Source: ABS-CBN News
-- Mexican boxing champion Juan Manuel Marquez has not given up hope that he will get a fourth bout against his great rival, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao of the Philippines.
Pacquiao and Marquez have battled three times, with all three matches ending in controversy. Their latest bout, last November, was won by Pacquiao via majority decision.
But many boxing observers felt that Marquez should have won the last bout, as he once again gave Pacquiao great trouble thanks to his footwork and counterpunching.
"I considered retiring (after the third bout) because everybody knows I want to fight Manny again and that I won the last fight," Marquez admitted in an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News.
"I feel very angry about that decision," he added.
Instead of retiring, Marquez decided to instead pursue another world title, and he will fight Sergey Fedchenko next week for an interim junior welterweight belt. The Mexican boxer hopes that if he wins his upcoming bout, he will get another crack at his rival.
"The main reason for me to continue is that I want a rematch with Manny, and that is the main factor for me to come back," Marquez said.
"I think I won the last fight and I am looking for the rematch."
Although an immediate rematch against Pacquiao was briefly considered, it never came to fruition as the Filipino champion instead decided to fight American boxer Timothy Bradley Jr.
Even so, Top Rank chief executive officer and Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, complimented Marquez for his desire to continue boxing.
"Juan Manuel's wanting to continue is a sign of being a great fighter," Arum said, comparing Marquez to boxing legend Roberto Duran.
"Look at Duran, the second time he lost to (Sugar Ray) Leonard, he didn't just pack his bags and go away," he said.
Arum said Marquez impressed him with his professionalism.
"He is a smart man and he knows what it’s all about and he knows that complaining, once the judges render the decision, doesn’t change the result," Arum said. "So you pick yourself up and continue your career."
Source: Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines - Eight-division world champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao is confident that he was the rightful winner of his last fight against rival Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, even if some boxing analysts continue to question the result of the fight.
Pacquiao defeated Marquez via a controversial majority decision, but his performance lacked the same explosiveness that he displayed in his previous fights.
In a brief press conference after he arrived in Manila, Pacquiao told his critics: "Sa mga ibang tao na naniniwala na hindi tama ang desisyon, magpakatotoo ka. Maging Pilipino ka."
Pacquiao said he knew he had won the fight even before the bell sounded in the 12th round.
"Ang paniniwala ko, bago pa natapos ang 12 rounds ay lamang ako at panalo ako," he said, but added that he was not completely satisfied with his performance inside the ring.
"Yung ine-expect ng mga tao at ine-expect ko rin na maibigay ko sa mga tao, hindi nangyaring ganoon," he said.
The boxer said that his fans have gotten used to seeing him dominate his opponents. Before his tough battle against Marquez, Pacquiao rose to the top of the boxing world by beating up and knocking out fighters who were naturally bigger than him
Pacquiao had knockout victories over Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, as well as decision victories over Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley.
He was a heavy favorite against Marquez, as many felt that the Mexican boxer will not be able to deal with the additional weight and that Pacquiao had improved greatly since the two boxers last met in 2008.
'It's my fault'
"Kasalanan ko rin ang lahat ng pangyayari. Hindi ko masisising may doubts sa pagkapanalo ko, dahil sinanay ko kasi sila na palagi akong panalo ng knockout, o binubugbog ko ang kalaban ko," Pacquiao said.
"Baka naman payagan n'yo ako na pwedeng manalo kahit na close fight. Hindi ba ako pwedeng manalo ng close fight?" he said. "Kailangan ba ang panalo ni Manny Pacquiao laging one-sided fight?"
Pacquiao said that he suffered from foot cramps during the bout, which hampered his performance.
"'Yung kaliwang paa ko, tumigas ng third round, pinapisil ko kay Buboy (Fernandez) nung pang-apat na round dahil halos hindi ko maigalaw," he said, adding that the pain subsided in the last five rounds of the fight.
His lackluster showing in the bout cost him his place as the pound-for-pound king in the ratings of ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo! Sports, with undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. taking his place at the top spot.
"Hindi ko alam kung saan lumabas yan," Pacquiao said of the pound-for-pound ratings. "Sa ibang mga tao lang siguro na hindi dugong Pinoy ang nag-iisip ng ganyan."
Pacquiao remains number 1 in THE RING magazine's pound-for-pound ratings.
Source: Nick Giongco, Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines — It’s time for Manny Pacquiao to look for a new dancing partner.
After doing the tango with Juan Manuel Marquez three times, the Filipino has no choice but to dump the Mexican in favor of the flashy Floyd Mayweather Jr., a prominent figure inside Team Pacquiao said recently.
Cebu kingmaker Wakee Salud, who has been at ringside in Pacquiao’s US fights dating back to 2005, said a more lucrative trilogy awaits Pacquiao once he decides to abandon plans to face Marquez for the fourth time.
“Because this fight is so big, there’s going to be a rematch whatever happens in the first fight,” said Salud. “And the rematch could also lead to a rubber match.”
“Manny has nothing to prove anymore with Marquez as he has beaten him twice,” Salud said.
Pacquiao is coming off a close 12-round majority decision over Marquez but despite the win, his reputation has been affected and leading boxing media entities like Yahoo! Sports, ESPN and Sports Illustrated have demoted him to the No. 2 spot in their respective pound-for-pound rankings.
Only The Ring magazine has retained Pacquiao – barely – as its No. 1 fighter on the elite list.
Meanwhile, Marquez’s belief that he had been robbed by the judges was solidified further after he watched the video of the fight in Mexico City.
Marquez told fight scribe Salvador Rodriguez of Record that he is “even more convinced” of his win over Pacquiao last week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Marquez added: “I beat him again and he knows that I did.”
And this is probably the reason why Top Rank chief Bob Arum is pushing for a fourth fight set for May 2012 even though key members of Pacquiao’s team are already talking about fighting Mayweather instead.
Source: Angelo Gutierrez, Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao barely kept the coveted The Ring Magazine’s No. 1 pound-for-pound king title following his controversial win over Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas last Saturday.
“Pacquiao survives as the Ring’s No. 1 fighter by a hair,” Ring Magazine’s Michael Rosenthal said in a statement posted on The Ring’s website.
Rosenthal said that the magazine’s editorial board nearly declared the No. 1 pound-for-pound position vacant after Pacquiao’s “sub-par performance” in his recent fight with Marquez.
“In the end, though, we decided to leave the pound-for-pound rankings as is for one simple reason: All but one member of the Ratings Advisory Panel who provided input and the entire Ring Editorial Board believed it was the right thing to do,” he said.
The No. 2 position is held by Floyd Mayweather Jr. followed by Sergio Martinez and Nonito Donaire. Marquez is at No. 5.
Rosenthal said that they will consider putting Mayweather ahead of Pacquiao if he turns in an outstanding performance in his next fight or if Pacquiao “stumbles again.”
He said that they also considered moving Marquez up the rankings, but they could not because Mayweather, Martinez and Donaire “don’t deserve to be demoted.”
Meanwhile, Rosenthal said that The Ring hopes that Pacquiao and Mayweather will agree once and for all to a face-off.
There are reports that the camps of Mayweather and Pacquiao are working for a May 2012 fight. Top Rank’s Bob Arum, meanwhile, said they are also trying to talk on a fourth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez on the same date.
In naming Pacquiao as the Ring’s pound-for-pound king, the prestigious magazine said the Filipino icon didn’t take on a chump, pointing out that Marquez is the No. 5.
“And Pacquiao beat him, at least officially. A great fighter shouldn’t necessarily be demoted because another great fighter has his number. We didn’t think less of Muhammad Ali because he had trouble with Ken Norton three times. The same with Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler,” said The Ring.
Source: Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN News
LOS ANGELES, California - Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles from Las Vegas at 6 a.m, Tuesday morning after delaying his trip back from Las Vegas in order to take time to recover from his most intense fight in years.
Pacquiao defeated rival Juan Manuel Marquez via majority decision last Saturday in Las Vegas, but it was far from his most dominant performance as the Filipino champion struggled all night against the Mexican counter-puncher.
Thankful for his victory, Pacquiao hosted a bible study in his LA condominium, with about 50 members of his entourage joining him in prayer.
Pacquiao also commented on the video of his fight which has since gone viral, wherein Marquez is shown stepping on Pacquiao's foot at least five times during the fight.
Fans believe Marquez may have done it intentionally in order to slow Pacquiao down, but the Filipino champion says he did not feel the foot stomps and is not taking it personally.
"Hindi naman ako mareklamong tao, okay lang," he said. "Kasama yan sa laro, part of the game. Kaya pinabayaan ko lang."
Pacquiao is also not complaining about the comments made by boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz, who said that the boxer is too distracted with his numerous activities outside the ring.
He did not comment on Nathanielsz's statements.
Pacquiao spent his last night in Los Angeles with a victory party in Hollywood, where he also launched one of his newest endorsements: a magnetic power wrist band.
He will leave Los Angeles Wednesday night, and Pacquiao is expected to be greeted with a victory parade upon his arrival in the Philippines.
Source: Abc Cordero, Philippine Star
Manila, Philippines - Juan Manuel Marquez needs a perfect fall guy for his tuneup fight in July because if he loses then his trilogy with Manny Pacquiao goes down the drain.
Marquez had signed the contract to face Pacquiao on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas and at a catchweight of 144 pounds, and the Mexican said he wants a tuneup fight soon.
He’s looking at David Diaz, who lost his WBC lightweight title in Pacquiao in 2008, as his opponent either on July 2 or July 16, but it was reported yesterday it might not happen.
Marquez and Diaz, according to www.boxingscene.com, couldn’t agree on money matters.
But there could be another story to that since Marquez must think twice before facing Diaz, who said recently that he’s no tuneup fighter if that’s how Marquez looks at him.
“I’m not a tuneup fighter. I don’t plan to be. And that night, if it does happen, it will be a very interesting night,” Diaz told The Examiner when word got out Marquez wants him.
Diaz still has some power and a lot of pride in him he might try to spoil everything for Marquez.
Promoter Bob Arum said Marquez should win his tuneup match.
“If he loses, then we might look for another opponent,” Arum said.
Marquez had already signed the contract to fight Pacquiao, one that guarantees the Mexican counterpuncher the biggest paycheck in his life.
They’ve fought twice in the past, 24 bloody rounds in 2004 and 2008, and on both fights a lot of people think there was really no clear winner.
If the third fight happens, then it will be very good for boxing.
“It will be war in the ring,” said Pacquiao’s adviser, Wakee Salud, yesterday from Cebu City.
“Marquez is not scared of Pacquiao. And he will not run away. He also doesn’t know how to clinch. Bakbakan ito,” he said.
Salud also said Marquez should handily beat Diaz if their fight pushes through, but said he can’t blame the Mexican if he’s having second thoughts on this one.
“Maybe he’s making sure. Because if he loses in that tuneup fight, he loses everything. Better yet, he skips that tuneup fight and train harder instead,” said Salud.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – World champion Manny Pacquiao is expected to announce his next opponent during his 32nd birthday celebration in General Santos (GenSan) City on Friday.
Pacquiao, an 8-division champion who currently reigns as World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight and World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight king, has three potential opponents to choose from.
They are former welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, lightweight champion WBO and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, and WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto.
Pacquiao has already met his promoter, Bob Arum, who brought along the proposals of the potential opponents.
Although the most logical opponent for the Filipino, according to most boxing analysts, is Marquez, Arum has indicated that Mosley has the strongest chance to fight Pacquiao.
Arum earlier said Marquez is asking for too much money, while Mosley is the most marketable among the three boxers.
“Marquez's proposal was so out of line for anything that he got before… I don't think Manny is going to pay any attention to it,” Arum said in an interview with FanHouse.com.
Berto has the least chance in the Pacquiao sweepstakes because he is largely unknown to common fight fans.
Pacquiao will celebrate his 32nd birthday in GenSan in a lavish party that will be attended by at least 1,500 guests.
Among the expected guests, aside from Arum, are his coach, Freddie Roach, Puerto Rico’s Juan Manuel Lopez, and friends in politics and showbiz.
Fans and friends alike expect the Filipino boxer and Sarangani congressman to name his next opponent, whom he will face on May 7.
Pacquiao busy as a bee
The Filipino champion had a hectic schedule on the eve of his birthday.
According to ABS-CBN correspondent, Dyan Castillejo, Pacquiao attended several commitments in both GenSan and Sarangani province.
After being a guest of honor during the Distinguished Visitors’ Program of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Police Office 12 in GenSan, Pacquiao went straight to Malungon, Sarangani to open a coffee farm, which serves as a livelihood program for his constituents.
He then went to the Sarangani Capitol to sign an agreement between the provincial and municipal governments for their fight against human trafficking.
After the signing, he headed to a basketball game where he handed 18,000 volumes of books from SM Group of Companies to the local public libraries.
Source: Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Boxing promoter Bob Arum will submit to Manny Pacquiao proposals from three possible opponents of the new World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight champion when he meets his ward at his birthday bash next week.
However, this early, the Top Rank promotions chief said Pacquiao is likely to ignore Marquez’s proposal.
“Marquez's proposal was so out of line for anything that he got before… I don't think Manny is going to pay any attention to it,” Arum said in an interview with FanHouse.com.
The Mexican champion has repeatedly been asking for a third fight against Pacquiao, who knocked him down 4 times in their 2 previous meetings.
For a third installment of a Pacquiao-Marquez fight, Arum said Marquez is demanding a purse twice as big as he received when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September 2009.
Marquez reportedly received a guaranteed $2 million fight purse in a bout where he was defeated in a lopsided fashion.
“He lost that fight, but at least, that's the starting point: ask for every dollar you made on the Mayweather fight and now we can start talking, but don't ask for double what you made in the Mayweather fight and expect anybody to pay attention,” said Arum.
The other proposals he is expected to submit to Pacquiao are from “Sugar’ Shane Mosley and Andre Berto.
Mayweather fight
Arum also branded as silly Oscar dela Hoya’s reported claim that he has been preventing Pacquiao from fighting unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“That's totally nonsense because you can argue over the first situation, the first go-around, they had one position, we had another. But on the second go-around, we gave in to every one of their positions,” said the veteran boxing promoter.
During the first round of negotiations, the camps of Pacquiao and Maywather failed to reach an agreement when the American demanded Olympic-style drug testing.
Pacquiao eventually gave in to this demand in the second round of talks, but Mayweather’s camp denied that negotiations had been on-going in the first place.
“We were so anxious to make the fight and Mayweather didn't want to fight, and even today, we will do the fight unconditionally, unconditionally! And all Mayweather has to do is say he wants the fight,” said Arum.
“So, to say that we don't want to make the fight or we are preventing the fight to happen is a little silly. All he has to do is have Mayweather get up and make a statement 'I'm ready to fight',” he added.
Source: ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Boxing coach Freddie Roach said anyone who would like to fight Manny Pacquiao, including Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, will have to do it at the welterweight division (147 pounds).
In a report by Boxing Scene.com, Roach said he won’t let Pacquiao fight any lower than 147 pounds because that is the Filipino boxer’s natural weight.
“It's 147 (pounds). We found that, when Manny can eat, he's comfortable and doesn't have to worry about making weight. Manny weighed in at [144.6] for his fight with [Antonio] Margarito, and I know that," he said.
Some of the boxers calling out for a bout with Pacquiao belong to the lower weight classes.
Devon Alexander and Timothy Bradley both campaign at the junior welterweight division (140 lbs.). Marquez, meanwhile, is the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight (135 lbs.) champion.
"We would have to fight at 147, or else, those fights won't happen. I'm not going to let Manny fight below welterweight,” said Roach.
Other boxers being considered to fight Pacquiao include former world champion Shane Mosley and World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Andre Berto.
However, Roach sees the most attractive Pacquiao fight in Marquez.
"Because they have history between them. You know, they've fought twice, and they were close fights. They were very good fights for boxing and very competitive. Manny beat him and fought him to a draw, and Marquez knows Manny and knows what gives Manny trouble," he said.
Pacquiao first fought Marquez in May 2004. The match ended in a draw despite the Filipino scoring 3 knockdowns over the Mexican.
A rematch took place in March 2008 when the Filipino champion again decked the gutsy Mexican for a split decision.
Both fights ended in controversial fashion.
“Marquez is a very durable guy and he's got an audience and a fan base behind him. So he's marketable," said Roach.
Marquez is scheduled to defend his titles against Australian brawler Michael Kastidis on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Another alternative opponent for Pacquiao, and probably the first choice of most boxing fans, is unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather, however, still has legal problems to settle after being accused of beating up his former girlfriend Josie Harris.
Source: Ace Freeman, Fight Fan
-- Juan Manuel Marquez scored a bruising ninth round TKO of slugger Michael Katsidis in a thrilling affair moments ago at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada as seen live on HBO. Marquez looked sharp early but was dropped with a colossal left hook early in Round 3. As has become his trademark the Mexican stalwart collected himself and came roaring back late in the round. Katsidis poured on the pressure but the sharper Marquez became more and more accurate with each passing round. It was a tremendous pace in the middle rounds with the edge continuing to go to the Mexican warrior. Marquez turned up the heat in Round 8 and really began to pour it on. In the ninth he landed nearly ever punch he threw before the bout was stopped at the 2:14 mark with Katsidis on unsteady legs and covered in blood. With the win Marquez improved to 52-5-1 (38 KOs) and retained his WBA and WBO lightweight world titles. In his post fight interview, Marquez called for a third bout with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
Source: Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing
-- Golden Boy Promotions owned by Oscar De La Hoya with former Swiss banker Richard Schaefer as CEO has been accused of exploiting Juan Manuel Marquez by arranging for Marquez to fight WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan.
It won’t be the first time that Marquez is being used as a fodder. He was made to fight former pound-for-pound No.1, undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr at the welterweight limit of 147 in a fight where Mayweather came in two pounds over the limit and paid a hefty fine of $600,000 rather than shed off the excess weight.
The result was that Marquez took a bad beating. Now Schaefer wants Marquez to fight the 22 year old British world champion at 140 pounds at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino on May 15.
Pat Sheehan of the British newspaper The Sun reports that Marquez’ veteran trainer and one of the most respected men in boxing – Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain has pleaded with Marquez to put his health before money. Beristain fears the 36 year old Marquez is being used as no more than a “name” on Khan’s record and has accused Golden Boy of exploiting his fighter.
Sheehan quoted Beristain as saying “I told Juan Manual that Khan is not a fighter to be taken lightly. Khan is very strong and it's not a good fight right now because Marquez has not fully recovered from the Mayweather fight which was just brutal.”
Sheehan quoted Beristain as saying “I think its better to get another opponent. He (Marquez) should not be exploited again. He deserves to retire like a true champion and not as someone’s stepping stone.” The Sun reporter said Schaefer blasted “This fight is not going o fall apart because somebody feels not properly treated.”
Schaefer said Khan had accepted the fight but fights like this are not easily made. It gives Marquez the opportunity to become the first Mexican to win titles in four different weights and for Amir Khan the chance to have a big fight in the United States.
