DESPITE REPORTS saying that Manny Pacquiao continues to take it nice and easy, members of mannypacquiao.ph, an unofficial website dedicated to the Filipino ring icon, are convinced that Pacquiao is going to knock Juan Manuel Marquez out when they duke it out on Feb. 26 in Las Vegas.
An astonishing 84.5 percent from 2,702 votes cast believed Pacquiao will win by knockout, while a measly 5.7 think the Mexican will be able to get the job done. Those who picked Pacquiao to win on points acocunt for 4 percent, while those who favor Marquez via the full route account for 4.9 percent.
A scant 0.9 percent believe the fight will end in a draw although the last time the two slugged each other on May 8 last year at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the judges scored it a 12-round split draw.
But the most eye-catching figure was the 20.6 percent who think Pacquiao will knock Marquez out in the third round, whyile 14.2 see that Pacquiao will stop the crafty Mexican in the fifth stanza. The third highest vote-getter was the fourth frame which received 12.0 percent.
Those who believe Pacquiao will win via first round knockout account for 11.1 percent. It was during the first round of their first fight when the southpaw Pacquiao dropped the rightie Marquez three times. Marquez survived the onslaught and managed to regroup and salvage a draw.
Pacquiao is scheduled to arrive in Manila from Davao tonight to begin his preparation for his Jan. 8 departure for Los Angeles.
Joining Pacquiao in the trip to Los Angeles is longtime cornerman Buboy Fernandez, while opting to stay behind is Lito Mondejar, who is expected to follow sometime in February.
