[PHOTO - Jeff Gross - Getty Images, Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images]
INTERNET, MAY 25, 2011 (SB*NATION) by Brent Brookhouse - You can take November 12 off the table for major MMA events. Manny Pacquiao will fight Juan Manuel Marquez for a third time on that date. The two battled to a controversial draw in their first bout and a Pacquiao split decision win in the rematch. While there are questions about how competitive a bout will be between the two with the size difference at this point in their careers.
What there isn't a question about is will the fight sell. Bad Left Hook with more:
Bad blood and past controversy will have to sell this fight, combined with the fact that Marquez has been Pacquiao's equal over 24 rounds. And I think that can sell this fight. When you put that together with the fact that Pacquiao has a huge fanbase, and Marquez has a great built-in fanbase, you could be looking at a terrific pay-per-view performance. For all of its faults as a fight, the media push for Pacquiao vs Mosley proved to work, resulting in a reported 1.3 million buys, Pacquiao's biggest PPV sale to date.
There is a huge fanbase for both fighters. The rivalry between Pacquiao and some of the great Mexican fighters of this era can sell. And the fact that Marquez will not just show up to not get knocked out and collect a paycheck like Joshua Clottey can only help.
Marquez truly believes that he won the first two fights and will not shrink away from the fight. Pacquiao will be the favorite, and rightfully so. But even if he wins all 12 rounds, he's going to have to fight to earn them.
Marquez must be at his best vs Manny By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) Updated May 25, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Juan Manuel Marquez insists he has the key to solving the Manny Pacquiao puzzle.
After two close fights – a highly disputable draw in 2004 and a razor-close split decision favoring Pacquiao in 2008 – Marquez is confident of victory this time, when he tangles with his Filipino rival for the third time on Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The Mexican, though, is wary of the challenge ahead, vowing to be at his best against Pacquiao – who has gone undefeated in 14 fights for almost six years.
"This is a hard fight, but I know how to defeat him (Pacquiao)," he said in a boxingscene.com report the other day.
"We need to get well-prepared mentally and we need to be in better physical condition than we've ever been in the past so we can beat Pacquiao," he said.
But their two previous fights came at 126 and 130 pounds.
This time, Pacquiao will stake his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown at a catchweight of 144 pounds, three below the limit.
Marquez fought Floyd Mayweather at the same weight in May of 2009, more than two years ago, and the result was a disaster for the Mexican counterpuncher.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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