Marquez stakes title vs Pacquiao look-alike

Juan Manuel Marquez AP PHOTO/JULIE JACOBSON

Salivating to exchange punches with Manny Pacquiao for the fourth time, Mexican legend Juan Manuel  Marquez will settle for an up-and-coming Filipino brawler who bears an uncanny resemblance to the global ring icon.

Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs), whose sterling career is tainted with two setbacks to Pacquiao, will stake his WBO light welterweight title against reigning IBF Pan-Pacific titlist Al Sabaupan (19-1, 14 KOs) July 21 in Mexico City.

“The itch to fight the legendary Pacquiao remains strong for Juan Manuel and I believe that he will settle for a Pacman dead ringer,” said Saved by the Bell Promotions president Elmer Anuran, who handles Sabaupan’s career.

Saved by the Bell Promotion has a memorandum of cooperation with  Zanfer Promotions, who stages Marquez’s fights.

Anuran admitted that Sabaupan is fighting an elite boxer.

“No doubt about it, Al’s going to climb a mountain or to be exact Mt. Everest here. At 38, Marquez remains deadly as ever and definitely the hands-down favorite.”

Barring any change of date and venue by the WBO boxing commission, this will be the second time that Sabaupan will show his wares in Mexico.

The 24-year-old southpaw lost by ninth round TKO to Marvin Quintero for the IBF title eliminator on April 21 at the Unidad Deportiva Centenario.