I will let Marquez eat his words - Manny

MANILA—Figure of speech or not, Manny Pacquiao’s message revealed his desire to hand Juan Manuel Marquez a vicious beating when they tangle on November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“I’ll let him (Marquez) eat his words,” Pacquiao said in Filipino during a television interview Thursday.

The normally cautious pound-for-pound king was reacting to Marquez’s insistence that he won their first two showdowns in 2004 and 2008, which ended in a draw and split decision for Pacquiao, respectively.

Marquez, who arrived in Manila early Thursday morning for the launch of the four-city, three-nation press tour of Pacquiao-Marquez III at the Quirino Grandstand Saturday, also warned he is ready to wage another war with the eight-division champion.

As if to back his claim, Marquez jogged and did stretching exercises minutes after checking in at the Manila Hotel, where his team, including the legendary trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, and promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank are billeted.

Pacquiao said it’s good that Marquez is preparing hard for their World Boxing Organization welterweight title duel as he will also make sure that he’s in 100-percent condition on fight night.
“He’d long been asking for a rematch, let’s give it to him,” said Pacquiao, hinting that Marquez, the World Boxing Council lightweight titlist, will be in for a rude awakening after the Filipino superstar’s victory over bigger fighters (Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley).

Pacquiao, who knocked down the Mexican three-division champion four times, three in the first bout and once in the second, also started light training earlier than usual on Monday.
Pacquiao’s training camp with the renowned Freddie Roach, however, will span eight weeks, divided equally between Baguio City and the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

The 38-year-old Marquez, who’s guaranteed $5 million for the trilogy plus pay-per-view shares in excess of one million PPV buys, paid a courtesy call on the Mexican ambassador to the Philippines yesterday, did some interviews and later had an exclusive dinner with Pacquiao, who will be receiving $20 million plus PPV shares.

Today’s schedule calls for the protagonists to walk together from the Manila Hotel, where a press conference will be held, to the venue where a projected crowd of 50,000 are expected to converge.

As a precautionary measure, a thousand policemen, including a SWAT unit, will be deployed in the area.

The affair will be covered by GMA-7, which will also bring in some of its stars to provide entertainment.

Later on, Marquez, who owns billiard halls back home, is slated to watch the World Pool Championship at SM North.

Source: inquirer.net

Latest Video Of Juan Manuel Marquez in Manila by GMA

Pacquiao-Marquez press tour creates sensation in Manila

An American boxing promoter and a fighter from Mexico walked off a plane in Manila on Thursday and were greeted by hundreds of people and a dozen television cameras.

And so began the international tour to tout the third fight between the Mexican boxer, Juan Manuel Marquez, and his Filipino rival, Manny Pacquiao, Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.

"It's bedlam here," said Fred Sternburg, a Pacquiao publicist assisting veteran promoter Bob Arum on the tour that will begin with a Saturday news conference expected to draw 100,000 to Manila's Quirino Grandstand.

The tour will move on to New York on Tuesday, where Pacquiao will perform his remake of Dan Hill's 1970s hit, "Sometimes When We Touch," with Hill. (The Pacquiao version climbed as high as No. 7 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and now is No. 8.)

A press-only visit to the Beverly Hills Hotel will come Wednesday, and then 50,000 more fans are expected for a Thursday stop in Mexico City.

Pacquiao, widely considered boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter, fought Marquez to a draw in 2004, then edged him by split decision in 2008.

Pacquiao proceeded to claim an eighth weight-class world title at 154 pounds, while Marquez won the 135-pound (lightweight) belt. Pacquiao-Marquez III will be fought at welterweight (147 pounds), where Marquez was dismantled by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his only bout at that weight.

Still, Marquez insists he best knows how to test Pacquiao, and the Filipino audience has shown the proper respect.

Sternburg said a 100-piece band met Marquez in Manila, playing a national song entitled, "The People," and also Herb Albert's "Tijuana Taxi." Marquez was greeted by Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim and given a key to the city.

He has further endeared himself by conducting interviews in English.

"The city loves the way he fights, and they know how close these first two fights were," Sternburg said.

Marquez will visit Mexico's embassy in the Philippines on Friday and attend a dinner with Pacquiao, who has completed four days of training.

Sunday, the pair will take Communion together at Manila Cathedral.

Source: latimes.com

Jet lag no problem for Juan Manuel Marquez, jogs at Luneta

MANILA—Jogging and stretching were Juan Manuel Marquez’s antidote to jet lag.

Hardly unaffected by the long, tiring trip from Los Angeles, the Mexican warrior gamely did interviews upon arrival at the Centennial Airport early Thursday morning before proceeding to the Manila Hotel to change clothes and hit the Luneta grounds with his training team in tow.
It was Marquez’s way to let pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao know that he’ll be in tiptop shape when they tangle for the Filipino icon’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Marquez, who turned 38 last week, also wants to use every second available to train for his third fight with Pacquiao.

Their first fight in 2004 ended in a controversial draw while their return bout in 2008 ended in a split decision win for Pacquiao.

Though Marquez insists that he won both fights, the WBC lightweight titlist knows that Pacquiao is far better and stronger now, and sows terror in the 147-pound division.

That’s why, the three-division champion feels he needs to train for 12 weeks months to gain speed and strength while packing in more pounds.

In addition, Marquez has enlisted the services of a nutritionist and conditioning expert.
His fighting style, according to Marquez, will still be the same.

“I fought Pacquiao twice, I know him.”

Marquez said he’ll still be counterpunching and firing off combinations to negate Pacquiao’s perceived edge in speed and power.

After a brief rest, Marquez and his team that includes legendary trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain went to the Manila City Hall where Mayor Alfredo Lim honored Marquez as the city’s adopted son.
Venerable promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, prime mover of the three-nation, four-city press tour for Pacquiao-Marquez III that kicks off tomorrow at the Quirino Grandstand, accompanied Marquez.
While ring pundits and oddsmakers have installed Pacquiao a heavy 8-1 favorite to beat Marquez in their 12-round bout set at a catch weight of 144 pounds, Arum thinks otherwise.

“Juan Manuel Marquez has given Manny challenges on two occasions,” said Arum, who is enshrined in the boxing Hall of Fame. “ The fights were very, very close that’s why this fight is so important.”

Source: inquirer.net

The key is to neutralize Pacquiao's speed - Nacho Beristain

MANILA, Philippines — As Manny Pacquiao morphed from an off-beat slugger to a more polished puncher through the years, Juan Manuel Marquez has remained the same – patient but potent.

While Pacquiao continues to display his old, trademark moves, the Filipino has mellowed down a bit, a peculiarity that Marquez’s Hall of Fame trainer Nacho Beristain said might work in their favor come November 12 in Las Vegas.

“Pacquiao has become more refined now,” said Beristain, noting that before “Pacquiao would jump in and out.”

Beristain, known for his strategic brilliance, said the fact that Pacquiao has cut down on these risky but highly-rewarding moves might do wonders in Marquez’s gameplan since it would make it easier for his fighter to launch his own offensive.

Still, Beristain believes the third fight would still be very much like the first two matches of Pacquiao vs Marquez: a thrilling draw in 2004 and an action-packed split decision win for Pacquiao in 2008.

“I don’t think there’d be a knockout but this will be 12 rounds of high-level boxing,” said the 68-year-old Beristain, maker of many of Mexico’s finest champions.

Even if Pacquiao has tweaked his style a bit, Beristain remains cautious of Pacquiao, whose mix of power and speed would bring problems even to the most skillful of fighters.

“The key is to neutralize his speed,” added Beristain.

Publicist Ricardo Jimenez, a former sportswriter for La Opinion who has closely followed Marquez’s career, said even at the age of 38, Marquez is still a dangerous opponent.

“He doesn’t get flustered,” said Jimenez, stressing that Marquez’s ring savvy is one of a kind.

Meanwhile, as a sideshow to the buildup for the four-city press tour that will be kicked off by Manila Saturday, Marquez met with Mexican ambassador to the Philippines on Friday afternoon.

Jimenez was told that there are just a few hundred Mexicans living in the Philippines and about 50 of them live in Metro Manila.

“I think those living in Manila were all there,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez said Mexican staples like taco and quesadilla were served but was amazed that there were rare ingredients that he never thought would be served in the dining table.

“We were told that they had a lot of difficulties finding the ingredients,” said Jimenez.

But while the food was authentic, the beverage served were not.

There was no Corona nor Tecate, two popular Mexican cervezas, said Jimenez.

“They served San Miguel (beer).”

“It was good,” said Jimenez.

Source: mb.com.ph

Pacquiao needs to train very hard - Marquez

MANILA, Philippines – Visiting Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez said 8-division champion Manny Pacquiao should better be ready for their third face off on November 12.

“My message to Pacquiao, he needs to train very hard because I'm training very hard… like a warrior,” said Marquez in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo.

Showing how serious he really is in training, Marquez jogged for 45 minutes near the Quirino Grandstand shortly after his arrival in Manila.

Marquez will challenge Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title at a 144-pound catchweight.

He said the added weight does not bother him at all.

“I feel great. I'm ready to fight at 144,” said Marquez.

The last time the two fought was in 2008 at the super featherweight division (130 lbs.).

Marquez’s manager Fernando Beltran said they hired weight experts to help the Mexican boxer maintain his speed even with added weight.

“We have in our training camp doctors and training people that we'll help him diet,” said Beltran.

Marquez also visited Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim Thursday afternoon.

Lim handed him a symbolical “Key to the City of Manila.”

"I don't know how to speak Filipino... but mahal ko kayo," he said to the delight of the Filipinos who attended the event.

At the Planet Jupiter Gym in Makati City, Pacquiao continued his training for the November 12 bout.

The Filipino boxing superstar is set to train for 10 weeks to make sure that he’ll be in 100% condition when he battles the Mexican warrior.

“Siyempre proud siya kung sakaling manalo siya. Tayo naman hindi natin papayagan ‘yun kaya tayo nag-eensayo ng mabuti,” said Pacquiao.

(Of course he’ll be one proud guy if he beats be. We’ll try not to let that happen, that is why we’re training hard.)

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

GMA 7 will cover the Pacquiao-Marquez III press tour

This weekend, GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) will present to Pinoy boxing fans the prelude of the third face-off of Pacquiao vs Marquez.

Both fighters will venture on a whirlwind four-city world tour covering Manila, New York, Los Angeles and Mexico with Top Rank honcho Bob Arum to promote their upcoming bout set on November 13 (Philippine time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

GMA Network is the exclusive broadcast partner — radio and TV — for both the World Press Tour and the fight itself.

Pacquiao, dubbed as the “greatest fighter of all time," welcomes another heated battle with Marquez after a draw in their first duel in 2004, and a tight split decision that favored him in their second match in 2008, to hopefully put a close to their “unfinished business."

For Saturday, September 3, GMA Network prepared a grand lineup of festivities at the Quirino Grandstand – a special on-ground event to be hosted by Dingdong Dantes, with the pop trio La Diva singing the Philippine national anthem, while the UST singers perform the Mexican national anthem.

An all-star cast led by Kapuso artists Ogie Alcasid, Iza Calzado, Jay-R, Kyla, Rachel Ann Go, Mark Herras, Kris Bernal, Aljur Abrenica, and many others will grace the event that will aired live from 2:30 to 4 p.m. over GMA-7. The special will also be seen live and exclusive via internet video streaming on GMA News Online.

The crowd will be further treated to a live episode of Manny, Many Prizes, the Saturday game show hosted by Pacquiao himself. Joining Pacman are his co-hosts Paolo Contis, Rhian Ramos, Gladys Guevarra, Pekto, Moymoy Palaboy, and Onyok Velasco along with guest stars Jinkee Pacquiao, Wency Cornejo, Jett Pangan, Imelda Papin, Claire dela Fuente, and many others. The episode will be telecast on the same day at 6 p.m.

Tickets for Manny Many Prizes will be distributed via three booths located along South Drive, Quirino Grandstand (Museo Pambata side) beginning 6 a.m. but spectators will be allowed entry as early as 8 a.m.

On Saturday morning, a press conference at the Manila Hotel featuring the two fighters will be aired live on GMA News TV (GNTV), while exclusive interviews will be aired over GMA’s “24 Oras", “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho", “Startalk", “Showbiz Central", and flagship AM station DZBB 594 khz.

The main event, the much awaited boxing match, will be aired straight from Las Vegas on November 13 only on GMA. — KBK, GMA News

Source: gmanews.tv