash of styles and his penchant for surpassing expectations, however, allows for at least cautious optimism that this will contain some of the drama of the first two battles, and not be another flogging of a faded warrior handcuffed by ring wear.

A venerable foe and familiar face is welcome, for now. But patience is wearing thin.

Pacquiao's performance against Marquez an Indication of readiness for Mayweather Jr?

By Vitali Shaposhnikov: The following paragraphs are not only meant to express my own opinion, but to ask yours as well. Since there have probably been more articles on Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao than any other dream fight in the history of boxing, facts along with wild speculations blend into one big mess, allowing very little room for unbiased thought.

The following question came up in a conversation I recently had with a boxing enthusiast at a local bar where I live: “What if Juan Manuel Marquez gives Pacquiao a run for his money in their upcoming bout, and the fight ends up being much closer than most believe, will that indicate that since Mayweather Jr. was able to easily dismantle Marquez in their fight, he will do the same to Pacquaio if they ever meet inside the ring?” This was a pretty good and valid question, to which unfortunately there are two completely opposite possible answers of yes and no.

The YES: Despite the fact that Marquez is a smarter fighter as well as more technical one in his fights, both Pacquiao and him have one big stylistic commonality: they are both offensive boxers. Marquez and Pacquiao love to come in and trade anywhere in the ring, moving back only to readjust and change up the angle before coming back inside. Both fighters rarely come in with a single punch in mind, instead making it worth their while with multiple punch combinations upstairs as well as to the body. This way of boxing is Pacquiao’s bread and butter, as I have never seen him fight a patient fight. Marquez, as far back as I can remember, has always been the same fighter, with the same plan and identical execution. His ring IQ made all the difference in the world, as his ability to adjust turned the tables quickly, leaving his opposition in abandonment of their own game plan. There were multiple reasons why Marquez looked like a struggling amateur against Mayweather Jr., but one of the most important ones was the fact that Mayweather can fight real well off the back foot (something that neither Marquez nor Pacquiao have mastered in their careers). Jumping in and throwing a barrage of punches will land anyone in trouble against Floyd, as he quickly steps back and fires unbelievably accurate counters. We know that Pacquiao is not afraid of being hit, and that he is capable of keeping constant pressure for the entire fight if needed. Exactly this might end up being his downfall. If Marquez can give Pacquaio any trouble, and Pacquaio fights the same fight against Floyd, the Pacman will be chasing a ghost the entire night.

The NO: Styles make fights, and it’s the job of a good coach to re-mold their fighter into a properly adjusted boxer focused on the right plan. We have seen many fighters look a certain way in a given fight, only to come back completely different in a rematch. Game plans are mostly built on what the opponent is capable of, and how to take advantage of their mistakes. If for example your opposition poses no threat to your chin in terms of their punching power, a coach is likely to instruct you to get inside and knock them out. But if they are powerful yet slow, you might want to fight a more careful patient fight, pecking at them through the rounds. In case of Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr., Freddie Roach is the key to the solution. Being a master tactician, he concocts an individualistic game plan for every fight, giving Pacquiao just the right advice to take full advantage of the other fighter’s mistakes. Juan’s and Floyd’s fighting styles are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, thus I would expect Roach to plan accordingly. I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to see a more reserved Pacquiao, although I feel that this style would play more against him rather than for him in any fight. I have been wrong many times about if and how Pacquiao was going to win, so my expectations and predictions on this man are no longer as solid as I used to think they were.

What do you think? Does it matter how Pacquiao performs against Marquez, and do you see it as an indication of his ability against Mayweather Jr.?

eastsideboxing.com

Manila the first leg of the Press Tour will be a bang - BOB ARUM

Manny Pacquiao versus Juan Manuel Marquez is without a doubt one of the best boxing rivalries in this generation. The two have given us a couple of intense fights, the results of which still inspire debates among boxing fans.

Some say Pacquiao should have won the first fight because one of the judges failed to score the first round as 10-6 to his favor but others claim that Marquez should’ve been given the nod because he won majority of the next 11 rounds.

The same drama surrounded the second fight. Many thought Pacquiao was rightfully awarded the split decision victory while others scored it for Marquez. But whoever side you’re on, there’s no denying the fact that when these two get in the ring against each other, scorching action is soon to follow.

Bob Arum plans to make their third fight the biggest ever. The first part of the plan has already been settled and this was to head back to cable giant HBO after a brief stint with Showtime. The second part is a press tour that will take Pacquiao and Marquez to five major cities around the world to promote their fight.

Luckily for Filipino fans, Top Rank decided that Manila will be the first leg of the tour which means that Pacquiao’s fans will have the chance to size up Marquez before the two complete their trilogy in November.

The event will be held at the Quirino Grandstand on September 3. The day will begin with a press conference at the Manila Hotel and, immediately after this, Pacquiao and Marquez will both walk to the Quirino Grandstand to officially start the event. On September 4, the two combatants will hear Mass together in a soon-to-be-determined church in Manila.

This will be the Mexican’s second visit to the country. The first one was meant to coax Pacquiao into another match but it fell on deaf ears. Now, Marquez no longer needs to beg for another shot at Pacquiao. Even though Filipinos see Marquez as a thorn in Pacquiao’s side for all these years, they still respect him because of his boxing savvy and his ability to get up every time he gets knocked down. It’s safe to say that Marquez, together with his entourage which includes legendary trainer Nacho Beristain, will enjoy a warm welcome in Manila.

Aside from Pacquiao and Marquez, other celebrities will also be part of the celebration. There will be bands, singers, dancers, and other performers who will make it an event to remember. There will also be cultural presentations to celebrate the rich heritage of the Philippines and Mexico.

Arum wants to start the Pacquiao-Marquez 3 promotions with a bang and he definitely chose the best place to start. The third fight between Pacquiao and Marquez will be fought in the welterweight division with a catchweight of 144 pounds. It will be Pacquiao’s third defense of the WBO welterweight title he won from Miguel Cotto. --OMG, GMA News

Source: gmanews.tv

Manny Pacquiao is fading as a fighter?

(ThyBlackMan.com) I honestly don’t know what’s happened to WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s). I’ve never seen an athlete slow down as much as I’ve seen Manny Pacquiao slow down in the past two years. He’s gone from jumping around like a young rabbit to fighting like a heavyweight carrying 100 pounds of sand in his trunks.

Manny Pacquiao, 32, is no longer jumping around and has become a total plodder. Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez turns 38-years-old on August 23, which makes him another old guy that Pacquiao has faced in the past three years. Manny Pacquiao has fought 36-year-old Oscar De La Hoya, 39-year-old Shane Mosley and now 38-year-old Marquez.

That certainly gives Manny Pacquiao a big advantage when he’s matched up against fighters at or near the ends of their careers. However, I think Manny Pacquiao is going to be the older fighter in the Marquez bout. He’s 32 and soon to be 33, but fighting like a guy that is nearing 40. I don’t know what’s happened to Manny Pacquiao. Maybe it’s the power feeding they’re doing with him by having him eat 7000 calories a day during training camp. Whatever it is they need stop and try to rejuvenate him.

Believe me, Manny Pacquiao was far better before he started putting on weight and going overboard with the calories. But it could be just age rearing it’s ugly head and not the eating and or training. I’ve seen guys that when they turned 32, they looked and fought like a 40-year-old and vice versa.

Look at Tiger Woods. He’s only 35, but he’s totally lost it since two years ago. The reflexes seem to have gone and he’s playing terrible golf. I think we have the same thing with Manny Pacquiao. He’s just not the same fighter he once was, and I think Marquez is going to be the younger fighter November and cause a big upset.

Source: thyblackman.com

Jorge Linares will be Pacquiao's sparring partner!

MANILA, Philippines — Freddie Roach said everything is in place for the start of Manny Pacquiao’s eight-week training camp for the rubber match with Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas: Three weeks in the Philippines and five weeks in Los Angeles.

Roach told the Bulletin that the first day of training will be on Sept. 19 in Baguio City, the homebase of Team Pacquiao until Oct. 8.

“I was told we start on that date and just like in the (Shane) Mosley fight, we will return to LA for the final five weeks of training after three weeks in the Philippines,” Roach said.

Jorge Linares, the 25-year-old Venezuelan lightweight, will join Roach in the Philippines and will be Pacquiao’s main sparring partner during the duration of the Baguio buildup.

“I think he’ll be enough for the first three weeks,” said Roach, who has been working with the stone-fisted Linares the past several weeks at the Wild Card Boxing Club.

Linares is in the gym getting ready to face southpaw Antonio DeMarco of Mexico on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles for the vacant World Boxing Council lightweight title.

Pacquiao is an 8-1 favorite to repulse Marquez, who battled the Filipino to an all-action 12-round draw the first time they met in May 2004 and lost a hairline split decision in the rematch in March 2008.

The third fight will be at a catch weight of 145 lbs with Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on the line.

According to TV boxing analyst Moy Lainez, who was part of the original Team Pacquiao that guided the fighter’s career from the start, said he doesn’t see any controversies taking place in the third fight.

“Once Manny hits him and Marquez goes down, Marquez won’t get up,” said Lainez, who had Pacquiao as a visitor to his birthday last Aug. 3.

“He (Pacquiao) told me that he feels very strong at welterweight that’s why he is very confident of getting the job done and leaving no chance for another controversy,” said Lainez.

Soource: mb.com.ph

Erik Morales Advises Marquez: "Attack Pacquiao Early"

By Miguel Rivera

Former three division champion Erik "El Terrible" Morales is advising his Mexican rival, WBO/WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, to attack Manny Pacquiao in the early rounds of their fight. Marquez moves up to a catch-weight of 144-pounds to challenge Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title on November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Morales gives Marquez the edge in skills but says the size and power of Pacquiao will be hard to overcome if the pushes into the later rounds.

"[Pacquiao has improved a lot] due to his involvement for so many years in this profession, but his technique remains the same, dare I say, bad, so I think Juan Manuel Marquez has to take advantage of the early rounds, which is the time to hurt [Pacquiao] - because otherwise you can not do anything and your time [to hurt him] has already passed and also you are entering a weight division that is not your own," Morales said.

Source: boxingscene.com

Juan Manuel Marquez is still the same fighter according to Michael Koncz

MANILA, Philippines – Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez has not changed much as a boxer, and this will hurt him when he faces Manny Pacquiao, said Pacquiao's business adviser Michael Koncz.

"Marquez is the same fighter that he's always been," he said in Pacquiao's official website, MP8.ph.

Koncz said that although Marquez is a splendid ring tactician, the Mexican has not shown improvements as a fighter.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, has gotten better with each bout.

"Manny is a totally different fighter than he fought before… he's improved dramatically and all that," said Koncz.

Pacquiao vs Marquez have fought twice.

Their first bout in 2004 saw Pacquiao settling for a draw, despite knocking Marquez down thrice in the first round.

Pacquiao won a 2008 rematch via a split decision.

The third fight will take place on November 12.

Fight Hype.com cited sources that the rematch is officially a go as Pacquiao has finally signed the fight contract.

"Evidently, that issue was also sorted out and after Pacquiao put pen to paper yesterday (August 4), Michael Koncz promptly boarded an airplane to return to the United States with contract in hand," said the report.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Tight Schedule for Manny Pacquiao on the World Tour

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao will be jumping in and out of airplanes when he goes on a tour of US and Mexico next month to promote his rubber match with Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12.

Reporting from Los Angeles, Mike Koncz said the foreign legs of the four-city press tour will be tight and Pacquiao and a few members of his camp will try to squeeze in visits to New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City in span of just four days.

The kickoff leg will begin in Manila on Sept. 3 and after another event the next day, Pacquiao will go to New York for a gig on Sept. 6.

"The only rest day will be Monday (Sept. 5)," said Koncz, who had met with Top Rank big boss Bob Arum earlier in the day.

Immediately after the New York press conference, Pacquiao will head West Coast for another round of promotional activities at the Beverly Hills Hotel and board a flight to Mexico City so he can fulfill a comitment to meet the media there the following day.

Then from Mexico City, Koncz said they'll take a private plane to Los Angeles after the press conference so they can catch the late-night Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.

"Manny needs to get back to Manila on Saturday morning because of a very important commitment," said Koncz.

The Quirino Grandstand will be the Manila venue, while the Chelsea Piers will host Pacquiao and Marquez in New York. The Mexico City leg will take place at the sprawling Zocalo, where numerous significant events in Mexico have taken place.

Pacquiao is expected to start training camp in mid-September in Baguio, while Marquez will jumpstart his at the Romanza Gym in Mexico City with frequent drives to the city of Toluca for high-altitude roadwork.

Pacquiao is an 8-1 favorite to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title despite the two close calls with Marquez in 2004 and 2008.

Source: mb.com.ph

Manny returns to HBO for Marquez trilogy fight

When Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, with encouragement from stepson and Top Rank president Todd duBoef, took pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao from HBO to rival Showtime for his May 7 pay-per-view fight against Shane Mosley, it was a shocking development in the business of boxing -- one that eventually led to the ouster of HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg last month.

Three weeks after Greenburg's forced resignation, Arum said Friday he had decided to bring Pacquiao back to HBO after several weeks spent analyzing proposals from HBO and Showtime, who were competing for Pacquiao's next fight.

The deal means HBO PPV, long the industry leader in big boxing events, will produce and distribute Pacquiao's welterweight title defense against fierce rival Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs), who is 1-0-1 against Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) in a pair of unforgettable fights with controversial decisions, had fought all of his major fights either on HBO or HBO PPV until the Mosley bout.

HBO PPV also has the fall's other major event, the Sept. 17 return of Floyd Mayweather Jr. to face welterweight titlist Victor Ortiz.

"In boxing we talk about great fighters coming back after a loss. Well, HBO came back just like a great fighter," duBoef, a key architect of the deal, told ESPN.com. "They came back from being on the canvas. They made their adjustments and came back and won the fight. You have to give them a lot of credit."

Since Pacquiao's lopsided win against Mosley, HBO and Showtime were both after Pacquiao-Marquez III. "We're thrilled that Manny Pacquiao's Nov. 12 fight with Juan Manuel Marquez will be presented by HBO Pay-Per-View," HBO spokesman Ray Stallone said in a statement. "We look forward to working with Top Rank on this special event."

Showtime, of course, was disappointed with the decision, but taking it in stride.

"The Pacquiao-Mosley fight re-established Showtime as a major player in the pay-per-view arena and we look forward to future opportunities with Top Rank and the other promoters in boxing," Showtime spokesman Chris DeBlasio told ESPN.com. "Right now we remain focused on a huge slate of sports programming we have lined for the fall."

DuBoef said he personally notified HBO co-presidents Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo by telephone on Friday afternoon to tell them Top Rank was accepting their proposal. He also said he made the call to Showtime Sports chief Ken Hershman to tell him about the decision.

"I'm absolutely sick. This has been a physically and mentally very grueling process," duBoef said. "But it's invigorating to see how two major media companies have used incredible resources and assets to show how much they want to be involved in a boxing match.

"Showtime was disappointed and I'm disappointed. You're disappointed when someone puts in a terrific proposal and then you have to tell them they're not good enough because someone came across with a better one, a more appealing map for this fight. It was a tough call to make, especially when you've built relationships. I felt it was appropriate to be truthful and up front with Ken. I couldn't sleep last night. I'm disappointed I had to leave somebody that I have a lot of respect for. The proposals (both networks) put together were fantastic. They were unprecedented. I've never seen anything like it. When you have that it is very difficult to make your decision. I wish both could have distributed the fight."

Arum took Pacquiao away from HBO in the first place because he was looking for a broader platform on which to promote Pacquiao, the Filipino icon and boxing's biggest global star. Arum had hoped he could convince Greenburg to bring in the numerous other platforms at the disposal of Time Warner, HBO's parent company, to help promote the event and boxing. But Greenburg, who resigned July 17 after more than 30 years at HBO, steadfastly refused to entertain the idea, causing Arum to look elsewhere.

He found a willing partner in Showtime, a sister network of CBS, which put its considerable resources behind marketing Pacquiao-Mosley. CBS aired numerous commercial spots during NCAA basketball tournament games and episodes of Showtime's "Fight Camp 360" reality series following the build up to the fight in primetime.

"One of the things that motivated me personally (to make the HBO deal) is the attitude of Plepler and Lombardo," Arum told ESPN.com. "I think they are extremely bright guys and have the same vision that we have to make boxing big-time again and a desire to elevate it on a world stage. With this deal, they brought to bear all the resources of the Time Warner empire.

"HBO can do only so much because of the limited audience it has. I can tell when people are extremely motivated and will put the time and effort in and to have them behind it and working with us on a day-to-day basis, along with the HBO staff, like (HBO PPV chief) Mark Taffet, it will be a home run."

Arum said the deal was for only one fight.

"We're not tying ourselves to anyone," he said. "Let's see how this goes. But I have very high hopes that it will be a blockbuster."

Arum said the goal is not only to do big pay-per-view numbers, but to bring boxing more into the mainstream. With Showtime and CBS marketing Pacquiao-Mosley, it generated about 1.3 million buys, according to Arum -- the most ever for a Pacquiao fight.

Besides the usual promotional tools HBO would typically use for a fight -- including the "24/7" reality series following the buildup, "Face Off With Max Kellerman" and replays of classic Pacquiao vs Marquez fights -- Arum said the fight would be promoted across Time Warner's numerous platforms, which includes television networks (such as HBO, TNT, TBS and CNN), magazines (Sports Illustrated and People) and the websites for those outlets. They will be heavily utilized, Arum said. Among the plans, according to Arum and duBoef:

• CNN will show replays of "24/7" episodes.
• Arum and Pacquiao will appear for a joint interview on Piers Morgan's primetime CNN show as well as be interviewed on CNN international programming.
• The fight will be promoted during TBS' coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs.
• If the NBA lockout is lifted, the fight would also be promoted during TNT's basketball coverage.
• There will be daily coverage of fight-week activities on HBO, including the final news conference and weigh-in.

"Being on shows on CNN, to me, is elevating the sport to new levels," Arum said. "To have the fight discussed on programs that intellectual elites watch is good for the brand. Time Warner is also going to pull out all the stops on their sports programs on TNT and TBS."

Said duBoef: "The currency of these deals isn't about the dollars. It was the currency of who could get my product out to the most eyeballs. It was an analysis. I didn't just do it on a gut feeling. I went through this very strategically and we had it analyzed. At the end of the day, it was HBO, Time Warner who had a better deal across the board."

Initially, Arum said whichever company got the rights to Pacquiao-Marquez III would also get the Dec. 3 Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch, another major fight. HBO PPV did their initial fight in 2008 while Showtime PPV did Cotto's win against Ricardo Mayorga in March.

Arum said he eventually changed his mind about making the two fights a package deal.

"Showtime still has a position on the Cotto fight because they did the last one, so Monday we'll start talking to them," Arum said. "When Todd and I had further discussions and we realized that it wasn't the most advantageous thing to do, to make a package deal. Showtime did such a great job for us on the last Pacquiao fight and it would be important and good for the sport for Showtime to stay involved in these major pay-per-view fights. So if Showtime meets certain proposals that we're going to make, and we get the support we need from them, then it behooves everybody to go with them. That way we keep more people and entities involved and it's great for the sport.

"I don't want to go back to the situation where there is one entity doing all the major pay-per-views and that entity does the same thing over and over and gets into this narrow box, which I felt the pay-per-views were in because they had been successful and we kept repeating the same thing over and over again. That is not a way to grow a sport. You grow it by being innovative and having competition and new ideas."

Source: espn

Marquez wont last 4 rounds against Manny - Gerry Peñalosa

Unlike their two previous encounters, Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 is going to be quick and easy.

At least in the eyes of former two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa, the 12-round bout for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on November 12 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas will be a short night for Pacman. He sees the third fight between the two not lasting more than four rounds.

“Hindi yan tatagal ng three rounds," said Peñalosa when GMA News Online caught up with him Monday afternoon during the launch of his nephew Dodie Boy Peñalosa Jr’s August 6 fight with Kong Kiatpracha Gym of Thailand at the 17th floor of GMA Network Center.

The 38-year-old Peñalosa, who comes from a well-known family of boxers from San Carlos, Negros Occidental, is a known close friend of the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer.

“Pag nagkataon, baka pumusta pa ako, first, second, third round. Pero hanggang doon lang," he added.

He pointed out Marquez’s decision to move up in weight could spell the big difference in the fight. From the lightweight division, Marquez needs to bulk up as a welterweight - an additional nine pounds - to meet the catch-weight of 144 lbs.

“Mabagal na siya pag-akyat ng welterweight, at yung power niya, siguradong mababawasan," said Peñalosa, the former World Boxing Council (WBC) super-flyweight champion and World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title holder.

Marquez’s previous attempt to fight as a welterweight wasn't successful, as he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in lopsided affair after 12 full rounds in a 2009 non-title match.

After that experience, the Mexican opted to return at lightweight and enjoyed immense success with convincing victories over Juan "The Baby Bull" Diaz and Australian Michael Katsidis.

But his decision to fight again as a welterweight against Pacquiao, an opponent that has maintained his power and speed at 144 lbs, might end up the same way it did in the Mayweather bout.

"Ilang beses pina-bagsak ni Manny si Marquez?" Peñalosa asked. He continued to enumerate the Mexican’s three knockdowns in their first meeting as a featherweight, and then another one in their rematch at super-featherweight.

“Manny was able to retain that power and speed kahit na umakyat siya ng timbang. So just imagine how Marquez will be able to handle him as a welterweight," Peñalosa added.

Pacquiao and Marquez had a controversial draw in their 2004 encounter despite the Filipino sending his Mexican foe down the canvass three times in the opening round. In 2008, Pacman escaped with a debatable split decision in their rematch that highlighted a third round knockdown by the southpaw from General Santos City. -- RAF/OMG, GMA News

Source: gmanews.tv