Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez ? two no-nonsense fighters and which both have a point to prove ? finally climb to the ring today for the completion of their ?unfinished business? that?s four years in the making.
No more haggling, psychological wars and probably more ado. The point of no return has come for both fighters to validate or disprove whatever have been said of both of them in the past.
In a sport where usually it is your pair of fist that does the talking, everything will come to boil down today between the two fighters each armed with individual intentions and motivations.
More than the World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight title, both Pacquiao and Marquez have everything going on their side as motivations.
For the 29-year-old Pacquiao, this is a chance for him to engrave his name as one of the greatest fighters in history, as he will become the first Filipino fighter to win the title in three weight categories.
The glittering, posh Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas ? site of countless classic fights in the past ? will stand as mute witness for Pacquiao?s bid to become like Thomas Hearns, Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Pernell Whitaker, Oscar de la Hoya, Roy Jones, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Leo Gamez. All are ring legends.
He will also be awarded with the super featherweight title that will make him the first four-division champion from the Philippines, on top of juicy purse reportedly amounting to around $5 million.
There was no problem with the Filipino fighter?s weight. During the weigh-in, Pacquiao (45-3-2, 35 KO) tipped the scales at a sizzling 129 pounds, a pound lighter than Marquez (48-3-1, 35 KO), making him more dangerous than their epic meeting in 2004 at the MGM Grand Garden when the crafty Mexican boxed terribly in the succeeding rounds to forge a controversial draw despite kissing the canvass thrice in the first round.
?It?s a totally different fight now,? Pacquiao told Kevin Lole of Yahoo! Sports. ?I?m a much better fighter now than I was before.
And while Pacquiao will be fighting for immortality, Marquez will be seriously struggling for survival, and these are enough ingredients in a rematch between the two grizzled warriors with contradicting fighting styles.
Actually, the road for a rematch with Pacquiao had been a long, lonely journey for Marquez, stretching from as far as Indonesia, stopping at two minor Oriental fights, conquering a Mexican tsunami before barging back to their original battlefield in the glitzy city of Las Vegas.
The 34-year-old Marquez, the last man standing in the once-proud Team Mexico, turned down a blockbuster $750,000 purse to face Pacquiao in a rematch and opted for a meager $50,000 only to suffer a heart-crushing defeat from the hands of Chris John of Indonesia in the 126-pound bracket two years ago.
Everything seemed a downhill for Marquez since then as he accepted minor bouts like Filipino Jimrex Jaca and Thai Terdsak Jandaeng before making a grand comeback by stunning compatriot Marco Antonio Barrera via a unanimous decision past year, paving the way for his dream rematch with the Pacquiao.
?I wanted to show that sometimes, money is not the issue. I wanted to show that my pride is first, and I don?t accept anybody stepping on my pride or insulting me with those kinds of offer,? Marquez said. ?I don?t regret anything.?
Though the odds are heavily stacked on his side for being a 2-to-1 favorite over his foe, Pacquiao is expected to showcase his athletic ability, earning the reputation of being the quick-fisted aggressor contrary to Marquez?s gracefully coordinated counter punches. He, however, has added more wrinkles to his game, both offensively and defensively, while Marquez?s aggression has left him more vulnerable to counters.
