Is Manny Pacquiao a cherry-picker like Floyd?

Manny Pacquiao has been called many names. Pound-for-pound King. 8-Division Champion. Fighter of the Decade. Cherry-picker? Not really fitting for someone considered by most to be the best fighter of today. But nonetheless, the name has cropped up more than once, especially with his recent choices of aging opponents in Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

But what is a cherry-picker? Urban Dictionary defines it well: A cherry-picker is one who chooses easy tasks over challenging ones.

So is Pacquiao a cherry-picker? Before we start our analysis, a principle we have to consider is that we have to judge the validity of Manny’s adversaries based on the circumstances before the contract was signed, and NOT on the lopsided outcome. With this in mind, let us begin our analysis to the period when Pacquiao finally became the Pound-for-Pound king. This title was given to him after winning his Lightweight championship match against David Diaz in July, 2008. Why start at this point? It’s because this was the time when he was already expected to take on the best opposition without excuse. His stature demanded it.

For his first two fights as Pound-for-pound best, no one questioned his choice of opponents. Pacquiao had to go up two divisions to fight former champion Oscar De La Hoya who was actually the favorite coming in while everyone wanted to see him face Ricky Hatton, not just because the fight was expected to be ultra-exciting, but also because Hatton was the lineal champion at 140 pounds.

But in 2009, a few questioned the choice of Miguel Cotto as Manny’s next opponent. Some would accuse Pacquiao of ducking Shane Mosley who was the number one welterweight at the time. The contention here, however, is that Cotto beat Shane in their own match. Miguel is also younger, in his prime and has a better record. Although he was beaten by Margarito who was later trounced by Mosley, on paper, both were more or less the same caliber. In the end, the deciding factor on why Cotto was chosen was that Miguel is promoted by Top Rank like Manny and more importantly, he draws more viewers in his fights. The bottom line is: Cotto was not a step-down in level when compared to Mosley. Pacquiao’s choice is justified.

It has to be noted that at this point onwards, Floyd Mayweather is undeniably the best opponent for Pacquiao. But we all know this story. We know the arguments. What I can only say about this in relation to our topic is that Manny has expressed his desire to fight Floyd and the majority believe Mayweather is the one cherry-picking. ‘Nuff said.

With Floyd out of the equation, Pacquiao was left hanging in the early part of 2010. He would eventually choose Joshua Clottey who was ranked fifth. While being number five doesn’t look too impressive, he was actually the best AVAILABLE welterweight at that time. Mosley (# 1) was scheduled to fight Andre Berto (#4) when Manny (#3) was shopping for a challenger. Floyd was #2, so the next best option was Clottey. In truth, it wasn’t such a bad match-up when it was signed. It just felt that way after losing the prospect of a super-fight with Floyd.

Next up was the come-backing Antonio Margarito. He’s freakishly huge, a former champion, and a man hungry for redemption. Compared to all the welterweights and below, Margarito was the most dangerous fight for Manny. The only asterisk in this fight was that it was for a Light Middleweight crown which admittedly, neither Margarito nor Pacquiao deserved a shot at. Still, no one in his right mind would consider this a cherry-pick. Margarito used to be the most avoided fighter in the division. I think he still would be if he fought at welterweight. By the way, did I mention he’s freakishly huge?

With Mayweather still on vacation, Pacquiao was left with 3 opponents to choose from for his first fight in 2011: Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto. Among the three, Marquez was perceived by the majority as the most deserving. But in the end, the Pacquiao sweepstakes went to Mosley. The problem with this scenario is that at this point in his career, nobody was considered a major threat to Pacquiao except Floyd. Manny would have been criticized whoever he chose. Besides, the argument then was that, even at his age, Shane could easily beat Marquez while Berto was still unproven, not to mention a virtual unknown to the general public. All three had pros and cons but all of them would have been huge underdogs. So choosing Shane over Marquez and Berto wasn’t as big a deal and it definitely couldn’t be called cherry-picking.

Lastly, Pacquiao would choose Juan Manuel Marquez for his coming fight this November. Some say that it should have been then-WBC welterweight champion, Victor Ortiz but it would again boil down to the same argument as Manny’s previous options. Ortiz was unproven and Marquez was, as I mentioned, the one people wanted before the Mosley fight. Plus, there is a historical significance to this third match after having the first two ending in controversy. So this time, Manny gave in to the fans. It’s just a wonder how people can still insert Victor’s name after clamoring for Marquez just a few months earlier. So despite Marquez’s advanced age, Pacquiao’s choice is legitimate.

While I agree that Manny’s recent opponents have not exactly been stellar, it is only because the best and logical adversary is still putting roadblocks to the fight. In summary, I believe that the Pacman has still taken on the best AVAILABLE challenge since his rise to super-stardom. So no, Manny Pacquiao is NOT a cherry-picker. That title is reserved for someone else.

Source: nowboxing.com

We are not friends, we are just rivals - Juan Manuel Marquez

MANILA, Philippines - Mexican boxing legend Juan Manuel Marquez has acknowledged the rivalry between him and Filipino ring icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao but said he holds no animosity or hatred towards the current pound-for-pound king.

"After 2 hard fights, there is a rivalry," Marquez told Examiner.com. "But any talk of hate between me and Pacquiao is ridiculous. We are not friends, we are just rivals."

Pacquiao and Marquez are fighting for the 3rd time on November 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Their 2 previous fights both ended in controversy: their first bout in 2004 ended in a draw, while their 2008 rematch was a split decision victory for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao knocked down Marquez 3 times in the first round of their 2004 bout, and again in the 3rd round of their 2008 rematch.

But Marquez rallied both times and the fights went the distance.

Despite the close nature of both bouts, Marquez maintained that he and Pacquiao are just rivals and that there is no bad blood between them.

Marquez and Pacquiao, however, have vowed that all questions will be answered on November 12.

Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, are both aiming for a decisive victory this time around, while Marquez is also promising to knock out the Filipino champion.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Early stoppage for Pacquiao - Ariza

BAGUIO CITY—There’s no doubt in conditioning expert Alex Ariza’s mind that Manny Pacquiao is going to knock out Juan Manuel Marquez in the early part of their third showdown on November 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Having supervised the pound-for-pound king’s strength and training exercises, Ariza has seen Pacquiao’s development as a stronger, well-rounded fighter.

Ariza now believes Pacquiao will finally be able to finish off Marquez this time. And it will come before the first half of the 12-round fight for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown is over.

“It (knockout) will be earlier than you would think,” Ariza said during Pacquiao’s Monday morning exercises at Teachers’ Camp track oval here.

“[Pacquiao] is more complete now. He has much more speed, power and explosiveness.”
Though Marquez has also evolved into a smarter and more cautious fighter, Ariza thinks it won’t be enough to sway the balance in his favor.

“At the end of the day, that (smartness and cautiousness) will not win you the fight,” he said.
Ariza wasn’t in Pacquiao’s corner when he eked out a split decision over Marquez in their rematch on March 3, 2008.

The Colombian came aboard Team Pacquiao before the Filipino superstar’s demolition of David Diaz in 2009 and has been an integral part of the team since then.

Jorge Linares was impressed on his sparring with Pacquiao!

Manny Pacquiao’s rapid rise to form is catching his training team off-guard.

Barely three days into his Baguio training camp, the pound-for-pound king surprised chief trainer Freddie Roach when he asked for a sparring session with Jorge Linares, the former WBC featherweight and WBA super featherweight champion yesterday afternoon at the Cooyeesan Hotel’s Shape Up Gym.

And, as usual, Pacquiao did not disappoint.

The eight-division champion, honing up for his against Juan Manuel Marquez third showdown on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, showed enough speed, skill and power to convince Linares, who’ll be battling Antonio Demraco for the vacant WBC lightweight title on Oct. 15, that he’s going to finish off the Mexican great this time.

“Maybe in four or up to five rounds,” the 26-year-old pride of Venezuela, who totes an impressive 31-win, 1-loss record spiked by 20 knockouts, told TV5.

That’s a huge compliment considering that Pacquiao is only about 80 percent into tip-top shape, according to Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez.

“He (Pacquiao) is on fire,” said Fernandez in Filipino. “Never in our previous camps has he improved so fast.

“And the results are good, so we’re giving in to what he wants.”

The four-round sparring session was not calendared, with Pacquiao supposed to do gym work and mitts only.

Early in the morning, Pacquiao jogged and ran in the flatlands with noted marathoner Brian Livingstone, from Los Angeles, near the Teacher’s Camp.

Originally set for 3.8 kilometers, the road work extended to 6.8 km with Pacquiao yearning for more.

Though he admitted having difficulty on his high-altitude uphill run on Wednesday, Pacquiao said it will only take two more days for him to be back in his element.

Fernandez, who did the mitts with his boyhood buddy when Roach was still in the United States, agreed.

“He’s gaining ground fast and I can already feel his power. My hands ached whenever he unleashes those shots.”

Source: inquirer.net

Khanqueror Breidis Prescott is likely on Pacquiao-Marquez undecard

The undercard for pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao's third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is coming together with two of the bouts on the HBO PPV telecast being set, Top Rank's Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Thursday.

One of the bouts will have junior welterweight contender Mike Alvarado (31-0, 22 KOs) of Denver facing Colombia's Breidis Prescott (24-3, 19 KOs).

"That's a pretty good fight isn't it? I think so. It's a good test for Alvarado and a good fight," Arum said.

Alvarado will be facing the most notable opponent of his career in Prescott who is best known for his first-round knockout in 2008 against then-lightweight Amir Khan, who went on to win a pair of junior welterweight titles.

Prescott took him out in 54 seconds. But Prescott is coming off a closely contested decision loss to Paul McCloskey in McCloskey's native Northern Ireland on Sept. 10 -- a result that could have gone either way.

"Top Rank made the offer and we've accepted it. I'm waiting for the contract," Leon Margules, Prescott's promoter, told ESPN.com. "Breidis comes back from Colombia on Monday to start training in Miami. We like the fight. Alvarado comes to you, Prescott comes to you, so style-wise it's a good fight, and both guys can bang. We like our chances. The only guys Breidis has had problems with are guys who have moved on him."

In a fight that will open the PPV broadcast, Arum said that Puerto Rican junior lightweight Luis Cruz (19-0, 15 KOs), who recently signed with Top Rank as his co-promoter, will face Juan Carlos Burgos (27-1, 19 KOs), a former featherweight title challenger who is moving up in weight.

Cruz is coming off a dominant sixth-round knockout of Antonio Diaz on the Sept. 10 Yuriorkis Gamboa-Daniel Ponce De Leon undercard in Atlantic City, N.J.

Burgos has won two fights in a row since his losing a competitive decision to Hozumi Hasegawa for a vacant featherweight belt last November in Japan.

Top Rank will add one more televised bout.

In the main event, Pacquiao defends his welterweight belt against Marquez, the lightweight champion who is moving up in weight. In two memorable and controversial battles, they have fought to a draw in a 2004 featherweight championship fight and Pacquiao won a split decision in a 2008 junior lightweight title fight.

Source: espn

Roach brings Jorge Linares as sparring partner in Baguio

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach will turn up the heat in cold Baguio City as the dazzling duo reunited Tuesday for the start of the buildup for the fast-approaching Nov. 12 trilogy with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Arriving from Los Angeles early Tuesday, Roach hopped on a van that brought him to Baguio City, site of the first phase of Pacquiao’s training camp.

Roach brought along Venezuelan Jorge Linares, who will serve as Pacquiao’s sparring partner, as well as boxing agent Billy Keane, a close friend of the Hall of Fame trainer.

Knowing that Roach’s arrival means serious business, Pacquiao woke up early and tagged along his team to Burnham Park, where a large crowd watched him do his roadwork and light exercises.

Pacquiao arrived in the City of Pines from his home in Brentville in Laguna late Sunday night, determined to put closure on the never-ending debate about his rivalry with Marquez.

“This fight will put an end to all the questions,” said Pacquiao, who has been slighted by repeated claims that he was the recipient of favorable decisions in his two fights with Marquez.

The first Pacquiao vs Marquez fight happened in 2004, and the bout ended on a 12-round draw. The rematch took place in 2008 with Pacquiao declared winner via a split decision, a decision that Marquez said should have gone his way.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum said those claims are unfounded.

“In 2004, I was promoting Marquez and Pacquiao was with another promoter,” said Arum, head of Top Rank, currently boxing’s premier promotional outfit.

Source: mb.com.ph

Pacquiao officially begins training in Baguio

MANILA, Philippines—The hard grind begins today as Manny Pacquiao officially begins training for his showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Having seen and getting disappointed by Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s controversial fourth round knockout of Victor Ortiz on Sunday, Pacquiao said he wants a clear victory over Marquez in their third meeting since 2004.

Varied reactions came after Mayweather knocked out Ortiz with a left hook and right straight just when referee Joe Cortez had presumably called the fight to resume.

Renowned promoter Bob Arum, like many fight fans, told BoxingScene.com that Mayweather’s behavior was unsportsmanlike and inexcusable.

But some sportswriters and columnists justified Mayweather’s actions, saying it was Ortiz’s fault that he dropped his guard and allowed his opponent to exploit the situation.

Filipino promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud, a close associate of Pacquiao, offered a novel view of the knockout that became a hot topic in boxing forums.

Salud believes Ortiz was in a position to beat the count by referee Joe Cortez but chose not to, hoping that Mayweather would get disqualified for hitting during the break.

Pacquiao, who’s also eyeing a megabuck bout with Mayweather, left his home in Biñan, Laguna, Monday for Baguio City, where he’ll toil for three weeks under the watchful eyes of Freddie Roach.

The Hall of Fame trainer was scheduled to arrive early this morning from Los Angeles and then proceed directly to the Cooyeesan Hotel Plaza, base camp of Team Pacquiao in Baguio.

Unlike Pacquiao’s previous camps, the pound-for-pound king will no longer start from scratch, having undergone sporadic light training three weeks back.

Filipino assistant trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri supervised Pacquiao’s early workouts, while conditioning expert Alex Ariza started to do his chore last week.

Aside from jogging, Pacquiao has done gym work at Planet Jupiter in Makati and at the MP Tower, which he owns, in Sampaloc, Manila.

As a result, Pacquiao told Philboxing.com on Friday that he’s shaken off the rust and has regained “the feeling of what it is again to be on top of the ring.”

Pacquiao said he’s somewhat recovered his speed, strength and punching power and is ready to plunge into serious training.

Source: inquirer.net

Timothy Bradley is likely to be in Pacquiao-Marquez undercard!

Dan Rafael reports that Top Rank is hoping to get Timothy Bradley under their promotional banner in time to schedule him for the November 12 Pacquiao vs Marquez undercard. Currently, Bradley is still tied up in legal matters with Gary Shaw Productions and Thompson Boxing.

If they reach an agreement -- which I expect, even though multiple sources involved have told me they are still quite a bit apart on the amount of money the promoters would receive to walk away -- Bradley is headed for Top Rank. Top Rank's plan is for Bradley to return Nov. 12 on the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez HBO PPV undercard. Obviously, Top Rank would be prepping Bradley for a possible shot at Pacquiao if a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather doesn't come off.

Bradley (27-0, 11 KO) hasn't fought since defeating Devon Alexander in January. He was set to fight Amir Khan on July 23, but pulled out of the fight with his promotional contract set to expire, not wanting to take such a big and difficult fight just before he was set to test the waters of free agency.

The 28-year-old Bradley could, indeed, be a 2012 opponent for Pacquiao, as Manny (like Floyd Mayweather Jr) is beginning to run low on potential opponents. Thus far, he's been only a TV attraction, and despite his success in the ring, has not picked up a fanbase, and even struggles to draw fans in his home region. Top Rank may have to invest a little time and money in getting him some more fans, and at this point, to rebuild his reputation. No matter how logical Bradley's decision to pass on the Khan fight may have been, he took hits in the media and with fans, and to be fair did himself few favors when he spoke on the subject.

Source: badlefthook.com

I want him to be at his best - Manny Pacquiao

IF you know your boxing, you would agree that the March 2008 battle between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez was one of the best judged fights in the history of the sport.
For the record, judges Duane Ford and Tom Miller scored it 115-112 and 114-113, respectively, for Pacquiao, while Jerry Roth had it 115-112 for Marquez.

Most, if not all boxing experts agree the Marquez-Pacquiao II was a tightly-fought 12-round contest.

Even the fighters themselves agree it was a tough bout for both of them.

It’s understandable that Marquez keeps on claiming he won the second bout. Actually, he kept on saying he won even their initial bout back in 2004.

But to say he was robbed of a win is unfair to the sport in general, which accomplished some sort of a feat by having three judges score the Marquez-Pacquiao rematch the way it should be tallied.

MILLION BUYS. From the looks of it, the Pacquiao versus Marquez fight this November will easily get millions of pay-per-view Buys.

Last weekend, the four-city worldwide tour ended in Mexico with thousands of Mexicans attending the final stop. The tour started in Manila.

American promoter Bob Arum and Mexican boxing icon Marco Antonio Barrera were in awe as they never saw such huge crowd gather in the city for a boxing event.

Arum said aside from the close verdicts that decided their first two bouts, the styles of Pacquiao and Marquez is what makes this fight the most anticipated bout of the year.

Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This will be the third meeting between the two multi-division champions. Their first fight ended in a draw in 2004, while their rematch saw Pacquiao escaping with a split decision win in 2008.

BEST EVER. Pacquiao is hoping to meet the same Marquez that gave him a tough time in their two battles the last five years.

Though relatively old in the sport of boxing, the 38-year-old Marquez remains as the only fighter, who came close to beating Pacquiao.

“I want him to be at his best because If I beat him, I don’t want to hear people telling me he is already old or past his prime,” Pacquiao told newsmen in a round-table discussion during their stop in New York.

In 2004, Marquez came back from three knockdowns in the first round to settle for a draw in their featherweight encounter.

Four years later, Pacquiao decked Marquez in the third round to escape with a close, but split 12-round verdict in their superfeatherweight encounter.

For their third fight, Pacquiao said he will be adding two more weeks from his usual eight-week training that will commence in Baguio this month.

GAG ORDER. Will someone tell Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to just focus on his upcoming fight and leave Pacquiao alone?

For the nth time, Mayweather is putting the blame on Pacquiao on why their much talked about face-off remains uncertain.

Recently, Mayweather told mediamen that former opponent Shane Mosley has told him to force Pacquiao to take the test before he agrees to a fight.

Mosley reportedly claimed he has never been hit by a punch that is as strong as Pacquiao’s punches.

In his last fight, Mosley lost a one-sided decision to Pacquiao last May in Las Vegas.

Currently, Mayweather is busy promoting his welterweight battle against Mexican-American Victor Ortiz this Sunday (Manila Time).

Reporters, however, kept on pestering Mayweather with questions involving Pacquiao.

On the other hand, Pacquiao has insisted he has agreed to the testing protocol of Mayweather, but feels the American is just finding ways to avoid the match.

At the moment, Pacquiao prefers to focus on his Nov. 12 clash opposite bitter Mexicam rival Juan Manuel Marquez.



Source: manilastandardtoday.com

The world may be shocked but Pacquiao will be defeated - Nacho

GUADALAJARA - Mexico's greatest trainer, Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, believes the time is now to defeat Manny Pacquiao. Marquez challenges Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After guiding Juan Carlos Salgado to a title win last Saturday against Argenis Mendez, Beristain flew back to his gym in Mexico City on Sunday to continue the training camp with Marquez.

After 24 rounds and two controversial endings, Nacho expects Marquez to finally come through in the third and final meeting.

"Everything I do now is point to JuanMa and to beating Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 12," Beristain told me at the airport here. "The world may be shocked but Pacquiao will be defeated. He has a lack of focus and JuanMa will take advantage of this. Being a fighter, a Congressman, a singer, all of this, will finally catch up to Manny.

"Pacquiao is a great one, yes, but no other fighter knows him, after 24 rounds, like my fighter does. You will see a great explosion by Marquez on this night."

Source: boxingscene.com

Manny Pacquiao back in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – Lawmaker and sports icon Manny Pacquiao has arrived in Manila after wrapping up a press tour together with his next opponent Juan Manuel Marquez in the US and in Mexico.

The eight-division world champion arrived on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 103.

The press tour that promoted Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 fight lasted for a week. The two boxers went around New York, Los Angeles and even in Mexico where the Pinoy pride was warmly welcomed.

The much-awaited rematch between Pacquiao and Marquez will happen on November 12 in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao declined to comment on his alleged plan to run for vice president in the 2016 elections.

“Huwag na muna nating pag-usapan 'yan. Boxing lang muna tayo, boxing lang,” Pacquiao said. The Filipino boxer is the representative of Saranggani province in the Lower House.

However, even if Pacquiao indeed plans to run, he is not eligible to do so because of the age requirement.

The 1987 Constitution provides that candidates should be at least 40 years of age on election day. Pacquiao will only be 37 years old in May 2016.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao has the greatest jab according to Roach

MANILA, Philippines - In the middle of a smooth, three-hour flight from Toluca, Mexico to Los Angeles the other day, Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach worked on their game plan.

Pacquiao, in a shirt and tie, was having an animated chat with a couple of scribes, throwing right hooks, jabs and uppercuts to the air when his trainer got off his seat.

“You know, you have the greatest jab in the world,” said Roach.

Pacquiao, at the tailend of the hectic World Press Tour for his Nov. 12 date with old nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez, paused to face his trainer.

“But you’re not using it often. You’re not using it well,” Roach continued.

Bob Arum was playing card games on his iPad, enjoying the comforts of the gold-trimmed 11-seater Gulfstream jet, as the discussion went on.

Michael Koncz, the boxer’s adviser, was going through documents three inches thick while the boxer’s lawyer, Geng Gacal, and second, Roger Fernandez, dozed off.

What Roach was actually saying was that if Pacquiao floored Marquez many times with his left hand in their first two fights, then it’s time to give the Mexican a taste of his right.

“I feel my right hand is much stronger now,” said Pacquiao.

“Yes,” said Roach as Pacquiao jabbed the air a couple more times.

“Your jab is as strong as a straight. You can knock this guy (Marquez) out with your jab anytime,” Roach said.

Pacquiao listened hard.

During the New York leg of the 25,000-mile press tour, Arum recognized Roach’s tremendous effort in turning Pacquiao into a two-handed fighter.

“With the help of Freddie Roach, he became a complete package. He used to be a southpaw that relied completely on the left hand,” Arum said.

“Now he’s become a two-handed fighter, and he’s a much smarter fighter now than he was then,” the 79-year-old promoter said.

Marquez is going to face the best Pacquiao ever.

Source: philstar.com

VIDEO: Pacquiao-Marquez III Press Tour

Pacquiao-Marquez Tour Draws 30,000 crowd in Mexico City

Sept. 8, 2011, Mexico City, Mexico -- Superstar Manny Pacquiao waves to the reported 30,000 plus fans during his public press conference in Mexico City Thursday during the world tour to announce the third world Welterweight title mega-fight of the Pacquiao-Marquez trilogy against three-division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Marquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand, Pacquiao vs Marquez III will take place, Saturday, Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be produced and distributed by HBO Pay Per View. -- Photo Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank.

Source: philboxing.com

Pacquiao and Marquez Announce Their Rubber (Mis?)Match

It was May 8, 2004 when Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez first stepped into the ring together at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. The fight was an instant classic at featherweight with Marquez getting off the canvas three times in the first round to roar back into the fight and earn a draw. Depending on whom you are a fan of, each fighter was robbed of victory.

The next time they faced off was four years later down the street at the Mandalay Bay on March 15, 2008. This time, the fight was contested at 130 pounds. Regardless of weight, the fight was yet again a classic with Marquez getting dropped in the third for a knockdown that would ultimately prove the difference in scoring. Pacquiao would win a split decision victory but to this day, the decision is debated.

Now, three years later and 14 pounds heavier, the two will return to the MGM Grand to finish what they started all those years ago when they square off November 12 on HBO PPV in a 144-pound catchweight bout for Pacquiao’s WBO 147-pound belt. On Wednesday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the two men met for the Los Angeles leg of their world press tour to discuss the fight.

In the time since that second fight, Marquez has moved up to 135 pounds where he has become the lineal champion (meaning the man who beat the man who beat the man) but in his first fight with Juan Diaz as well as a later fight with Michael Katsidis, Marquez has shown that he perhaps has hit his ceiling at 135 pounds. He was knocked down by Katsidis and taken to the wall in the first Diaz outing before knocking each man out in the ninth round. Between both Diaz fights in July of 2010, Marquez moved up to welterweight in yet another catchweight fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. who, in recent years, has become a full-fledged 147-pounder. Marquez looked sluggish and slow in that fight. That might be because Mayweather is just that fast or perhaps it’s a sign that the then 36-year-old was simply not cut out to be a welterweight.

At the same time, Manny Pacquiao has jumped up from 130 to 135 where he won a paper lightweight title via ninth round TKO over David Diaz in June 2008. He followed that up by bypassing 140 pounds in favor of a big money welterweight bout with Oscar De La Hoya. The “Golden Boy” appeared to be a shell of himself, getting blown out and made to quit on his stool after the eighth round. In his next fight, Pacquiao moved down to take on lineal 140-pound champion Ricky Hatton and ended the fight- and Hatton’s career- in a two-round knockout. The Filipino superstar-turned-congressman then faced two more welterweights, Miguel Cotto (in a 145-pound catchweight fight for Cotto’s WBO 147-pound title) and Joshua Clottey, stopping the former and shutting out the latter. In his last two fights, Pacquiao took on Antonio Margarito in a 150-pound catchweight and beat him senseless for 12 rounds, following that up by shutting out and knocking down Shane Mosley in a welterweight fight earlier this year.

Looking at these careers side by side, it is very clear that while he has been successful, of the two men, Marquez simply does not handle moving up past 135 pounds well while Pacquiao has shown he can handle bigger men with seeming ease.

Pacquiao and Marquez’s promoter, Bob Arum, was in full spin mode Wednesday afternoon, attributing the Mexican fighter’s decision loss to Mayweather, a full-blown shutout, to styles and nothing more. Arum stated that for Marquez, a counterpuncher of the highest level, fighting someone like Mayweather “who may be a defensive genius” is a recipe for a loss.

Marquez seemed to agree.

“[Pacquiao] says this will be a war. I say this will be a war,” said Marquez. “It’s styles. I am aggressive and he is aggressive. It’s a perfect combination for fans. This fight is different because if people want to see a great fight, you need two fighters. Pacquiao likes to fight. I like to fight. This is a great fight.”

Seeing as how there was such a long time between each fight, I had to ask if Pacquiao was simply waiting for the right time to get Marquez who is now 38 years old with a ton of miles on him in 59 fights and a career 432 rounds boxed.

“For Pacquiao, the edge is important,” said Marquez. “For me, it is not because I like the competition and I like to train. The edge for me is not important.”

When I posed the question to Pacquiao, he claimed he had tried to make a fight with Marquez in 2006 but was turned down in favor of a bout with Chris John. “When I agree to fight the last fight, [Marquez] fought in Indonesia [against] Chris John. He turned down the fight and fought Chris John. Now, I want the fight to happen since before but to co-promote, nobody would buy the fight or PPV or sponsor the fight so…”

The latter assertion is odd considering that when they rematched, the fight was a co-promotion between Golden Boy, Marquez’s former company and Top Rank, who is promoting this bout. However, on one level, it does make sense seeing as both companies have been in something of a “Cold War,” opting to promote within their own stables instead of working together to make the fights fans want to see.

When asked by a reporter why the two men did not meet in 2008 when both briefly shared time at lightweight, Marquez responded, “I don’t know what happened. Maybe because his promoter didn’t want it.”

In any case, whether he wanted to or not, Pacquiao has a serious advantage here. He has shown an ability to beat the daylights out of larger men who are near or at the end of their careers. While Marquez is roughly the same size, at 38 years old, he is at or near the end of his career. And while they did fight such close fights in the past, boxing is about timing and right now, timing seems to favor Pacquiao.

Marquez said he learned from his first fight at welterweight and that he won’t be making the same mistakes this time around in his preparation.

“I learned the first time,” Marquez said. “I didn’t have confidence. I need to prepare physically and mentally because this fight is very dangerous for me. I trained very hard for the weight. Maybe that was the problem.”

For this fight, Marquez hopes to come in lighter, believing that in order to win, he must possess what Pacquiao’s recent opponents have not.

“Yes, I want to be 140 pounds in the weight or 141 because I don’t want to lose speed,” said Marquez.

He also stated that in order to be successful, he must control what his trainer, Nacho Beristain calls the “Combat Zone,” the short distance between the men at close range. Keeping Pacquiao at just the right distance, maintaining control and sound defense will be key to Marquez winning. In his previous two bouts with Pacquiao, Marquez was overzealous, in his trainer’s opinion, and rushed in when he thought Pacquiao was hurt. It was this reckless approach that Beristain feels led to the knockdowns.

“I need to take control in the short range and then, I need to move my body and use my speed,” said Marquez.

In another bit of bad- or what some might call ironic- timing, while the press conference was going, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was holding court on his conference call to promote his September 17 bout with Victor Ortiz. I asked Pacquiao if he felt that this trilogy will define him more than a fight with Mayweather.

“I don’t care. All I care for this fight is to prove to [Marquez] and to take out all the doubts in some of the fans and in his mind.”

There are those who will say that the time to prove the doubters wrong was years ago with Marquez, that the time and events in between have irrevocably separated the two men. Perhaps this fight will prove them wrong. Perhaps these two men were made for each other in the ring and they are destined to fight tooth-and-nail all the way down the line.

Arum’s spin would lead you to believe that. The words of Marquez, Pacquiao and Beristain will try to convince you of that. In the end, Pacquiao and Top Rank’s collective modus operandi of getting fighters at just the right time and weight is perhaps the most compelling evidence that this fight is more mismatch than rubber match. Some will say “better late than never.” To see the events as they have played out, it would seem that this is more a case of “better later than sooner” for Team Pacquiao.

Source: maxboxing.com

Pacman-Marquez fever in Mexico

There is great anticipation for today’s visit to Mexico City of Filipino superstar Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao on the final leg of his international promotional tour for what will be his third match against the Mexican hero Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, to be held November 12 in Las Vegas. Many Mexican fight fans have asked for time off at their jobs or simply will not attend school to attend this unprecedented event at 1PM at the Monumento a la Revolución, where an estimated 50,000 fans are expected.

The art at the right is the work of Eduardo De La Cruz, a Mexican artist who in the United States is known for his lithographs of various personalities of sports and entertainment. Most recently at the 48th WBC Convention which was held in Cancun, Mexico, Eduardo was named “Artist of the KO.”

Source: fightnews.com

Freddie Roach is afraid of this fight?

LOS ANGELES – On an intellectual level, Freddie Roach breaks down the third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez fight on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas and can see only one result: a one-sided victory for his fighter.

On a gut level, a small part of him isn’t so sure.

Pacquiao and Marquez fought on even terms in 2004 (draw) and 2008 (Pacquiao split decision), which failed to answer the question of who is the better fighter. Maybe Marquez simply knows how to be competitive with Pacquiao.

“Sometimes people have people’s number,” said Roach, speaking at a news conference Wednesday at The Beverly Hills Hotel. “Will Manny fall into the trap, fall into Marquez’s plan like he did in those fights? … You never know.

“In the back of my mind … I think sometimes guys just have a style that you have difficulty with. This could be one of them.”

Roach has respect for Marquez, who at 38 remains one of the best fighters in the world. The famous trainer said Pacquiao’s rival presents a challenge bigger than anyone except Floyd Mayweather Jr. Marquez, he said, is the best counterpuncher on the planet.

Still, when Roach is asked why the third fight won’t be anything like the first two, he exudes confidence.

Promoter Bob Arum said anyone who judges Marquez based on his performance against Mayweather, a near-shutout decision in 2009, is crazy. Counterpunchers need their opponents to come to them. Mayweather didn’t; Pacquiao will.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the fight will be close, Roach said. Pacquiao has evolved.

“Manny doesn’t go in recklessly like he did in the first two fights,” Roach said. “Manny doesn’t fall into the traps of a counterpuncher. He knows how to feint now. He uses in and out motions. You don’t know whether he’s coming or going.

“Counterpunchers start reaching for him and the counters that.”

Roach is predicting a knockout – which would be the first time Marquez has been stopped -- in part because that's what Pacquiao needs.

If the sport’s biggest superstar is going to eliminate any doubt that lingers after the first two fights, he’s going to have to win convincingly this time. Plus, Roach said, Pacquiao has a small grudge against Marquez.

“I don’t see him going into this fight being compassionate, letting (Marquez) off the hook the way he did with Shane (Mosley) and (Antonio) Margarito in the end," Roach said. "He has a little grudge. (Marquez) came to the Philippines wearing a T-shirt that said, ‘We got robbed’ and so forth.

“… I’ve urged him not to be compassionate and take him out. That’s the only thing that will make the controversy go away.”

UNDERESTIMATION

No one who saw the first Pacquiao-Marquez fight, on May 8, 2004 in Las Vegas, will forget it. Marquez went down three times in the first round yet fought back to earn a draw.

The Mexican admits now that he took Pacquiao lightly even though the Filipino was coming off an 11th-round TKO of Marco Antonio Barrera. And, Marquez said, he was stunned to find himself on the canvas again in the third round of the second fight.

“The first fight, I think I have an easy fight. Then he surprised me,” Marquez said in his ever-improving English. “In the second fight, in the third round, it’s the same."

He certainly won’t underestimate Pacquiao this time.

“This is more of a challenge for me because he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter. I'm training hard for this fight,” Marquez said.

WEIGHTY ISSUES

Mayweather’s style definitely was all wrong for Marquez, as Arum said. Another problem might’ve been Marquez’s weight.

The natural lightweight weighed in at 142 pounds for their fight, seven more than he had ever weighed. And he looked painfully slow in the ring, although Mayweather’s quickness obviously played a role in that.

Marquez said he’d weigh a pound or two less for Pacquiao.

“If I come in heavy, maybe I’ll lose speed,” he said.

Source: ringtv

Everybody knows Marquez has been talking too much - Manny

LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao’s road to stardom was established by power punching and a pair of compelling back-and-forth bouts against his rival from Mexico, Juan Manuel Marquez.

As Pacquiao prepares for his third fight against Marquez on Nov. 12 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Filipino star’s attention is locked on the goal to reaffirm his power reputation by quieting Marquez once and for all.

"Everybody knows Marquez has been talking too much," Pacquiao said Wednesday as he and Marquez continued their international promotional tour at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "If my opponent is no good, I will be no good in the ring. You know what I mean? My opponent is not a good boy.

"What I think about is, ’How can I shut the mouth?’ "

Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round of their 2004 featherweight title fight, but Marquez rallied to claim a draw. In 2008, Pacquiao won a super-featherweight title by split decision thanks to judge Tom Miller’s 114-113 score.

Marquez’s trainer, Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, complained so much at the post-fight news conference after the 2008 loss that Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, grabbed a microphone and unloaded epithets at the trainer.

Marquez later visited the Philippines wearing a T-shirt reading "We were robbed."

Pacquiao’s kindhearted nature is part of his charm. He’s a congressman in the Philippines who has successfully pushed for a new hospital to be constructed in his district and often takes up charitable ventures.

He showed compassion in the final rounds against badly beaten foe Antonio Margarito last year, and he also failed to put away Shane Mosley in a one-sided fight in May — Pacquiao’s third consecutive unanimous decision as he improved to 53-3-2.

But Pacquiao became boxing’s most popular star by scoring 10 knockouts and retiring Oscar De La Hoya in a span of 16 fights between 2003 and 2009.

Now, it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy.

"He let (Margarito and Mosley) off the hook. In this fight, that’s not going to happen," Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said of Marquez.

The Pacquiao-Marquez bout will be for the WBO welterweight title to be fought at a 144-pound catch weight.

"This fight is more personal," Roach said. "Those (prior two Marquez) fights were good for boxing. It wasn’t our fault the judges voted for us. But when Marquez came to the Philippines with those T-shirts ... it was a slap in the face to Manny. He will get his payback."

Arum was seen shaking hands with and briefly embracing Beristain on Wednesday, but the promoter notes Pacquiao is less forgiving of his old foe.

"Manny usually waits until the last minute to start his eight weeks of training," Arum said. "For this fight, he’s already started. He’s dying to win this decisively. He’s a competitor, and on a competitive basis, he’s tired of hearing Marquez is the puzzle he can’t solve."

Source: bostonherald.com

Sometimes when we touch - Pacquiao duet with Dan Hill in New York Presscon

Pacquiao performed the song at a press conference in Las Vegas ahead of his title fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.
The Phillipino boxer released a recording of Hill's song in the run-up to his world title fight against Shane Mosley in May.
"I saw Manny and heard Manny sing it on [Jimmy Kimmel Live] and I really loved the way he sang it," Hill said.
"I was immediately drawn to the honesty and the gentleness of his performance. It was like, 'whoa.'"
Pacquiao will defend his welterweight title on November 12 in Las Vegas in what will be his third fight against Marquez.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Pacquiao: Marquez claimed he won, I want to prove he is wrong

NEW YORK -- He might or might not be the best-known athlete on the planet, as his promoter, Bob Arum, said at a news conference to hype his Nov. 12 clash with Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas. But Manny Pacquiao is far and away the best boxer/singer in the universe.

He kicked off the news conference Tuesday morning at Chelsea Piers with a perfect rendition of "Sometimes When We Touch," along with the original composer and singer of that sentimental ballad, Dan Hill. Maybe Simon Cowell would have termed it "pitchy," but Pacquiao sold every note with aplomb.

The sparkle in his eye while he sang the lines, "And sometimes when we touch/The honesty's too much/And I have to close my eyes and hide/I wanna hold you 'til I die/'Til we both break down and cry/I wanna hold you 'til the fear in me subsides," without a trace of Gen X irony, left some of even the most crusty fight writers with something resembling tears in their eyes.

Pacquiao (53-3-2, with 38 KOs) does get somewhat of a royal treatment from the boxing media, who respond to his personality -- the impishness, the persistent humility -- the way fight fans have. When he added "Congressman" to his résumé last year, winning a seat in the Philippines, the respect ticked up another notch. If and when Pacquiao, who turns 33 in December, wants to write a self-help book focusing on time management, one has to figure he'll conquer that arena as well.

Marquez (53-5-1, with 39 KOs), most fight pundits figure, won't prove as challenging a foe as he did when they clashed in 2004 (it was a draw, although Marquez went down three times in the first round) and again in 2008 (Pacquiao won a split decision). For starters, Marquez is now 38, and some fight watchers say they've detected slippage in his recent bouts.

He didn't look all that crisp when he took on Floyd Mayweather in September 2009, but his backers wrote that off as mostly a weight issue. That fight was contested at junior welterweight/welterweight, with Marquez coming in at 142 pounds. The Mexican's best days came at featherweight, 126 pounds or less, and they didn't like the way he held the extra poundage on his 5-foot-7 frame against Mayweather.

Pacquiao vs Marquez met at featherweight in their first tangle and at super feather (130 or less) in their second. Pacquiao has held titles in a record eight weight classes and has looked completely in his element while fighting at welterweight (147 or less). This bout will be fought at a catchweight of 144 pounds or less, so many believe Pacquiao has that edge heading into the third episode of their rivalry. We wondered whether Pacquiao thinks the weight issue favors him.

"I don't know what Marquez can improve moving up in weight," he said. "We fought at 130 pounds in the last fight, and the third fight is 144. I don't know what he can do. When I saw his last fight, I saw a still-good Marquez, but the difference is, I changed a lot since the last fight we had. ... I changed a lot of my style, and improved my technique and strategy and my power. I'm not underestimating him."

Pacquiao is the anti-Floyd Mayweather when it comes to expressing himself before a fight. He never resorts to tearing down a foe to help build fan interest, or to give himself a kick in the tush. But he is politely irked that Marquez has for years claimed that he won both the previous tussles. (Marquez had a T-shirt made up that said, "I Beat Manny Pacquiao Twice," and wore it after he beat Michael Katsidis last November.)

"I already proved it," Pacquiao said, "but somebody is claiming they won the fight. I have to work again and prove I won the fights. I want to prove that somebody is wrong, and somebody is right."

Pacquiao says that he has grown so much as a technician in the last three years, that in reality isn't the same person he was then. "I learned more techniques, and strategies for being a fighter," he said.

His trainer, Freddie Roach, said he wants Pacquiao to remove the doubt, and the judges from the equation.

"Pacquiao will knock him out somewhere along the way," Roach said, when asked for a specific round. He too sees a different brand of boxer in Pacquiao than the one who had difficulty solving the counterpunching wizardry of Marquez twice before. "Manny can't just walk in like we did [in the] first two. He was just a young kid then, he's a much more intelligent fighter. I'm very confident we will knock him out."

There are fewer question posed to Pacquiao during this press tour about his "rival," Mayweather, than in the recent past. Maybe it's because the media have tired of speculating on rumors and innuendo.

Maybe it's because Pacquiao has tasted first-hand how troublesome the style of Marquez can be. Quite likely, he has the gut feeling that there will be tougher times in the ring Nov. 12 than he experienced against Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey, his last three foes. But the name Mayweather does at times pop up, still.

Pacquiao was asked if that fight is on his "must do" list.

"I don't really need that fight," he said. "If it happens, good, it's the fight the fans want. If not, I'm satisfied with what I've done in boxing."

Pacquiao allowed that he pondered whether Mayweather might be readying himself to fight him, because he chose another lefty, Victor Ortiz, to face off with, on Sept. 17. In any event, the specter of Mayweather isn't dogging the Congressman as much this time around. "I think I am more focused on this fight compared to last two because Marquez denied he lost the fight, complaining he won the fight, complaining, blah, blah, blah, and that makes me focus and train hard for this fight."

With Pacquiao hinting hinting heavily that he next sees himself running for Governor of his province, which would preclude biannual ring forays, his fans are curious how much longer he'll keep up this extreme juggling act.

Arum told ESPN New York that Pacquiao has agreed to do five more fights, and to hang up the gloves in November 2013. Arum said he'll aim to get Mayweather to the table after Mayweather takes care of business with Ortiz, and if and when Pacman handles Marquez.

"I'm more certain about when Pacquiao will be fighting than who," Arum said. "He's going to fight in the spring, and he fights in fall, that's the pattern we've had recently. I would look first to make the Mayweather fight, and don't see reason we can't ... but we havent been able to do it. Hopefully we'll sit down after November and if Floyd's criminal situation doesn't interfere." (Mayweather faces serious legal trouble in Nevada, including a felony domestic assault charge.)

Bet on it: when Pacquiao exits this savage science, more tears will be shed for the humble hitter than from boxing writers succumbing to the sweet charm of "Sometimes When We Touch."

Source: espn.go.com

Roy Jones wants to join Team Pacquiao?

MANILA, Philippines – Former heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. is ready to offer his words of wisdom to pound-for-pound king Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, should the Filipino champion ever need it.

In an interview with 8countnews.com, Jones said that he is willing to give advice to Pacquiao.

"In the future, if Manny does have issues, or needs somebody to talk to, then he can call me," Jones said.

Jones likened himself to Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, while Pacquiao can be considered as LeBron James.

"If people like LeBron James called and questioned and had an interaction with Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson before he made the decision he made, they would have better guided him in making future decisions," Jones said.

Jones may be referring to James' decision to take his talents to the Miami Heat and leave the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"For Manny, if he ever wants to talk to me, and ask me what direction he should go to, I would gladly tell him," Jones said.

Jones, who has won titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, is already offering Pacquiao some advice regarding a possible superfight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"I know Manny pretty well, and I know Floyd pretty well, and there are ways and things he can do to change the outcome of things," Jones said.

"He (Pacquiao) definitely has to change the way he is fighting right now because Floyd is used to that," Jones added. "As a matter of fact, (Juan Manuel) Marquez is used to that."

Jones said that the Filipino boxing icon will have to change some of his style, as other boxers may have learned to counter his moves inside the ring.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao-Marquez in New York Photos

Both fighters have arrived in New York Monday morning for a press conference on Tuesday to kick off the first stop of his North American world tour to announce the third world Welterweight title mega-fight of the Pacquiao-Marquez trilogy.

Souce: toprank.com

$5 million guaranteed purse for Marquez, his biggest paycheck!

MANILA, Philippines -- While boxer Juan Manuel Marquez will be getting the biggest purse of his fighting career, Filipino boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao said he will force his opponent “to bleed for every cent” of the guaranteed $5-million prize the Mexican fighter is receiving on their scheduled bout in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, on November 12, 2011.

“Marquez is getting the biggest purse ever by fighting me,” Pacquiao told a few friends late Saturday night at a restaurant near the Quirino Grandstand in Manila where moments earlier, he entertained some 100,000 of his fans.

Marquez’s biggest purse so far came against Floyd Mayweather Jr. last September 2009, and Pacquiao said Marquez only got $3.2 million, while Mayweather took the lion’s share of the $10 million.

With matching facial expression and hand gestures, Pacquiao, who will receive a guaranteed $20 million purse, drools over his third meeting with Marquez as though he is about to partake a plateful of Mexican culinary treats.

While Marquez continues to insist that he already knows everything about Pacquiao, the Filipino pound-for-pound king countered that he knows him better.

“Marquez only has one style and that is to counter-punch,” said the 32-year-old Pacquiao, who had drawn with Marquez the first time in 2004, and beat him via split decision four years later.

The Filipino boxing icon, who is the Representative of the Lone District of Sarangani Province, said Marquez is terribly mistaken if he thinks he will see the same Pacquiao in the rubber match.

“I have beaten fighters bigger and stronger than him,” said Pacquiao, as his listeners nodded in agreement.

“The last time we fought was at 130 pounds, and now we are fighting at welterweight,” he said.

Since their last encounter, Pacquiao has feasted on everyone who had thought would chew him alive.

But Pacquiao defied the odds, racking up wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, and Shane Mosley – fighters that Marquez would not dare to face owing to the glaring size difference.

Aside from taking the best of these big men, Pacquiao said he has the knack to adapt to a foe’s style, unlike Marquez, who only thrives in counter-punching.

“I can adjust my style depending on the opponent,” said Pacquiao.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao-Marquez and the rest of the Top Rank crew headed by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum will host another press conference in New York on September 6 (September 7 in Manila) apart from similar events slated in Los Angeles on September 7, and Mexico City on September 8.

The tour is expected to last less than seven days covering three countries and two continents, and by the time Pacquiao reports for the training camp, he would have logged some 25,000 flying miles.

In that short span, Pacquiao will be in flight for a total of 48 hours.

Source: mb.com.ph

"Marquez knows only one style, Counter-Punch " Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao is just whetting his appetite for Juan Manuel Marquez.

As he munched on his favorite steamed lobster and crabmeat Saturday evening, Pacquiao said he couldn’t wait to get his hands on Marquez.

“I was looking at him closely during the press conference.. Yum, yum,” said Pacquiao, like he wants to have Marquez for dinner.

You can sense that Pacquiao wants the third fight with Marquez so bad, so he can finally erase all doubts on their previous encounters.

“Tinitingnan ko talaga yung katawan niya,” said Pacquiao.

Then his eyes lit up as if he saw something that tells him there’s no way the Mexican can cope with him at 144 pounds.

“The first time we fought it was at 126 and the last one at 130. It’s different now. This is my weight now,” said the pound-for-pound champion.

Maybe he finds Marquez too small for him now.

He reminded Marquez of his latest fights against taller, heavier and bigger guys like Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley.

“Baka hindi niya alam kung sino binubugbog ko dito (Maybe he doesn’t know the guys I’ve been beating up here),” said Pacquiao.

It’s more of a warning than a reminder.

“Iisa lang naman kasi style niya (He only has one style),” said Pacquiao as he treated his friends to dinner at the Harbour View restaurant near Luneta.

Pacquiao was told of Nacho Beristain’s comment that because he had become more technical it’s now easier to read his punches.

“He’s wrong. I can adjust to the style of my opponents. Marquez only has one style – to counter,” he said.

“What he saw in me during my latest fights, he might not see when we fight. I can adjust to any style.”

Pacquiao was in the mood to talk, and he was asked to rate Mexican fighters Erik Morales (whom he fought thrice), Marco Antonio Barrera (twice) and Marquez.

He was asked who among the three landed the heaviest punch.

“To me it’s still Barrera. Kaya lang tumakbo na siya nung huling laban (But he ran away the last time we fought),” said Pacquiao.

“Marquez? He can’t beat Morales if they ever fought.”

This should fire up Marquez a little more.

Source: philstar.com

Marquez: I won the two fights against Pacquiao!

MANILA, Philippines – Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez again insisted he won his first 2 fights against now 8-divison champion Manny Pacquiao.

Marquez made the statement during the Manila leg of their global press tour promoting their November 12 welterweight title fight.

“I won the first 2 fights… In 2004 and 2008,” he asserted.

This was his reply when asked if his career would be complete even without a win against Pacquiao.

He, however, admitted being grateful to be given the chance to square off with the fighting congressman again.

“I feel very happy for the opportunity… I expect the best Manny Pacquiao for this fight,” said Marquez.

The two boxers will be fighting it out for the 3rd time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2004, Pacquiao scored 3 first round knockdowns against Marquez. The Mexican, however, was able to salvage a draw.

Four years later, the Filipino champion edged the Mexican with a split decision.

The November 12 fight will take place at a 144-pound catchweight, 13 pounds higher than the 130-pound division they last fought in.

Marquez is confident that he can handle the added weight on his frame, despite losing a 144-pound catchweight fight to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2009.

He claimed that he lost to Mayweather because the latter ran and ran during their bout.

“Mayweather doesn’t like to fight and I want to fight. With Manny it will be different,” said Marquez.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Manny Pacquiao brutal in the training

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

MANILA—Manny Pacquiao hurt his left wrist early in a punch mitts session with Filipino trainer “Buboy” Fernandez on Thursday evening at the Planet Jupiter Gym in Makati City.

But after a short break, Pacquiao shrugged off the discomfort and continued his workout for six rounds in-between discussing strategy with Fernandez on how to counter Juan Manuel Marquez’ favorite right straight and uppercut.

Pacquiao told the Inquirer that Fernandez was adept at strategy for the Marquez duel at the MGM Grand on Nov. 12 because “he watched my two previous fights with Marquez and he knows his style.”

Pacquiao was throwing combinations to the mid-section which was protected by a body-guard when he inadvertently landed a hard left on the punch-mitt that Fernandez used to cushion the impact of Pacquiao’s body shots.

Pacquiao appeared to twist his left wrist as he connected and shouted and grimaced in apparent pain with adviser Michael Koncz and Fernandez himself showing concern.

But Pacquiao made Fernandez remove his body-guard and Pacquiao went through his regular routine working on the speed ball along with skipping rope and a series of abdominal exercises.

Although he was faster and hit harder on the fourth day of his return to the gym after a four-month layoff since his last fight against Shane Mosley, Pacquiao said he was “not satisfied because I am only 50 percent.”

Reacting to Marquez’s earlier statement warning him to train hard because their fight was going to be a war, Pacquiao replied: “It’s going to be a war for him, for me it’s going to be fun.”
But Pacquiao later insisted that “it will be a good fight and we’ll give the fans a great fight to watch.”

Fernandez said that Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach had taught him how to handle light training at the start of his workouts.

Source: inquirer.net

Interview: I fight 95% personal, 5% business - Marquez

Source: GMA

Latest Photos in Manila: Pacquiao vs Marquez World Tour

Source: toprank