Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Pacquiao to summon former self's hunger and determination against WBC champion
ASIDE from four more years of tough fights, Manny Pacquiao is summoning another ace up his sleeve when he takes on the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez this Sunday.
“I told myself to feel how it was when Manny Pacquiao was just a struggling and poor fighter who was hungry for a win and determined in every fight,” Pacquiao said in an interview with Philboxing.com.
Pacquiao was just a relative unknown before he barged into the boxing world’s consciousness with an 11-round demolition of another Mexican legend, Marco Antonio Barrera. Some seven months later, Pacquiao faced Marquez.
And after that controversial draw, where Marquez somehow survived three knockdowns in the first round to take the later rounds, Pacquiao had a trilogy with Erik Morales and also scored another unanimous decision win against Barrera.
Knowing Marquez is a tough foe, Pacquiao said he is leaving nothing to chance in the rematch with the dangerous Mexican.
“I don’t go out anymore, except to go to the gym, then I drive straight back to my apartment. I don’t want to repeat what happened before when I got a fever on the day of the fight (against Morales),” Pacquiao said.
Despite the fever, Pacquiao went on to demolish Morales in three rounds in their third fight.
Pacquiao also acknowledged that Marquez, who got his title with a unanimous decision win over Barrera last year, is a tough foe.
Good fighter
“I admit Marquez is not an easy opponent, he’s a good fighter, he’s strong and he’s tough. In our first fight, I had a blister in my foot and a hand injury and he was able to recover from three knockdowns in the first round. I am not making excuses, and that’s all in the past. But this time, I am very focused and prepared. My confidence level is at 100 percent,” said Pacquiao, who also pens a column for Philboxing.com.
Aside from future big-money fights in the higher divisions, with the names of Ricky Hatton, Floyd Mayweather and even Oscar dela Hoya being mentioned as possible future foes, Pacquiao also wants to satisfy himself.
“Looking back, I was not really satisfied with my last two performances, even though I won both. I realize now that you can’t afford to take it easy,” he said.
Pacquiao’s last two fights were against Jorge Solis (8th round), whom he fought in the middle of his failed bid for a congressional seat, and against Barrera. (ML)
