Pacquiao vows to end all doubts in 4th fight with Marquez

MANILA -- Eight-division world champion and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao vowed Monday not to waste time in his preparation for his fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez on December 9 (Philippine time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“Walang dapat maaksayang oras sa preparasyon para sa susunod na laban (We will waste no time in our preparation for the next fight)…This is the reason why we are foregoing our traditional first leg of preparation in Baguio and, instead, spend the entire eight-week at the Wild Card Gym (in Los Angeles),” he said.

“At least sa LA (Los Angeles), wala nang magiging distractions like going back and forth from Baguio to Manila para gampanan ang ibang trabaho ko bilang congressman at TV host,” Pacquiao added.

He also assured he will be in his best condition and that he is determined to win the fight against Marquez.

"Pakisabi sa mga fans, lalo na yung mga kababayan natin na they can assure na kondisyong-kondisyon ako pagdating ng laban at determinado pa akong manalo di tulad ng iniisip ng iba," said Pacquiao, who was with his wife Jinkee when interviewed in a hotel in Manila Monday night.

Pacquiao, the fighter of the decade of the Boxing Writers Association of America, confirmed earlier reports attributed to trainer Freddie Roach and himself that new strategies in training and in the actual fight will be implemented to ensure that they finally solve the riddle that is his archrival’s counter-punching style.

The only man in boxing history to crown himself kingpin in eight different weight divisions begged off from revealing though the revised strategies, saying he and Hall of Fame inductee Roach will still talk about it seriously when he arrives at the Los Angeles training camp first week of October.

“Sa sarili ko, me naiisip na akong changes, pero I still need to compare them with what Freddie is thinking. Papel niya 'yun bilang trainer at susunod lamang ako bilang boxer,” he said.

The fighting congressman from Sarangani province also confirmed his earlier pronouncements to win impressively this time, by a knockout at that, so doubts on who between him and the Mexican legend is the better fighter would completely be erased.

“Para mabura na ang duda, kailangan matapos nang nakahiga ang isa sa amin. Pero tingin ko, ako ang tatapos nang nakatayo,” he said.

Pacquiao is set to file his certificate of candidacy for his reelection on October 5 and most likely will be leaving, along with his team, the next day or two for the US training.

The December 9 Chapter IV of the Pacquiao-Marquez historic rivalry will be one of the few quadrilogies in the history of boxing in the mold of, among others, great fights between Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta and the Sandy Saddler-Willie Pep classic duels. (PNA)