The pay-per-view edition of the welterweight clash between Filipino Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, will feature an unbeaten puncher from the Dominican Republic, a fleet-footed Mexican champion, a Cuban superstar who wants to regain his big cigar, and two Filipinos looking to hit it the jackpot in the city of a thousand high rollers.

Prospect Javier Fortuna of the Dominican Republic will open the pay-per-view card by taking on Patrick Hyland of Ireland in a 12-round bout for the interim World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title (126 pounds).

Fortuna, 20-0 with 15 knockouts, is a flashy boxer (complete with his own version of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s shoulder roll) who owns a pair of granite fists. Fortuna was a feared street fighter in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic before he was influenced by his brother to lace on the boxing gloves. After a brief amateur career, Fortuna turned pro at age 17 in March 2009 with a first-round demolition of Ricardo Johnson. Fortuna’s early fights came in his native Dominican Republic and he did not surface in the United States until December 2010, when he demolished Victor Valenzuela in one round. Fortuna has won five of his last seven fights by knockout.

Hyland, 27-0, with 12 knockouts, will attempt to become the first Irishman to capture a world title (albeit interim only) since Bernard Dunne collared the WBA super bantamweight crown in March 2009. Overall, Ireland has produced six world champions. The last Irishman to be crowned featherweight champ was Barry McGuigan, who decisioned Panama’s Eusebio Pedroza in June 1985 for the WBA diadem. Hyland is promoted by MTV “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and is trained by former International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight champion Tracy Harris Patterson (the adopted son of former heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson). Hyland is ranked No.6 by the WBA and is the underdog opposite Fortuna.

Former world featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa of Cuba will make his long awaited return to the ring when he takes on Filipino Michael Farenas for the interim WBA super featherweight championship (130 pounds).

Gamboa, 21-0 with 16 knockouts, won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics and was cleaning up the featherweight division as a pro when he went inactive because of contractual issues with Top Rank Promotions. Dubbed the “Cyclone of Guantanamo” because of his relentless, two-fisted offensive assaults, Gamboa last saw action in October 2011, winning an eight-round technical decision over Mexican Daniel Ponce de Leon. Farenas (34-3-4, 26 knockouts), a protégé of former two-division champion Gerry Peñalosa, is looking to capitalize on Gamboa’s ring rust. The 28-year-old native of Gubat, Sorsogon fought for the WBA super featherweight title in July but figured in a technical draw opposite Japanese Takashi Uchiyama. Farenas is reporting for battle as a last-minute substitute, the original choice of Gamboa being Mexican Miguel Beltran Jr.

Gamboa vs. Farenas figures to be action-packed and dirty. Farenas has a penchant for throwing low blows while Gamboa has been accused several times of throwing illegal punches on the back of the head. Gamboa is the favorite, but Farenas believes he has the power to register an upset win.

In the supporting main event, Mexican Miguel Angel “Titere” (Puppet) Vazquez (32-3, 13 knockouts) will make his fifth defense of the IBF lightweight title (135 pounds) against unbeaten Filipino Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta.

While more known for his fast feet, Vazquez’s hit-and-run approach has thus far mesmerized his last four challengers. Vazquez’s complements his fleet-footed style with a solid chin that has withstood the bombs of Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (the reigning World Boxing Council super welterweight champ) and Colombian Breidis Prescott (the puncher who knocked out Amir Khan in one round in 2008).

Gesta, 26-0-1, 14 knockouts, will have to shift his offense to fifth gear if he is to nail the slippery IBF champion. Ranked No.5 by the IBF, the 25-year-old Gesta has won three of his last five bouts by knockout but remains untested against marquee opposition. Then again, while not a few believe Vazquez will just waltz his way to a decision win, Gesta definitely has the punching power to alter the odds.

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