By Rich Mancuso
There was no hesitation. Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez wanted to do a fourth fight, a rarity in boxing. But after three fights that Marquez believed he won, including the last two, it was time to have decisive winner after a trilogy of controversial endings.
And as Pacquiao and Marquez said Wednesday in New York City, a fourth fight was made to have a decisive winner. So did Freddie Roach, the Hall of Fame trainer of Pacquiao, who needs the win as well after two of his champions were dethroned of their titles, Amir Khan and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
“We are looking for the knockout,” said Roach at the Edison Ballroom, the second stop of a three-city tour announcing the fourth fight that will be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday December 8.
Followers of Pacquiao, his contingent from the Philippines believe he won the first encounter that was declared a draw. And the other two fights went to Pacquiao by a split and majority, 36-rounds of boxing with titles on the line. This time though, Pacquiao is without a title and the same holds true for Marquez.
But, they have made boxing history with 12-combined championships and plenty of history. This has been a fight in discussion since their last encounter in November of last year. Had it not been for the potential fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. a fourth fight could have happened sooner.
Pacquiao, the busy Congressman in his homeland opted to fight Timothy Bradley and his WBO welterweight title loss is one for the ages as a vast majority, still believe he dominated the fight.
“It is the fight for the fans,” says Pacquiao. He wants closure, and that supposed rematch clause with Bradley may never happen because his promoter Bob Arum is more concerned with Pacquiao getting more money than another title.
Pacquiao ended a 15-bout winning streak with the Bradley loss that included eight that did not go the distance. “I picked Juan Manuel Marquez because it would be an exciting fight. If I chose Bradley it would be another one sided fight. I don’t think the fans wanted to see me fight Bradley again.”
No, it was Arum who would rather see Pacquiao and Marquez again rather than Bradley. It is more money in the bank for Pacquiao and Arum, besides Bradley is also promoted by Top Rank. And, surely Arum does not need any rehashing of the events that transpired after the first fight that has been noted as perhaps the worst decision rendered in boxing history.
But, it this a mega-fight that fans want, at a time when boxing is striving for good fights with other opponents that were available for Pacquiao? Arum claims there will be huge pay-per-view numbers, more than another Pacquiao fight with Miguel Cotto or another round or two with Bradley.
And through all of this, Bradley, the WBO champion at 147, has remained silent. Sources were saying Wednesday that Bradley was not looking at another Pacquiao fight and Roach said that a Mayweather fight with Pacquiao is very possible in April or May.
Arum has stopped answering questions about Mayweather. That fight right now apparently has lost some steam, though it will arise again if indeed Pacquiao is victorious in December.
The emphasis is on Marquez who was negotiating to have the fight in Mexico City believing that he cannot get a fair decision in Las Vegas, or another venue in the United States.
“Manny agreed to that but the weather is not ideal for a fight there in December,” said Arum about Mexico City. Truth is, Arum is comfortable and secure holding a mega card in Las Vegas, home of Top Rank. The tax structure for Pacquiao is ideal and November or December dates for Pacquiao work around his Congressional schedule in the Philippines.
And Marquez, either way, is getting the fight he wanted. He too wants closure.
“I need to change something in the ring,” he said. “I need to change something in my training, in my camp.” He has been asked since that last fight what has to be done to get a win over Pacquiao.
Says Marquez, “I say, I don’t need to prove nothing, because I won the last three fights and now I need to win this fight.”
He does need the win to secure his legacy that he indeed can defeat Manny Pacquiao. The knockout for Marquez or Pacquiao is the deciding factor and in the weeks and month ahead this will be the storyline.
E-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Contact Rich: Facebook.com/Keepit in the Ring
