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By Eddie G. Alinea Contributor
ON the day the country celebrates
its 487th founding anniversary, People’s Champion Manny Pacquiao
faces the man that remains standing towards his bid to becoming the
first Filipino and Asian, for that matter, to win a world
championship in three separate divisions.
On March 15, 2008 (March 16 in
Manila), the day Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan discovered the
Philippines, the 29-year-old Filipino boxing icon and World Boxing
Council super featherweight champion Juan Manuel “Dinamita”
Marquez square off at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las
Vegas, Nevada with the latter’s crown at stake.
Pacquiao, who once held the world
flyweight and super bantamweight titles, will etch his name in the
world boxing annals as the only fighter from the region to hold
three division titles if he beats Marquez.
As in the words of Pacquiao,
“Pacman” to the boxing world, it will be the fight many people
have been waiting for.
“Ito na ang hinihintay ng
maraming tao at matapos na ang unfinished business naming dalawa
[This is what people are waiting for and to finally settle our
unfinished business] ,” declared the native of General Santos City
during Wednesday’s press conference held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
in Pasig City.
Paqcuiao was referring to their
initial encounter three years ago where he floored the Mexican
thrice in the opening round only to see Marquez successfully keeping
his crown via a rather controversial unanimous draw.
“Parang pelikula ito. Matagal
na kaming naghahabulan. Ngayon, magpapang-abot na rin kami. Very
excited ako na makaharap siya [It’s like a movie. We have long
been chasing each other. Now, we are going to meet. I’m very
excited to face him],” added Pacquiao, who faced the media along
with his American promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach. Also
present was former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.
The Pacquiao-Marquez rematch will
be the Filipino’s ticket to greatness after beating Eric Morales
and Marco Antonio Barrera, both Mexicans who are considered as two
of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound.
Pacquiuao’s unparalleled explosiveness
and Marquez’s exceptional counter-punching prowess is another
factor why the coming bout promises to be a classic one.
No less than the controversial
but respected Arum sees the second confrontation as a classic.
“Manny had beaten Morales and
Barrera twice each and Marquez is the last man standing towards his
quest for glory. I expect a classic match up,” Arum said.
“Marquez carries the pride of his country [Mexico] and so is
Manny. It will be a terrific fight.”
Roach said Marquez’s
counter-punching style and Manny’s unrelenting kind of fighting
are the best formula for a very interesting fight.
Both Arum and Roach have
convinced Pacquiao to train early at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles
rather than in the country where he underwent preparation for
Barrera, whom he failed to deck and settling only for a unanimous
decision win in October.
Pacquaio said he’ll start
preparing for the crucial bout on January 15.
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