Manny, the ‘Mexican killer’

February 9, 2008  --  Got something to say?
Print This Post Print This Post

pacquiaomarquez.jpgBEVERLY HILLS, California - Its turning out to be fight between the Philippines and Mexico!
This national rivalry emerged Jan. 15 during the press conference here formally announcing the rematch between Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Super Featherweight title holder Juan Manuel Marquez.

Marquez appeared not to be amused when Pacquiao earned the nickname the Mexican killer after he knocked out Erik Morales twice and beating Marco Antonio Barrera. Marquez told the media he wont be the third.

Pacquiao and Marquez posed together for photographs to officially announce their rematch for March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas nearly four years after their first fight ended in a 12-round draw.

Since then, Marquez won the WBC super featherweight crown, which will be on the line in March.
Asked if he would go on a vacation to Mexico if he beat Marquez, Pacquiao smiled and said, Maybe, but with more bodyguards.

In their first encounter in 2004, Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round but the latter survived the bout and went on to win several fights.

Freddie Roach was pleased with the exchange, particularly when both fighters said they were fighting for their country. Pacquiao is in Los Angeles to train for the Marquez fight at Hollywoods Wild Card Gym owned by Roach, his trainer.

Pacquiao said he was fighting for the Filipino people who worship him as a superstar.
Marquez said he feels the same nationalistic pressure from his countrymen, who have dubbed him The Last Mexican Standing.

There is so much pride, Marquez said. There is so much feeling in me.
I want so badly to beat Manny.”
This rivalry between a Mexican and Filipino is good for boxing, Roach said. This is going to be a huge fight.
Since their last fight, Marquez has fought seven times with one loss a 12-round decision to Indonesias Chris John. He won the super featherweight title from Barrera a year ago.
Pacquiao has had eight bouts since facing Marquez and also has one loss a 12-round decision to Morales.

Pacquiao knocked Morales out in two subsequent rematches.
If Pacquiao beats Marquez, he would capture his third world championship in three weight classes, previously holding the flyweight and junior featherweight titles.

If he Marquez wins, he would capture something even bigger a legacy.
Maybe before I was put in the shadows, he said. But I will demonstrate that I fight with heart and soul.”
LOS ANGELES = Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao and Gerry Penalosa arrived here together early this month in preparation for their rematches against separate foes.

Pacquiao and Penalosa will train under the watchful eyes of American trainer Freddie Roach at the well-known Wild Card Gym. The 29-year-old pound-for-pound icon will face in a rematch, World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Their first fight in May 2004 was scored a draw after American judge Burt Clements made and then admitted the mistake of scoring the first round 10-7 instead of 10-6, in Pacquiaos favor, despite the fact the Filipino fighter floored Marquez three times.

Gerry Penalosa, the oldest Filipino world champion in history at 35-year-old, puts his World Boxing Organization bantamweight crown against former champion and current top ranked contender Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand on March 2 at Araneta Coliseum.

Penalosa stopped Vorapin in the sixth round to defend his WBC International super flyweight belt in 2000 at the Casino Filipino-Paranaque.

Vorapin held Penalosas second world title belt from August 2005 with victory over Mauricio Martinez and lost it two-months later to Mexicos Jhonny Gonzalez by way of a seventh-round TKO. Penalosa knocked Gonzalez out with a single left hook in the ribs to capture the crown last August in Sacramento, California.

WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman is pleased that Pacquiao has changed his lifestyle and is now a good family man, focused on his re-match with Marquez. He is now training with Roach in LA.

The WBC president said he was glad to know that Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles, one day ahead of his first face-to-face meeting withMarquez at a Beverly Hills Hotel press conference.

When informed that Pacquiao was in Las Vegas with his wife Jinkee and their three children for a vacation during New Year, with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who revealed that the Filipino champion didnt gamble even five cents on a slot machine, Sulaiman said: That is great and Iam glad to hear he is focused on this fight. Over here, the news was that Manny was just fooling around.”

Sulaiman said Marquez, who began his workout during the Christmas season, has been training like never before. He [Marquez] is completely away from society. This is going to be a great fight.”
Arriving in LA two months before the fight would allow him eight weeks of solid training,” said Arum, who was overjoyed over the response to the re-match titled Unfinished Business.”

He said tickets were selling like hotcakes, pointing out that out of the 12,000 seats available, only about 2,000 would be left after the press conference an. 16.

Arum said he was especially pleased that Pacquiaos family life had settled down. I was with him when he bought a birthday gift for Jinkee.
It was a lovely gift.”

The astute promoter said Pacquiao is well motivated because he has a great future ahead of him. A win over Marquez would mean a WBC title fight against lightweight champion David Diaz possibly in Macau and then a 140-pound showdown with Ricky The Hitman Hatton in November.


Posted by News Team | Filed Under Articles/Stories 

Comments

Got something to say?





Authentic Diecast Model Cars