The Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez 4 showdown kicked off its press tour today at the posh Beverly Hills Hotel to announce the Dec. 8th extravaganza at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Both Pacquiao and Marquez kept their speeches short, but exuded seriousness in their intent to finally close out their storied rivalry. Pacquiao, who is usually all smiles and giggles in his past few press conferences, for the first time in a while, displayed a look suggesting he is on a mission with something to prove.
“This time, Marquez needs to train hard and give a good fight. I will also train hard to give a good fight, to make people happy, and to put this fight in the history of boxing. I hope all the fans will watch on Dec. 8th,” Pacquiao said on the dais, and finished by stating, “I want to show the old Manny Pacquiao when I was 25, and 24-years-old, the hungry Manny Pacquiao to fight in the ring. Please watch.”
Video: Manny Pacquiao says he will show his hunger again at the Pacquiao-Marquez 4 Press Con in Beverly Hills
When I first penned my thoughts on how I noticed the diminished fire in Pacquiao’s eyes inside the ring and the way he went about his craft, a lot of the intellectually short stacked and emotionally all in Filipino Pacquiao fans bashed it as a gesture of “crab mentality”; that after years of covering Pacquiao’s career and the many positive stories in support of the Filipino boxing icon’s incredible journey, me questioning his desire was a a move aimed to bring the man down. “Sticks and stones”, and these after all are common occupational hazards, but if all Pacquiao heard were flattery from these same sycophants, then it is understandable how a man can grow blunt and full and without resolution.
Good thing Pacquiao hears the criticisms as well.
Pacquiao was forthright in addressing criticisms about his lack of hunger. And with determined eyes he vowed to try and lay all the doubts to rest, and turn back the hands of time against an old and familiar rival.
