LAS VEGAS, Nevada – The virtual stalemate brought about by what many perceived was the indecisive result of their initial two meetings will finally be resolved when Filipino World Boxing Organization Manny Pacquiao and Mexican challenger Juan Manuel Marquez battle for the third time Saturday at the MGM Grand here.
This, Pacquiao himself, owner of the 147-pound belt, and Marquez, who will try to divest him of the crown, reiterated yesterday during a separate press conferences held at one of the function rooms of the official home of the fight.
“I thought this issue had been settled in our second fight, but some people, including Marquez himself, doubted the outcome. Much as I believed that this third fight is unnecessary, still I obliged to erase all doubts that, instead of him, I was the one who emerged triumphant in both fights,” Pacquiao said in Tagalog.
Pacquiao, actually, will try to remove one of the only two thorns tainting what was a supposed to be rosy career, the other one being his twice aborted showdown with American undefeated welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“He kept on saying he got robbed in the first two fights. This fight will answer all the doubts and all the questions,” the 32-year-old pound-for-pound king and eight-division champ, stressed.
“Everyone, including many of my countrymen, believe he (Pacquiao) really won those fights,” Marquez, the undisputed world lightweight kingpin, for his part, said through an interpreter.. “I will prove them wrong after this fight.”
“I have train harder than all my fights before for this. I know I am at a disadvantage because I have to put additional weights, but that’s the reason why, precisely, I got a new strength coach,” the 38-year-old Mexican “Dinamita” related in reference to an alleged former drug dealer Angel Hernandez (aka Heredia).
“I’ve really grown big, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I lost my speed,” he assured. “I can be as fast as he and as powerful as I used to be.”
Both vowed to give boxing fans all over the world a great fight during the subsequent media conference held under the auspices of Top Rank Promotion and major sponsor Tecate Beer at the MGM Hollywood Theater later in the day.
“Everything is all set,” Pacquiao said as he invited boxing fans to watch and enjoy the fight. “Not everybody can watch the fight live inside the stadium. But just the same, you will be seeing a great fight.”
“I seldom talk about a fight outside of the ring. Inside it, I’ll do my job,” Marquez warned even as he added he is dedicating this third encounter against Pacman to his countrymen and Mexico.
Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach, strength coach Alex Ariza, adviser Michael KJoncz, assistant trainer and Pacman’s childhood friend Buboy Fernandez and Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson were also in attendance, seated in the presidential table allotted to the Filipino icon.
Roach’s counterpart, Hall of Famer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, Marquez promoter Fernando Beltran and WBO president Richard Stern accompanied Marquez in his side of the panel.
Arum, meanwhile, announced that all tickets have been sold as emphasized as he attested the tremendous popularity of the combatants.
“The tremendous demand for tickets speaks well of the popularity of Pacquiao and Marquez, the two best pound-for-pound fighters of this era,” the Harvard-educated lawyer, said.
“This is a fight between two gentleman boxers, who are not only sportsmen but warriors as well,” Arum said. “Expect a great fight, a classic fight,” he said.
Source: PhilBoxing.com
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