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Aug 6, 2010
MANILA – World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao may yet face Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez for their third fight in November. Marquez challenged Pacquiao to fight him immediately after he defeated American Juan Diaz by unanimous decision in Las Vegas. “The trilogy with Pacquiao is what I want,” said Marquez, 51-5-1, (37 KOs). “Everybody wants to see it. It’s good for all fight fans, for the Mexicans, the Filipinos. Everyone wants to see it. That’s the most important fight for me now.” “I will be ready for another fight in December, hopefully Pacquiao,” Marquez stressed. While Pacquiao looks to fight Mexican Antonio Margarito in November, Marquez said his hunger to face the Filipino legend is greater than his desire to rule as World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization lightweight king. “That’s true.
That fight is more important for me,” Marquez said. Pacquiao and Marquez had their first fight in 2004 which ended in a draw. In their rematch in 2008, Pacquiao won by split decision. Except for saying that Marquez is too old at 37, Pacquiao has not responded to the challenge of Marquez for a third fight, but already boxing experts are claiming that a Pacquiao-Marquez fight would be more attractive than the bout of Pacquiao with Antonio Margarito on November 13. Also, several boxing scribes expressed their desire to see a Marquez-Pacquiao clash.
BOXING CHAMPION. World Boxing Association superflyweight interim champion Nonito
Donaire Jr. shows his championship belt to President Benigno S. Aquino III during his
courtesy call Monday (August 2) at Malacanang’s Premier Guesthouse.
Igor Guryashkin of the Boxing Dispatch blog said that Marquez deserves to face the “Fighter of the Decade” and seven-division champion again. “Juan Manuel Marquez deserves a third fight with Manny Pacquiao. Period. And so do the fans,” Guryashkin said. “Let’s be honest, the repeat peerless performances of one of the best operators in the lighter divisions surely warrants a third chance at Manny Pacquiao,” he added. Guryashkin also said that while detractors say there is no point for a trilogy, he believes that the Marquez- Pacquiao fight will be entertaining and more enticing to
the general public, according to an ABS-CBN report.
In case Pacquiao pushes through with the fight against Margarito, the Filipino boxing icon will be gunning for a historic 8th world title, the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) junior middleweight belt. Another expert, Brad Cooney of Examiner.com supported Guryashkin. “Some say that Marquez should have been given the victory over Pacquiao, and with his impressive defeat over Juan Diaz, he has demonstrated that he is still the man in that division,” Cooney said. “Pacquiao vs Margarito would not be as exciting a fight as a three-peat with Marquez would be. Marquez has the perfect style and the smarts in the ring to give Pacquiao a great challenge,” Cooney added. According to the network, Cooney also brought up what critics said about Margarito—that he does not deserve to face the world’s only seven-division champion. The California State Athletic Commission suspended Margarito last year after he was caught with a plaster-like substance in his hand wraps before his bout against Shane Mosley in January 2009. “Margarito got caught cheating, and should not be rewarded with this opportunity. Marquez fought Manny like a great warrior, it should be he who gets to fight Manny again,” a Pacquiao fan said. A Filipino sports columnist, Joaquin Henson, said Marquez’s challenge to Pacquiao for a third fight is “ill-advised.” “Someone should advise WBO and WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez to get real because his calling out Rep.
Manny Pacquiao for a third face-off is suicidal,” Henson said. “For Marquez to claim that Pacquiao is avoiding him at this stage of their careers is pure nonsense,” Henson said. “Marquez turns 37 on Aug. 23 and retirement beckons. Since losing to Pacquiao in 2008, he has posted a 3-1 record, the last two bouts going the distance. Pacquiao, in contrast, has won five in a row, four by knockout, since the Marquez rematch and is in his prime.” Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, on the other hand, said that Marquez is still a force to be reckoned with, but ruled a fight with Pacquiao in the near future.He said that Marquez is set to fight in December against WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan for a fourth championship belt.