On July 16th Juan Manuel Marquez cleared the way for a third fight with rival Manny Pacquiao by stretching out Columbia?s Likar Ramos inside of one round at that Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico. Set to take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 12th, Marquez?s challenge for Pacquiao?s WBO welterweight title is one of the year?s biggest fights and it has been a long time coming.
The two men first met in May of 2004, with Pacquiao dropping Marquez three times in the first round before Marquez recovered to fight the rest of the fight on even terms, ultimately settling for a split draw. Nearly four years later the action was just as intense as Pacquiao came away with a split-decision win at the Mandalay Bay as a 3rd round knockdown seemed to be the deciding factor amongst many who gave him the edge that night.
The career paths of the two men haven’t exactly been polar opposite, both have had success, but Pacquiao has taken his career to new heights by winning titles from 140 to 154 pounds while tearing through a high-profile list of opponents. Marquez may not be the most dangerous fight out there at the moment, but for Manny?s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, it appears to be one of the only fights with serious emotions attached to it.
?I think it?s great,? Ariza told me recently. ?This is the fight that Freddie and I have wanted for a long time now. Marquez is always complaining and whining about it but he priced himself out of it so many times that it never really happened. Finally they got it done and now it?s time to put up or shut up.?
Marquez has seemed to have a borderline obsession with Pacquiao ever since tasting defeat in their second fight, even going as far as to wear a T-shirt that read ?Marquez beat Pacquiao twice? after his win over Michael Katsidis last November. Marquez has also lashed out with plenty of derogatory remarks towards the Filipino icon and Ariza absolutely can sense a feeling of disdain in the air.
?Yes, absolutely,? Ariza affirmed. ?I think he dislikes him. Because he?s always whining about how he lost by one point, but a loss is a loss. Whether you lose by one point or ten points, a loss is a loss.?
Ariza was a part of Pacquiao?s team for the Marquez rematch but didn?t begin to play an intricate role until the fight?s aftermath. Ariza worked hands-on with Pacquiao in the following months as they prepared for Chicago?s David Diaz, then WBC lightweight champion of the world, and reflected back on the different techniques he implemented during those weeks in camp.
