FILIPINO boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao
and Mexican archrival Juan Manuel Marquez will formally
announce their much-awaited rematch in a press conference
slated on January 15 in Beverly Hills, California. |
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Manny
Pacquiao might soon end up wearing three belts. The
Ring Magazine, the Bible of Boxing, has announced that
it is staking its super-featherweight title during Pacquiao's
March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas.
The
fight dubbed "Unfinished Business" is a continuation
of the Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry that began in May 8,
2004 and ended with a very controversial draw at the
MGM Grand.
The
other belts at stake in the awaited pay-per-view bout
are Pacquiao's WBC international crown and Marquez'
WBC world title. All three belts to be staked are at
130 lbs.
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Trainer
Freddie Roach said they plan to start collecting belts this
year. After they're done with Marquez, Pacquiao will shoot
for David Diaz' WBC lightweight (135 lbs) title in June or
July.
Pacquiao
is in Gen. Santos City where he began his training a few days
ago. He will fly to Los Angeles on Jan. 14 in time for a fight
press conference with Marquez on the 15th.
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Marquez,
on the other hand, is reportedly in his second or third
week of training, and was said to have worked out in
Mexico even on Christmas Day.
"This
is the one everybody wanted to see," Richard Schaefer
of Golden Boy said in a recent Internet report.
The
fight is being co-promoted by Golden Boy for Marquez
and Top Rank for Pacquiao.
It's
the second project for the promotional giants following
the Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera tiff last October.
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PRESSCON
SET TUESDAY
There
will be no screaming taunts, but animosity as expected to
deepen when WBC super featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez
crosses paths with Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao,
dubbed as Mexico's Enemy No. 1, on Jan. 15 at the Rodeo Room
of the Beverly Hills Hotel in California.
The
press conference to announce their March 15 rematch at the
Mandalay Bay and Casino in Las Vegas will be the first meeting
in four years between the bitter rivals since they fought
to a split draw in May 2004 at the MGM Grand Hotel.
Battle
plans will be kept under wraps although trainer Freddie Roach
has openly admitted Marquez's sharp counter-punching style
has been a cause of early worry with Team Pacquiao.
Roach,
bragging that Pacquiao has improved tremendously while Marquez
has stagnated since the May 2004 draw, said the Filipino knockout
artist would go for an early stoppage.
Boasting
near identical records and professional achievements, their
first encounter featured furious exchanges that left both
warriors bloodied and swollen.
Marquez,
then the defending International Boxing Federation (IBF) and
World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion, was
forced to dig deep and make appropriate adjustments after
Pacquiao started out fast and sent the Mexico champ to the
canvas three times in the first round.
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