LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 6, 2011) – With one single point the difference in keeping their two previous world title rumbles from being Draws, Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO of the Philippines and Three-Division World Champion JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ of México will go mano a mano once again in a battle between two of this era’s top pound for pound and evenly matched fighters. Pacquiao-Marquez III, the eagerly anticipated third act of their world championship trilogy that has had fans and media standing on their feet for 24 action-packed rounds, will take place Saturday, November 12. It will be produced and distributed Live by HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nev.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Marquez Boxing, Tecate and MGM Grand, remaining tickets to Pacquiao-Marquez III are priced at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. Ticket sales at $1,200, $900, $600 and $400 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $200 are limited to two (2) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
“Our previous fights against each other brought out the best in us,” said Pacquiao. “Of all the opponents I have fought, Juan Manuel Marquez is the only one who was able to anticipate many of my moves and effectively counter most of them not unlike a chess match; but instead of exchanging pieces we exchange punches. Freddie Roach and I will need to make the most of every training day to prepare for Juan Manuel. When I walk into the ring on November 12, it will be more than a world title defense for me. It will be another opportunity to bring honor and glory to my country and to my fellow Filipinos in the Philippines and around the world.”
“I have been waiting for this fight for a long time and I am very excited that is finally going to happen,” countered Marquez. “I beat him the first two fights but did not get the decision; this time I will beat him again and I will also get the victory”
“The first two fights were as close as any two fights could be. The first fight was a Draw, the second was a close split-decision. This fight on November 12 will conclusively demonstrate who the better fighter is and settle a point of contention which has been going on for years,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.
“We are delighted to be the television partner for Pacquiao-Marquez III, a true mega-fight that boxing fans can look forward to with great anticipation,” said Michael Lombardo, President, HBO Programming. “We have a comprehensive plan that we believe will help maximize interest and enthusiasm in the fight. Our plans include a new installment of the Emmy-Award®-winning ‘24/7’ reality series that has been so successful in presenting the backstories of prizefighters and the sacrifices they make to get to the top.”
“There is no question this third battle between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will be one of the biggest fights of 2011,” said Richard Sturm, president of MGM Resorts Entertainment & Sports. “It is truly a privilege for MGM Grand and the MGM Resorts family to host this international event as we continue our tradition as the leader in the Entertainment & Sports industry.”
“Having already fought two unforgettable battles to a virtual standstill, Pacquiao-Marquez III is destined to place this great rivalry between the iconic Pacquiao and the warrior Marquez among the memorable trilogies of all-time, said Mark Taffet, Senior Vice President of HBO Pay-Per-View.”
Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, returns to the Fight Capital of the World to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight championship crown, his seventh of a record eight world titles in as many weight divisions. He has successfully defended his welterweight title twice, via dominant unanimous decisions over former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion Joshua Clottey and former three-division world champion Sugar Shane Mosley. Pacquiao captured the WBO welterweight title November 14, 2009, with a brilliant 12th round TKO victory over four-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Between welterweight title defenses Pacquiao captured the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight title with a brutal pasting of three-time welterweight champion Antonio Margarito. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Marquez, Cotto and Mosley. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009 and his decisive victories over Clottey and Margarito in 2010 and Mosley in 2011 combined for more than 5 million pay-per-view buys making Pacquiao the reigning pay-per-view king. No boxer sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao in 2010, making him the pound-for-pound king in the ring and at the box office.
Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs), of México City, is one of only a rare few from México to have won world titles in three different weight divisions. He captured his first world title – the vacant IBF featherweight championship – with a seventh-round stoppage of three-time featherweight champion Manuel Medina in 2003. He unified the title that same year with a decisive victory over World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight titlist Derrick Gainer. Marquez successfully defended the titles three times during his three-year reign, which included unanimous decision victories over Victor Polo and Orlando Salido and a Draw with Pacquiao. After losing the crown to Chris John and winning the WBO interim featherweight crown, all in 2006, Marquez moved up in weight to dethrone the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera and claim his World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight championship belt in 2007. After successfully defending the title, winning a unanimous decision over Ricky Juarez, he lost the title in his 2008 rematch with Pacquiao by the slimmest of margins – a one point split decision. Since that fight, Marquez has won five of his last six fights, including knockout victories of Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis, the latter two in World Boxing Association (WBA) / WBO lightweight championship fights
The Pacquiao-Marquez III world championship telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry
For Pacquiao-Marquez III fight week updates, log on to www.toprank.com and www.hbo.com