Juan Manuel Marquez picks light tuneup for Manny Pacquiao

Photo by AP

MANILA, Philippines—Grizzled warrior Juan Manuel Marquez will take on the lightly regarded Colombian Likar Ramos in a tuneup fight in Cancun, Mexico, before he clashes with Manny Pacquiao for the third time on November 12 in Las Vegas.

Marquez, the WBA and WBO lightweight champion, bared his choice of the 25-year-old Ramos (24-3 win-loss, with 18 knockouts) to BoxingScene.com early Thursday.

“We wanted a left-handed fighter and we found it,” Marquez (52-5-1, with 38 KOs) told the boxing website.

The 37-year-old Marquez, who last fought on November 27, 2010 when he stopped Michael Katsidis in the ninth round, said he felt the need to shake off the rust to improve his chances against Pacquiao, also a southpaw.

Marquez is raring to avenge his split-decision loss to Pacquiao in 2008 after drawing their first bout in 2004.

He has begun preparations at the La Romanza Gym in Mexico City under Nacho Beristain.

The last part of his trilogy with Pacquiao will be fought at 144 pounds. The last time he fought at that weight, Marquez lost by unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Former world champion David Diaz, also a Pacquiao victim, was supposed to be Marquez’s foe but backed out due to purse differences.