Juan Manuel Marquez says it's not about size, it's about mind and style

There’s very little question that of all of Manny Pacquiao’s recent opponents, Juan Manuel Marquez has presented the most dynamic of challenges. With his great timing, ability to adapt inside of the ring, and iron will, Marquez’s two battles against Pacquiao in May of 2004 and March of 2008 were both exhilarating and controversial.

The first encounter between them saw Marquez floored three times in the first round before storming back to work his way into the fight before seeing a split-draw verdict arise on the scorecards. Nearly four years later, Marquez again fought on even terms with Pacquiao but was nipped on the scorecards, with his third round knockdown coming back to haunt him.

Marquez is now less than a month away from extracting some sort of revenge on Pacquiao, as the two rivals are set to meet on November 12th inside of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, the same location as their first bout. The three-division champion recently fielded a few questions from our good friend Hermie Rivera at Manila Standard Today and isn't concerned about the fight taking place at a catch weight of 144 pounds, with Pacquiao's WBO welterweight crown on the line.

The previous two duels had been held at 126 and 130 pounds, respectively, but Marquez insists that this fight has much more to do with just weight alone.

"Again, it is not about the size, it is about the mind and style. I have also knocked out bigger guys at 135 pounds. The smarter, best-conditioned fighter will win this fight," Marquez stated.

The cards appear to be stacked against Marquez, a huge underdog in the contest, but he is showing little signs of concern. He finished up by brushing off the notion that he will be finished by Pacquiao, who dropped him a combined four times in the first two bouts, in dramatic fashion.

"We will both find out on Nov. 12 on how easy or how hard it will be for him to beat me or even try to beat me. We both know who won the first two fights and who got the decision. This third fight is a whole new chapter. The first two fights are history, let’s see what happens in the present.”

Source: Examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao training harder than usual

The man who has watched boxers prepare for fights since the 1960s approached the trainer of the sport's current king and expressed some cautionary words.

"Slow him down, Freddie," veteran fight promoter Bob Arum said near the sweat-soaked ring in Hollywood.

It's there where Manny Pacquiao has returned to train under Freddie Roach for the final four weeks before his third fight against bitter rival Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.

"Slow him down," Arum repeated.

Almost from the moment the fight was announced, there have been concerns about properly pacing Pacquiao, who didn't even wait for the introductory news conference in the Philippines to start running.

Pacquiao, 32, is telling those close to him he doesn't want this fight in the hands of the judges after his prior battles with Marquez resulted in a 2004 draw and a 2008 Pacquiao victory by split-decision. The decisive score was a one-point margin.

He wants the knockout, and Roach says, "That's what we're training him for."

But there's danger in peaking too early, of working so hard in the first month-plus of training that the body inevitably fatigues in the final weeks before a fight.

"We're way ahead of where we usually are, like 75-80% of where we should be by fight night," Roach said. "We're usually around 50% right now. I have to make sure we don't overdo it."

Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 knockouts) grinned his way through being questioned about his fervent effort to get ready for the 38-year-old Marquez.

"I'm focusing on my strength and speed," Pacquiao said. "They're watching my body, so I don't become too big. I control my training, step by step, until the time comes to fight. I want to be gradual in my training."

Pacquiao's words aren't matching his actions, conditioning coach Alex Ariza says. Pacquiao and Ariza had an occasionally animated conversation in the ring last week. Ariza said he convinced Pacquiao that drills to build up strength in the feet and legs are more important at this juncture than upper-body strength training.

"He wants to be as big as he was against Miguel Cotto," Ariza said of Pacquiao's last knockout two years ago — which has been followed by three consecutive unanimous decisions versus larger opponents. "But Cotto was the equivalent of a linebacker, and Marquez is a free safety.

"I think he just wants to kill Marquez."

Pacquiao has never forgiven Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) for not only complaining incessantly after the 2008 loss, but traveling to the Philippines to wear T-shirts saying he was robbed of victory and pleading for a third fight.

"This fight," Pacquiao said, "will be the answer to all those doubts."

Source: latimes.com

Wanted: Sparring partner for Pacquiao

The search for a new sparring partner for World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao continues.

This, after the eight-division world belt-holder looked to have run out of somebody who, not only could approximate Mexican arch-rival Juan Manuel Marquez’ style, but at the same time withstand his punching prowess.

Last Saturday, Pacquiao, who is preparing for his third bout with Marquez on November 12 in Las Vegas, according to trainer Freddie Roach, floored a sparring partner, whom the Wild Card Boxing Gym owner refused to identify, during a skirmish at his famous sweat shop.

Roach, in interview midnight Tuesday (Monday in Manila), wouldn’t divulge whether the guy was Zambian Olympian Hasting Bwalya, whose face he rendered bloodied during a separate sparring session Thursday.

Roach, who was apparently half-asleep and was awakened by the call of this reporter in that wee hour of the night, would not bare the identity of the fighter, obviously, to avoid destroying his boxing career, except to say that the pound-for-pound king just dropped him to the canvas, in what round, he also refused to say.

“He (Pacquiao) knocked him down … he knocked him down… ,” he murmured to Malaya Business Insight.

Asked if Bwalya, who he said he will give another chance the same day, did spar and wherther he is already out, Roach, likewise, would not say.

“I’ll see what happens tomorrow (Tuesday start of the sparring sessions in Team Pacquiao’s second week of training in Los Angeles).”

Meaanwhile, Pacquiao resumed his roadwork Monday morning at the hilly Griffith Park in downtown L.A. with strength and conditiong coach Alex Ariza supervising and assisted by assistant trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri.

Also in Pacquiao’s roadwork were Filipino fighters Bernabe Concepcion, Rodel Mayol and Richie Mepranum who are all scheduled to in a boxing card on October 27 at the San Manuel Indian Casino in Southern California.

Asked by this writer, in a separate interview, whether Pacquiao was affected by the loss of Jorge Linares against Antonio de Marco Saturday for the World Boxing Council lightweight championship, Ariza allayed such fears.

“He’s sad, yes because the two have already cemented their friendship in their three-week stay in Baguio City in the first leg of Manny’s training,” Ariza assured. “But whether it will affect the remaining phase of his training is out of the question.”

“Manny is Manny. He has never been and will not be affected by events, said of otherwise, that happened during camp,” Ariza said. “in fact, he is now more focused in what he’s doing thinking that the fight against Marquez is just around the corner.”
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Pacquiao, who attended the fight to lend morale support to Linares, even went to the Venezuelan dressing room after the bout to console his friend.

“Manny is all business as usual and is looking extremely fast and powerful during training,” Ariza said.

Ariza, likewise, expressed disappointment with the result of the fight, saying it was stopped prematurely.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Marquez bulks up, stays fast, furious in workout

MANILA, Philippines - Juan Manuel Marquez shadow-boxed and limbered up in front of a huge mirror, surrounded by his supporters and some members of the media.

He looked like Lou Ferrigno, the “Incredible Hulk.”

Yes, the 38-year-old Mexican, gearing up for his Nov. 12 clash with Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, has bulked up and has grown so big it’s a little hard to recognize him these days.

Marquez, during last September’s whirlwind press tour for his third clash with Pacquiao, said he will be a changed man by the time he climbs the ring at the MGM Grand just 25 days from now.

He is a changed man.

Marquez has added up on the muscles he thinks he’d need to beat Pacquiao, now the reigning welterweight champion.

“I need to prepare myself physically for this fight. My body must be ready as well as my mind,” said Marquez, who has hired medical experts to make sure he bulks up without sacrificing on speed.

In a 57-second video that was posted at www.pinoygreats.com, Marquez, the lightweight champion, was shown as he wrapped up his training in Mexico, in white trunks and groin protector.

His feet bounced off the floor as he shadow-boxed and shuffled, and smiled at those near him. He looked fast, muscular and ready.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, continued to train at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, and entered the crucial stages in sparring.

A fresh batch of sparring partners is coming his way after Jorge Linares left for a recent fight, while Hastings Bwalya, the Zamibian fighter, was reportedly given the pink slip.

Bwalya sparred four rounds with Pacquiao over the weekend, and proved a little cocky, and paid the price – a bloody nose.

Pacquiao is peaking just in time for the fight, cool, calm and collected as he awaits the November issue of Playboy Magazine where he will be featured.

Source: philstar.com

Pacquiao sparmate sent packing home

MANILA, Philippines — As Manny Pacquiao enters the most crucial phase of his training, his handlers have decided to give the touted Zambian sparring partner the pink slip after failing to live up to his billing.

“We have sent him home,” said Mike Koncz, who handles the day-to-day affairs of the Filipino fighter revving up for the Nov. 12 trilogy with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Last week, Hastings Bwalya was told to report at the Wild Card Boxing Club and work out with Pacquiao.

Bwalya, who had sterling credentials, failed to give the 32-year-old Pacquiao the work trainer Freddie Roach wanted and was told to go home.

Koncz said another guy from Orange County is arriving to replace Bwalya and work alongside many-time sparmate Rey Beltran in the remaining weeks.

Koncz is hoping that the new guy will not follow the path of the trash-talking Bwalya, who wound up with a bloody face after trading power blows with Pacquiao.

“But if he does, we have no choice but to look for another,” added Koncz.

This week, Pacquiao’s sparring sessions will reach its zenith and towards the end of the month, he would already be tapering off.

Source: mb.com.ph

PACMAN THE DOG

Dogs appearing in movies could be more popular than this canine, but certainly, Pacman is the most-travelled of his kind in the world today.


Pacman, of course, is the favorite pet of World Boxing Organization welterweight and eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao who always makes it a point to tag the Jack Russell along terrier wherever he goes to fight since acquiring pint-sized animal five years ago. Pacman, who is based in Los Angeles, even has a special permit from the U.S. department of foreign affairs to join Pacman wherever he wishes to go.

“Pacman is an American citizen,” Noel Lautengco, an uncle-in-law of the pound-for-pound king’s wife Jinkee assigned to take care of the canine, attested in an interview one day during Team Pacquiao’s three-week stint in Baguio City in the first leg of his preparation for his third fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez. “He’s gone to many places, kasi lagging isinasama ni Manny tuwing bi-biyahe either para lumaban, mag-training o mamasyal,” Lautengco, who is married to Jinkee’s aunt Marlyn Jamora, said. “Kaya nga masasabi kong siya na sigurado and the most-travelled dog sa buong mundo.”

“Well, maybe the kind which appear in movies could be more popular than Pacman is, but, undoubtedly, hindi nila mapapantayan ang dami ng biyahe ni Pacman. Just think of how many times Manny fought since 2006. Ang dami na. Eh yun pang biyahe kapag nag-ensayo? “ Lautengco who now works as an on call plumber in L.A. said.

“Manny nga always tags him along sa mga biyahe niya. Si Pacman kasi ang taga-gising nya kapag tumatakbo sa umaga in the course of his training. Kaming mga nasa Team Pacquiao, alam na namin kapag gising na si Manny kasi nauuna nang bumaba sa Pacman,” Lauterngo related. “Kapag nagising kasi ‘yan sa umaga, pupunta agad kung saan natutulog si Manny at kakatukin nya hanggang magising. Napakasipg naman sa takbuhan. Lagi siyang nauuna kay Manny sa roadwork. Kaya tuloy siya na ang ginagamit ni Manny na Pacer,” he continued.

“Pacman is the only guy who could keep pace with Manny on the road, kaya team up lagi silang dalawa. At si Manny lang nag nakakasabay sa kanya. Mabilis kasing tumakbo at tuwqang-tuwa siya kapag nagkakarera silang dalawa ni Manny,” Lautengco, who claims to be Pacquiao’s confidante even before the boxer wooed Jinkee, said.

The past few days in Pacquiao’s first week in L.A., Pacman, again, shared the limelight with his popular boss as he, as in the past, kept the champ company in his roadwork at the mountainous Griffith Park in downtown L.A.

“Manny and myself were already friends even before he courted my niece, who then worked as a model and endorser for Ponds (a beauty product). “I was, in fact, responsible for introducing him to Jinkee. Lautengco relayed that Pacman is actually a half-breed Jack Russel terrier given to him by boyhood friend and now assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez. “The dog was given to Buboy by a friend. Hiningi ni many kasi nagandahan. Maliit at malikot. Si Buboy na ang nagbinyag ng Pacman.”

“Napamahal na kay many si Pacman. Before Pacman slept besides Manny sa gabi. Pero na-allergy si Manny sa balahibo kaya sa akin na pinatatabi sa pagtulog. Ako ngayon ang binubuwisit, kasi ayaw nang walang katabi. Nilalagaya ko sa lapag ng kama bago matulog, magigising na lang ako nasa paanan ko at kasukob ko sa kumot,” Lautengco related chuckling.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Pacquiao spars on first day

MANILA, Philippines — Even though he was not scheduled to spar on Monday – his first day of training at the Wild Card Boxing Club – Manny Pacquiao was ordered to lace on his gloves and put on a headgear by trainer Freddie Roach.

Roach paired Pacquiao with Venezuelan Jorge Linares and the two did four rounds together and another four rounds was added, this time, with Ray Beltran, who had helped many times in the past, as the Filipino's sparmate.

Roach wanted to give Linares, who fights this Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, his final quality sparring session and exactly got what he wanted.

Since Pacquiao had an unscheduled sparring session, Roach said the next will not happen until Thursday and with Linares out of the picture, only Beltran and an African puncher training under cutman Miguel Diaz will fill the void.

Roach said the three-week training in Baguio City proved very helpful and Pacquiao himself said upon his arrival in the US over the weekend that he feels that he is 80 percent in shape for the Nov. 12 rubber match with Juan Manuel Marquez.

While Pacquiao insists that he is already in fiery form, Roach believes there are still lots of work to do.

“I think Manny's about 65 to 70 percent now,” said the 51-year-old Roach, who has eght weeks to whip the pound-for-pound king into a beast come fight night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao is an 8-1 favorite to repulse Marquez's challenge but he is not taking chances against the 38-year-old Mexican, who he said will go all-out since this will be his last big fight.

Source: mb.com.ph