HOLLYWOOD- Manny Pacquiao’s universal appeal as a consummate fighter and an expected explosive showdown with Mexican champ Juan Manuel Marquez will ensure a blockbuster rematch.
A leading American matchmaker said the second confrontation between the two rivals could be the biggest and richest yet for the Filipino fighter in terms of live attendance receipt and Pay-Per-View buys.
The 29-year-old Pacquiao is to challenge Marquez, the reigning World Boxing Council super featherweight champion, and has completed the second week of training at the Wildcard Boxing Club gym in Los Angeles over the weekend.
Bruce Trampler, the chief matchmaker of Bob Arum’s Top Rank and named one of the 25 most powerful men in boxing along with Pacquiao by Yahoo! Sports, said the rematch has attracted tremendous response from fight fans this early for the March 15 showdown at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
“It’s the hottest (PPV) pre-sell on a Manny fight and a big success already,” said Trampler , 58, who joined Arum in 1984 after going under the tutelage of the Dundee brothers, Chris and Angelo, the famous trainer of Muhammad Ali.
He has since orchestrated the careers of a number of boxing legends like Oscar dela Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, the second coming of George Foreman, who was the minister in his wedding, in a solid partnership with Arum that has run for 27 years.
Now they’re on top of Pacquiao’s career, charting it through some of the world’s megabuck fights, including the highly anticipated bout with Marquez, sealing the deal after the negotiation for the first rematch collapsed following purse dispute with the Mexican camp two years ago.
‘A perfect match-up between two great rivals”, said Trampler, adding the Filipino’s growing stature as the world’s best pound-for-pound has heightened interest among fans.
“Tickets are moving faster than ever. Manny is Manny and fans love him. He has crossed over, not only a great Filipino fighter, now everybody loves him. He appeals to every cross section (of fans) in the world,“ said Trampler.
There’s also the ‘unfinished business’ side of the rematch, the first encounter ending in a controversial draw which fueled further the imagination of diehard followers of the two fighters worldwide.
“I think the fact that Manny dropped Marquez three times in the first round but failed to finish him off and the Mexicans feeling their guy’s going to win this one, being strong and active, and didn’t have the distractions Manny has had with the elections and other things going on, have helped hype it up,” said Trampler.
The Filipino ring idol is to continue his light training next week before American trainer Freddie Roach steps up the buildup with sparring sessions on the first week of February against a cast of partners with counter-punching styles that would simulate that of Marquez’
Two more fighters have been added to the list of sparring partners by Roach who has maintained the pace of training and was satisfied with the condition and form Pacquiao has been dishing out in the gym, a development not lost on Trampler.
“The only guy who can beat Manny Pacquiao is Manny Pacquiao. If he doesn’t focus on this fight, if there are things going in on his life that would take him away from what he doest best, which is boxing, he’ll be in trouble. But he’s been here early and has been very focused on his work, preparing very hard in the gym and he’s going to win this fight,” he said.
A victory over Marquez, who has also intensified his training in Mexico, reportedly adding three more sparmates, will pave the way for the staging of the second of a three-fight plan being mulled for Pacquiao this year.
In fact, there were reports that Bob Arum, Top Rank’s main man, has been negotiating for a fight in Macau either June or July against David Diaz and another one late this year.
