By James Slater: The weights are in for tonight’s expected thriller between archrivals Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Both guys looked sensational as they stepped on to the scale in Las Vegas: Pacquiao tipping-in at a ripped 143-pounds, and Marquez coming in at a muscular 142 (the WBO welterweight title fight has a catch-weight of 144). If anything, younger man Pacquiao looked a little leaner than he has done in the recent past.
Sporting an impressive wedge of stomach muscles, 38-year-old Marquez sure looked better than when he last went up to 142-pounds, for his losing fight with that other Pound-for-Pound star Floyd Mayweather. Back then, the Mexican great looked somewhat fleshy and far less toned. This time, with the aid of his nutritionist, “Dinamita” has clearly made the weight the correct way – eating quails eggs and drinking his own urine be damned!
Of course, we have no idea how the added bulk will affect or not affect Marquez’ speed, and many are predicting a dominant win for 32-year-old Pac-Man in this, the final fight of a sizzling trilogy. We know how fast Pacquiao is at the low 140’s, even at 150 – and Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach have spoken of a fast start tonight. The early rounds promise to be most exciting.
But if Marquez, who was put down three times the first time he fought Pacquiao, can get through the early onslaught and make his added strength and muscle work for him in the mid and championship rounds, things could get even more exciting. Pacquiao is a huge betting favourite to win, and some experts are not all that pumped up for tonight’s probable final meeting between the two men who pushed each other to the limit back in 2004 and in 2008. But we must remember how much the same thinking was being applied back when heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier were approaching their third fight.
As with Marquez, many fans felt Frazier was no longer the force he was when he met his rival in their two previous meetings, and that he would be handled with relative ease in the rubber-match. But as we know, the third fight between Ali and Frazier proved to be the most savage, the most thrilling of the series. Joe simply had the stuff needed to give Ali hell each and every time they fought. Maybe Marquez will prove he has a similar ability against Pacquiao.
The great Angelo Dundee said a while back that Marquez would give Pacquiao a hell of a fight each and every time he met him. While Emanuel Steward said that if Marquez has added the weight the correct way he would have a real chance against Pac-Man. It sure looks as though Marquez has whipped himself into superb condition up at 142-pounds. Are we in store for a welterweight version of “The Thrilla in Manila,” to be staged in fabulous Las Vegas?
Pacquiao has to be the pick to win, and it could be explosive early on – before the southpaw dynamo come through with another points win.