Hostile crowd jeers Pacquiao as Marquez vows to win fight

LOS ANGELES — Juan Manuel Marquez said on Monday that he is not putting to waste three months of training that amounted to 120 rounds of sparring this weekend against Manny Pacquiao.
"I know what happened in the first round of the first fight and I am going to be different this time because I will be more cautious," said Marquez during a press conference held at La Placita Olvera, an old section of the city where the first Mexican settlement was established in 1781, and a California State Historic Landmark as well.
Since it was an area where Mexican stalls and restaurants are located, Marquez enjoyed the homecourt edge as they jeered Pacquiao when he spoke on the dais and cheered Marquez when it was his time to speak. The reception was so hostile that even Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum was not spared by the diehard Marquez fans when he talked about how exciting the fight will be and why the Filipino will emerge triumphant at the Mandalay Bay.
Some fans even insinuated that Pacquiao take his seat as he tried his best to put together words in English during his short speech and not even one sentence that Pacquiao memorized in Spanish was not enough to please them.
So it was an all-Marquez show as expected and the 34-year-old native of Mexico City who will be making the second defense of the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-featherweight crown took the opportunity to pump up the crowd by engaging Pacquiao two times in a staredown that thrilled the boisterous crowd. Each time, Pacquiao was the first to take turn away although he later said it was all for show.
But Marquez believes getting the job done won’t be as easy as reciting the alphabet.
"To knock him out is going to be hard because he is very strong but if it goes the distance (of 12 rounds), I have the endurance to pull off a win," said Marquez through translator and adviser Jaime Quintana. "I am coming to fight and I am coming to box and this time it will be different and I want to do a smart fight. Manny Pacquiao knows just one thing and that’s just to fight and come after you and I am prepared for that."
Marquez kicked off his training for this second meeting on Dec. 15 while Pacquiao was caught in the rapture of the Yuletide season and the celebration of his 29th birthday on Dec. 19.
Still, Top Rank big boss Bob Arum said that the eight weeks Pacquiao worked under Freddie Roach will be the difference.
"He’s worked unbelievably hard and he’s in unbelievable shape and given those elements, this would be the best Manny Pacquiao on Saturday and I believe that the best Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world. And nobody can beat the best fighter in the world," said Arum while waiting for the principals to arrive at the plaza.
"I think Marquez is a capable fighter, a good fighter who’ll give a good fight but there’ll be just one winner and that’s Manny Pacquiao. You’ll see a Manny Pacquiao on Saturday you’ve never seen before," added Arum, who already has a fight lined up for Pacquiao sometime in June at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas should he topple Marquez.

by: Nick Giongco