Photo by AP
MANILA—Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez has promised to go toe-to-toe with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in the third fight of their eagerly awaited trilogy at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Nov 12.
In a telephone conversation with a popular sports show host, Marquez said “it (the fight) will definitely not be like the Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight where Mosley kept running. As best as I can, I am going to fight him toe-to-toe and give the people what they want.”
Marquez, known as a counter-puncher, conceded that their third encounter is going to be harder than their first two meetings where Marquez claimed he was robbed of victory.
In their first bout on May 8, 2004 Marquez salvaged a draw after Pacquiao dropped him three times in the opening round. Judge Burt Clements, who scored it a 113-113 draw, later admitted he scored the first round 10-7 when he should have scored it 10-6 like the two other judges because of the three knockdowns.
Pacquiao won the rematch on March 15, 2008 by split decision with a third round knockdown making the difference.
“I think this is going to be the hardest fight between the two of us and that’s why I am going to prepare the hardest I ever have,” said Marquez.
He added that he has “a medical team to work on my power and I intend to match his (Pacquiao’s) power.”
Marquez, who will train in Mexico under Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, is gearing up for a tune-up fight against Colombian southpaw Likar Ramos.