THE REMATCH YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR Can Marquez Do To Pac-Man What No Other Mexican Could? By Don Stewart For all the damage he’s done to the Mexican fight game, Manny Pacquiao is probably the most popular non-Mexican fighter in that country. In seven straight bouts, and 10 his last 11, the Filipino slugger has fought a Mexican opponent. He’s sent the beloved Marco Antonio Barrera into retirement, and punched hero Erik Morales to the brink of it. While Pacquiao’s superstardom has come largely at the expense of Mexican fighters, “Pac-Man” doesn’t wear that fact on his sleeve as, say, Roger Mayweather once did long before unintentionally cracking us up on HBO’s 24/7. If Mayweather managed to dub himself “The Mexican Assassin” for stringing together some decent wins in the late-’80s, think of what kind of nickname Pacquiao could carry. But for the most part, Pacquiao has always let his fists speak for themselves. His swarming, aggressive style has helped make him one of the biggest draws in the sport, so there’s no need to antagonize anyone to sell tickets. In turn, devoted Mexican fans have actually developed an admiration for the man who has given them so much heartache. “I think they respect Manny Pacquiao,” said Telefutura analyst Bernardo Osuna. “To do what he’s done against the best Mexican fighters of his generation speaks to his tenacity. The working man can’t help but love Manny Pacquiao. He’s not that charmed guy who has had everything handed to him on a platter. He goes out there against guys who are supposedly there to outclass him and comes through every time.” Read full article: http://www.thering-online.com/ringpages/readastory1.html
This content is protected Friday, January 11, 2008 MANNY PACQUIAO and Juan Manuel Marquez are going to meet face-to-face on Jan. 15 (Jan. 16 in the Philippines) to promote their March 15 Las Vegas showdown. Top publicist Fred Sternburg revealed yesterday that the event will likely take place at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and the big bosses of co-promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) are expected to grace the occasion alongside key people of Pacquiao and Marquezs camps. As this developed, Pacquiao confidant Wakee Salud said the 29-year-old Filipino hotshot was in the thick of training late yesterday afternoon at a gym owned by boxing patron Rey Golingan in General Santos City. "Mannys doing good," said Salud, who watched the proceedings from the sidelines. Salud said Pacquiao will fly to the States on Jan. 14 and will arrive there on the same day, just in time for the luncheon press conference. Pacquiao had actually begun his training upon his arrival from a vacation in Las Vegas last Jan. 5 as he immediately worked out a sweat at the Wild Card Gym in Parañaque that is owned by his former business manager Rod Nazario. Pacquiao and Marquez had battled to a bloody 12-round split draw the first time they rumbled in May 2004 despite Pacquiao sending Marquez down three times in the first round with his lethal left hand. But Marquez miraculously survived the onslaught and counterpunched his way out of trouble under the guidance of the revered Mexican cornerman Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain. Pacquiao will have in his corner the equally-respected Freddie Roach, who believes Pacquiao has improved dramatically while Marquez had stagnated the past few years. Roach said sparring at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood will begin in early-February. Nick GIONGCO
This content is protected By Maloney L. Samaco PhilBoxing.com Fri, 11 Jan 2008 This content is protected The Ring Magazine superfeatherweight title is at stake. It is vacant and the winner will be crowned the best in the division. It will erase all doubts as to who won their first May 8, 2004 controversial fight. It is called Unfinished Business. Manny Pacquiao will challenge WBC superfeatherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez come March 15, 2008 at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay. Manny Pacquiao is the WBC international superfeatherweight champion and is rated number one by Ring Magazine in the division. While Marquez is ranked number two by the Bible of Boxing in the same weight class. Pound-for-pound, Pacquiao is at number two behind Floyd Mayweather, Jr., while Marquez is number three. "This is the one everybody wanted to see," Golden Boys Richard Schaefer said. The bout, which will be televised by HBO PPV, is the much-anticipated rematch of the world. Pacquiao (45-3-2, 34 KOs) downed Marquez (48-3-1, 35 KOs) three times in the first round of the first encounter, but Marquez battled back and the fight was declared a split draw. "Manny is going to knock him out," Top Rank boss Bob Arum said. "Manny feels that he has really improved dramatically since that first fight with Marquez and that Marquez has gone backwards." "Marquez-Pacquiao II will be one of those must-see fights for boxing fans," HBO PPV's Mark Taffet said. "Kudos to the promoters and fighters for continuing to make the fights that boxing fans want to see and for continuing the sport's momentum well into 2008." Schaefer declared that Marquez wanted the fight very badly and took the bargain just to make it happen. Marquez knew there is unfinished business between them. The whole boxing world awaits for the rematch to occur. Manny, he wanted to fight the guy he could make the most money against. But Marquez really did his part to make this fight. He agreed to accept the terms which really are heavily in favor of Pacquiao, Schaefer said. For Marquez, it was all about himself as the only Mexican fighter standing up there and showing all the countrymen that this guy Pacquiao beat two legends, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, and hes going to demonstrate Pacquiao what Mexican fighters are all about. That is what motivates him. He knows with a victory over Pacquiao that his name will be considered right there with Morales and Barrera, Schaefer added. Pacquiao has beaten successively six Mexican fighters, including Morales twice, Hector Velasquez, Oscar Larios, Jorge Solis, and Barrera, who retired after the match.
