Boxing
Beating Pacquiao not impossible, says Marquez
Manny Pacquiao is not invincible.
While admitting that stopping the Filipino pound-for-pound king is going to be difficult, Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez said it is doable as he has proven twice in the past that he has what it takes to beat him.
“It will be difficult [to stop him] but it is not impossible,” Marquez told the website BoxingScene.com when asked about his thoughts about his Nov. 12 rubber match set for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Marquez is fresh from flattening hapless Colombian Likar Ramos in less than a round in Cancun last July and is drooling over the third fight with Pacquiao.
In May 2004, Pacquiao and Marquez battled to a split draw and in the rematch in March 2008, the (split) decision went to Pacquiao.
Marquez said the judges stole those two fights from him and in November, he will not let the judges decide by knocking Pacquiao out.
Pacquiao is an 8-1 favorite over Marquez, who will be going up in weight.
According to a local boxing analyst who was already present when Pacquiao was starting at the L&M Gym in Sampaloc, the weight difference will spell Marquez’s doom.
“Oras na tumama si Manny ng maganda, hindi na tatayo si Marquez,” said Moy Lainez, who used to hang around the dilapidated gym on Paquita Street in Quiapo that Pacquiao has purchased and torn down in place of a multi-storye building.
Lainez said Pacquiao dropped by his Quezon City residence during his birthday early this month and told him that “Marquez doesn’t scare me.”
Lainez said Marquez was very competitive against Pacquiao because they foguht at featherweight (126 lbs) and super-feather (130 lbs).
This time, it’l be different as they have both agree to collide at a catchweight of 144 lbs.
Whilke Pacquiao has breezed past his opponents in the higher weights the past three years, Marquez was pathetic when he fought Floyd Mayweather two years ago.
“Manny by knockout,” said Lainez, who used to operate the L&M Gym with the late Rod Nazario and Lito Mondejar.
