MANNY “Pacman” Pacquiao is set to fight World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez in an epic rematch on March 15, 2008. Everything else is ready except for the formalities.
Philboxing.com revealed there will be a press conference this Dec. 20 to announce the rematch between Pacquiao (45-3-2, 35 KO’s) and Marquez (48-3-1, 35 KO’s) and will be attended by Top Rank’s Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar dela Hoya and Richard Schaefer and as well as the two fighters, Pacquiao and Marquez.
According to philboxing.com, Bob Arum will be here in the Philippines and will attend Pacquiao’s birthday on Dec. 17. Both will return to the United States to meet up with Golden Boy Promotions.
Rex “Wakee” Salud assured they have already come up with a deal and Pacquiao and Marquez is set to fight next year.
“It’s almost a done deal,” Salud informed philboxing.com. “Manny is happy with the purse he is getting for this fight so the fight will push through.”
Terms
Marquez is all set and has agreed with the terms of Pacquiao and is ready to accept a smaller purse than the one he demanded. That is how much he really desires for this rematch to happen.
“We’ve accepted their terms. Now it’s up to Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao to decide if they will fight me or keep running,” Marquez told boxingtalk.com
Pacquiao’s first encounter with Marquez was a controversial fight in 2004 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao knocked down Marquez three times in the first round, but Marquez changed his strategy and fought Pacquiao to 12 rounds and salvaged a draw.
It was a race between David Diaz and Marquez on who Pacquiao will fight next but Pacquiao’s camp came up with a deal from Marquez’s and Pacquiao’s camp has chosen Marquez. But Diaz may still be in the picture as we await Pacquiao’s word on his coming match. (EKA)
