MANILA, Philippines ? As they bade each other goodbye following the conclusion of the whirlwind three-city press tour in Mexico City, Manny Pacquiao assured Freddie Roach that he will show up for training at the Wild Card eight weeks before his fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.
Pacquiao and Marquez are set to slug it out on Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the Filipino reiterated his decision to spend the entire buildup under the watchful eyes of his long-time trainer.
Lawyer Franklin Gacal, who also joined Pacquiao in Los Angeles and New York legs of the tour, said the fighter will depart for the US possibly on Oct. 6 or 7 to kick off his preparation.
The last few years, Pacquiao has set up camp in Baguio City by bringing in Roach and importing his sparring partners but owing to the threat that Marquez poses, the 33-year-old icon is reverting his old ways.
?Manny?s going to file his candidacy for congressman (second term) in Sarangani by Oct. 5 and he will leave for training camp shortly after that,? said Gacal, who expressed his surprise and awe when he got the chance to size up Marquez.
Marquez, according to Gacal, ?already looked in great shape.?
?Marquez appeared as if he is ready to fight,? said Gacal, noting that the Mexican was ripped when the two fighters were told to strip for the HBO cameras.
?Marquez ?s body is already toned. He looked very imposing.?
Unbeknownst to Team Pacquiao, the 39-year-old Marquez had been frequenting the Romanza Gym in Mexico City the weeks before the two went on tour to drumbeat their fourth showdown.
During the tour, Pacquiao and Marquez expressed confidence there won?t be a need to stage a fifth fight because the outcome of their December date will be very convincing.
Pacquiao said he is looking forward to get the job done as quick as possible to silence his critics, while Marquez countered that he will out to prove that he was the recipient of bum decisions in their first three duels.
Pacquiao floored Marquez thrice in the first round the first time they met in 2004 but the fight was ruled a split draw. The next two matches (2008 and 2011) went Pacquiao?s way via controversial decisions.
?We are definitely going for a knockout,? said Roach, adding that while doing just that will be tough, there?s no other way to win in impressive manner against Marquez other than stopping him dead in his tracks.
Despite the close calls, oddsmakers remain convinced that Pacquiao is the favored one, installing him as a 4-1 betting choice.
