HOLLYWOOD?Even Juan Manuel Marquez admits knocking out Manny Pacquiao is a tall order.
Even though he promises certain victory in their rematch on March 15 (March 16 in Manila), the Mexican World Boxing Council super featherweight champion grudgingly admits that the Filipino ring superstar is too strong to bring down.
?Knocking him out is going to be hard,? said Marquez in Spanish. ?But if it goes the distance, I have the condition to do it.?
Despite Marquez?s brave talk, the betting odds?in Pacquiao?s favor?continued to rise as the fight nears.
As of Monday, bookmakers tagged Pacquiao at minus-230 and Marquez plus-190. That means a $230 bet on Pacquiao would net just $100 while a $100 wager on Marquez would return $190.
Best fighter
As this developed, Bob Arum, president and CEO of fight co-promoter Top Rank, promised fans they would see Pacquiao at his best against Marquez on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
?He (Pacquiao) has worked unbelievably hard and he?s in unbelievable shape,? said Arum. ?Given those elements, this would be the best Manny Pacquiao on Saturday and I believe that the best Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world. Nobody can beat the best fighter in the world.?
Arum said Marquez ?is a capable fighter, a good fighter … but there?ll be just one winner and that?s Manny Pacquiao.?
Marquez started his preparation for the title showdown on Dec. 15, doing daily high-altitude jogging in Toluca before returning to the capital Mexico City in the afternoon to train at the Romanza Gym.
Marquez said he had logged 120 rounds of sparring under the guidance of legendary Mexican trainer Ignacio Beristain, who has produced a total of 17 world champions.
?I am coming to fight and I am coming to box and this time it will be different and I want to do a smart fight,? Marquez told the media.
Asked about their first battle, where he was downed by Pacquiao three times in the first round, Marquez explained that he came into the fight too loose and relaxed.
?I am going to be different this time, I will be more cautious,? said Marquez, adding he has prepared for another onslaught by the Filipino.
?Manny Pacquiao knows just one thing and that?s just to fight and come after you. I am prepared for that.?
The 34-year-old Marquez also insisted that he won that first encounter, saying he dominated the rest of the rounds.
Tickets almost sold out
Arum bared that tickets for Pacquiao-Marquez II have been almost sold out, with only about a hundred $600 and $400 tickets still available. The $500, $300, $200 and $100 tickets to the mega-bout, billed as ?Unfinished Business? at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, have been gobbled up by fans.
Arum said he is certain that tickets would all have been sold out by Wednesday.
