SAYING “Arriba, Mexico,” WBA and IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez vowed to beat “People’s Champion” Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and prevent his belts from being taken away from Mexico.
“We’ve trained for two and a half months. We are very conscientious and we’ve put everything into it and we’re sure that the titles stay here with us,” said Marquez in his native Mexican, with publicist Ricardo Jimenez of Top Rank, Inc. translating in an exclusive three-way phone patch.
Marquez, now a 3-2 underdog, is still in Mexico, who like Pacquiao, is in the midst of final preparations for the May 8 encounter at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight will be televised live on HBO.
Pacquiao tapered off from sparring and was once again ?untouchable? in six rounds under the watchful eye of Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach. Last Monday, he did eight rounds while on Friday, the Filipino is expected to go for only four rounds.
