HOLLYWOOD, CALIF (September 28, 2007) — The Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif. was packed to the rafters with media yesterday for superstar MANNY PACQUIAO’S two-hour media workout. The world’s most exciting fighter, Pacquiao (44-3-2, 35 KOs), from General Santos City, The Philippines, is in his last days of training before he breaks camp and heads to Las Vegas for his 12-round super featherweight rumble against fellow three-division world champion Marco Antonio Barrera (63-5, 42 KOs), from Mexico City, Mexico..
Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, Pacquiao-Barrera headlines the four-bout pay-per-view extravaganza, “Will to Win!” which will be produced and distributed live Saturday, October 6, from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“We have prepared for the best in Barrera and we have devised a new weapon to add to Manny’s already extensive arsenal — The Marco Bolo,” stated world-famous Freddie Roach, the reigning “Trainer of the Year.” “Barrera is a true warrior and a shoo-in Hall of Famer who has always, and I mean ALWAYS risen to the challenge. We are not about to make the same mistake Naseem Hamed and Erik Morales made when they lost to Barrera. Manny knows he cannot just rely on his raw power and raw speed to beat this guy. Manny has the best left hook in the business, but for Barrera, he’s going to need more and that’s where The Marco Bolo will come in. It won’t just set Barrera up for the left hook, it will hurt him and hurt him badly!
“Manny and I have been together for five years and each training camp is better than the last,” continued Roach. “Manny is an exception to the rule because even though he has won three world titles and has been fighting as a professional for 12 years, he still wants to learn and is still learning. He is still evolving into one of the best fighters of his era and possibly history. He is a more complete fighter, and a smoother boxer who uses both hands effectively. What separates Manny from anyone I have worked with is his work ethic. He just works on everything, new or old, until he has perfected it. Has he reached his full potential yet? No. On a scale of one-to-ten, I rate him an eight. Trust me, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Over the next two years, when Manny finally hits his peak, fights fans of his era will be telling their grandchildren what a thrill it was to witness the great Manny Pacquiao in action.”
And what from Barrera poses the biggest threat to Pacquiao?
“Barrera is a very, very smart fighter. We are very aware of that,” said Roach. “He has a lot of power and Manny knows he is going to have to eat some leather in order to inflict his own damage on him. My biggest concern will be the headbutts from Barrera. I know he’ll try to foul Manny and I consider him a dirty fighter. But Manny will be prepared for that too.”
Dubbed “Republica Enemy No. 1,” Pacquiao, the reigning “Fighter of the Year,” has blitzed through the best fighters Mexico has had to offer since 2003, including Erik Morales (KO 3, TKO 10), Barrera (TKO 11), Oscar Larios (W 12), Emanuel Lucero (TKO 3), Hector Velazquez (TKO 6) and Jorge Solis (KO 8). The only “blemish” was a disputed draw against Juan Manuel Marquez in 2004, where Pacquiao sent Marquez to the canvas three times in the first round.
Remaining tickets are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100. They can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s stores and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.