Boxing
‘Pacquiao at his best since De La Hoya fight’ — Penalosa
LOS ANGELES — A retired former world champion and a current titleholder expressed confidence on Sunday that Manny Pacquiao will zoom past Juan Manuel Marquez in their world welterweight bout this weekend in Las Vegas.
Gerry Penalosa, ex-world super-flyweight and world bantam king, said Marquez will be lucky to be standing in five rounds, while Brian Viloria, said the Mexican maestro will be “no match” for the Filipino pound-for-pound king.
Penalosa said this is the first time he has seen Pacquiao so juiced up since the Dec. 2008 faceoff with Oscar De La Hoya.
“Pinakamagandang sparring ni Manny ito since the De La Hoya fight,” said Penalosa, who retired from the sport last year.
Penalosa said he believes Marquez will not go four rounds and that even if his buddy can’t wait to get his hands on the Mexican counter-puncher, he thinks he won’t get careless to a point that he will slam into one of Marquez’s famed counters.
“Experienced na yan (si Manny). Yung gigil sa mga baguhan lang yan,” said Penalosa.
Viloria, who will defend the WBC fly throne against Mexican Giovanni Segura on Dec. 10 in Manila, said “Pacquiao is just too polished (now) for him (Marquez).”
