Is it possible to over do a good thing? No one knows how the December non-title welterweight bout in Las Vegas between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will turn out, because the last time these two faced each other, it was lackluster, but controversial.Plus, Pacquiao is coming off a so-called loss to Timothy Bradley Jr. when two of the three judges gave the fight to the California native. The Pac-Man is slowing down after a run that includes 54 victories, four losses and two draws with 38 knockouts, so this fourth go-around with Marquez might be less than brilliant. Then again the Mexican strong boy has been the only boxer to have given Pacquiao real trouble in the ring. In their three previous meetings, the Pac-Man came away with two wins and a draw, but it would also be safe to say he?s nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career.Marquez, who has 54 wins with six losses and a draw with 39 knockouts, is a superb counter-puncher, which causes Pacquiao, usually aggressive, to be cautious. For everyone?s sake, let?s hope this is the finale, and that it takes the shape of the first two, which were classics. BY:Pietro Baio
It is easy to see over Pacquiao?s last few fights that he has lost a step and his motivation to get up for fight. I think this fight will prove the same. Marquez on the other hand has shown the ability and desire to train properly and put on the needed size to battle Pacquiao at 147. The demeanor on both men at the NYC press conference was also a telling sign that both men are tired of fighting each other but had no real monetary options at the current point in time ( except for Pacquiao who can still have one big pay day vs Floyd). I can easily see Marquez finally getting what he has been looking for over the last three fights ( Victory). Mayweather, Pacquiao and Arum my regret not signing the Mega fight two fights ago. BY: Daniel Cann
Manny Pacquiao needs a big win. Juan Manuel Marquez desperately wants to set the record straight. Both boxing legends (and they have earned that platitude) meet for a fourth time in Las Vegas on 8 December. The two fighters last fought each other in November last year where Pacquiao, 33, edged another controversial points decision. In fact, every time these two have met it has gone all the way, providing thrilling entertainment but controversial and bitterly disputed wins. In their previous meetings, the pair fought to a draw in 2004 and Pacquiao edged a split decision in 2008. They clearly bring the best out of each other much like Ali and Frazier, Robinson and LaMotta, and Zale and Graziano. If you wanted two styles blended to make the perfect fight, then look no further than the Filipino sensation and the Mexican ring general. Because of the nature of their previous meetings Pacquiao has vowed to finish this fourth meeting early, commenting: ?I want to make this fight short, I want to knock him out?Everybody knows I won the fights, I don?t know what happened with the judges. I have to take it out of the judges? hands this time.? This line of thinking makes it clear that this won?t be a tactical fight this time. Emotions are running too high, and Pacquiao in particular is coming off a highly disputed points defeat to American Timothy Bradley in June. This fight with Marquez goes into the column: must not lose. Should Pacquiao do so, all the huge paydays against the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr, Saul Alvarez and Sergio Martinez will all go out the window. A fighter with his back against the wall is a dangerous one. This fight is as much about redemption for Pacquiao as it is setting the record straight. His critics have pointed to lacklustre displays of late, and he knows better than anyone else, that an impressive inside the distance win here will make his stock rise again. Juan Manuel Marquez clearly feels he has been jobbed out of previous wins against Pacquiao and said: ?There?s so many people still asking if I won the fights. I think to myself: ?Something is wrong. I have to do it again?. He added ?I want to erase the doubt of the last three fights.? The 39-year-old Marquez is just as frustrated at the way the previous contests went and echoed the exact same sentiment as his rival when he too said: ?I have to take it out of the judges? hands this time.? The fact that Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach will be in Hollywood for their entire training camp is testament to just how seriously they are taking this one. It?s a defining contest for both of them and anyone who labels this as a tired re-run between old shop-worn warhorses is very, very wrong. Pacquiao and Marquez are more than a match for the other fighters around their weight class, which is why they continue to fight each other. You get the feeling that this one is the most significant of the series, as the winner can look to not only big future fights, but also securing their boxing legacy. I?m really excited about it and believe it could even be fight of the year. PHOTO: Chris Farina Top Rank
