LOS ANGELES – Like his namesake “Pac Man” wants to march through Mexico like a Filipino General Tecumseh Sherman.
One more thing, he doesn’t really care about the world titles. He knows the road to greatness for the smaller prizefighters goes through the Mexican gauntlet.
Manny Pacquiao (38-2-1, 29 KOs), the left-handed buzz bomber will meet IBF and WBA featherweight title-holder Juan Manuel Marquez (42-2, 33 KOs) in an expected explosion of Las Vegas proportions at the MGM Grand on May 8. The fight will be televised by HBO.
“I need to prove that I’m one of the best fighters in the world,” Pacquiao, 25, told the media in both his native language and English at a press conference held at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel yesterday. “Fighting the best fighters from Mexico will prove I belong in the Pound for Pound list.”
Pacquiao said he fought Marco Antonio Barrera because it was the fast track to greatness. Now he intends to fight a fighter who others avoided to prove that he ducks no one.
“I’d like to thank everyone for giving me an opportunity to fight Juan Manuel Marquez,” Pacquiao said. “He is a good fighter he’s the champ and I’m the champ, too.”
Both fighters posed side by side for photographers and it was evident that both are the same size. They smiled and shook each other’s hand but you could see both sizing each other up through the grins.
Marquez said he looked at tapes of the fight between Pacquiao and Barrera and said it seemed his Mexico City comrade was not at his best. But he credits the Filipino fighter for taking advantage. He expects the toughest fight of his career.
“It’s a hard fight; a tough fight. I have to prepare well,” said Marquez, 30, who is a veteran of numerous press conferences in Los Angeles because of his early career when he fought 12 times at the Inglewood Forum. “It’s a fight I have to win for me, for my wife, for my family and for all of Mexico.”
Fighting southpaws is not unusual for Marquez; he lost his first title fight against left-hander Freddie Norwood in 1999 but won his second title by defeating left-hander Derrick Gainer on Nov. 1, 2003 (both fights were for the WBA title).
“I gained a lot of experience when I fought Norwood,” said Marquez, who knocked Norwood down and was also knocked down himself. “I learned you can’t win a fight by just looking at him. You have to do something to win a world title.”
Marquez feels Pacquiao has the perfect style for him and admires his bravado in wanting to fight.
“But you never know what’s going to happen in a fight,” said Marquez adding that some fighters change tactics in a fight. “When I fought Derrick Gainer I never expected him to do nothing.”
Pacquiao, sitting 10 feet away, smiles that 1,000-kilowatt smile that has attracted movie offers and commercial deals in his native country. He’s delighted to be in a fight of this magnitude.
Like a child counting his allowance money and expected funds, the Filipino fighter foresees moving up to junior lightweight in search of bigger game and a larger spotlight.
“After I win this fight I’m going after Erik Morales at junior lightweight,” said Pacquiao with his boyish grin. “I want all of the great Mexican fighters.”
Marquez, who has studied several of Pacquiao’s fights with his trainer Nacho Beristain, said he is aware of his opponent’s obvious abilities and his little-known abilities too.
“I saw how he threw elbows and head butts when he fought Agapito Sanchez,” Marquez said. “We have to prepare for that too.”
In spite of the claims of nationalistic pride and promises of victory for each fighter’s country, Pacquiao seeks to show Mexican fight fans knockouts.
“I want to get the support of the Mexican people who support boxing,” said Pacquiao. “And for the Mexican people that support me now, they won’t be disappointed by my next fight.”
Pacquiao intends to burn through every tough Mexican who stands in his way.
“I like that he (Marquez) is tough,” said Pacquiao smiling impishly..
