Manny Pacquiao might soon end up wearing three belts. The Ring Magazine, the Bible of Boxing, has announced that it is staking its super-featherweight title during Pacquiao?s March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas.
The fight dubbed ?Unfinished Business? is a continuation of the Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry that began in May 8, 2004 and ended with a very controversial draw at the MGM Grand.
The other belts at stake in the awaited pay-per-view bout are Pacquiao?s WBC international crown and Marquez? WBC world title. All three belts to be staked are at 130 lbs.
Trainer Freddie Roach said they plan to start collecting belts this year. After they?re done with Marquez, Pacquiao will shoot for David Diaz? WBC lightweight (135 lbs) title in June or July.
Pacquiao is in Gen. Santos City where he began his training a few days ago. He will fly to Los Angeles on Jan. 14 in time for a fight presscon with Marquez on the 15th.
Marquez, on the other hand, is reportedly in his second or third week of training, and was said to have worked out in Mexico even on Christmas day.
?This is the one everybody wanted to see,? Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy said in a recent Internet report.
The fight is being co-promoted by Golden Boy for Marquez and Top Rank for Pacquiao. It?s the second project for the promotional giants following the Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera tiff last October.
Top Rank big boss Bob Arum is confident that once again, his ward will prevail.
?Manny is going to knock him out. Manny feels that he has really improved dramatically since that first fight with Marquez and that Marquez has gone backwards,? he said.
For Marquez, at 34 almost five years older than Pacquiao, this could well be his last big fight, unless of course if he prevails over the Filipino sensation.
?That is what motivates him. He knows with a victory over Pacquiao that his name will be considered right there with (Erik) Morales and Barrera,? Schaefer added.
