LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will face each other for the fourth time Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, conjuring memories of Sugar Ray Robinson’s battles with Jake LaMotta and Jersey Joe Walcott’s four fights with Ezzard Charles.
Pacquiao would like to believe his duels with Marquez will define his legacy like Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier or Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward.
“When you say Manny Pacquiao you think of Marquez,” Pacquiao said.
That’s true in a sense. Pacquiao of the Philippines and Marquez of Mexico have waged three terrific battles ending in controversial decisions. It’s why a fourth fight is viable as an HBO pay-per-view attraction. Their first bout in 2004 ended in a draw and Pacquiao earned decisions in the last two, including a majority decision last year in a close slugfest many thought Marquez won.
“The last fight, I thought I won clearly,” Marquez said. “Everyone thought I won the fight. The only people that didn’t think I won the fight were the judges.”
Pacquiao’s motivation is to silence the doubters.
“I am giving him a chance to prove he can win the fight because he thought he has won all three and he keeps talking about it,” said Pacquiao, who lost a decision to Timothy Bradley last June. “So it is very important to me to win this fight, especially since Marquez really wanted this fight.”
It figures to be a good money-maker for Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) and Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs). But it will do little to enhance their legacies. Truth is, at this moment Pacquiao’s career likely will be remembered not for the four fights with Marquez but the zero fights he has had with Floyd Mayweather.
The long-awaited match-up is no closer to being made than it was three years ago when they seemed destined to make boxing history. The unbeaten Mayweather is plotting two fights for next year, neither against Pacquiao, who if he wins tomorrow night could be matched against former lightweight champ Brandon Rios.
As boxing rolls on, the latest Fight of the Century goes unfulfilled and becomes less appealing with the passage of time. Pacquiao already has lost to Bradley and could be beaten by a determined Marquez, while Mayweather hasn’t fought since being released last August after spending two months in jail on a domestic abuse charge.
While Mayweather contemplates his next move his former friend and business partner, Curtis Jackson “a.k.a 50 Cent,” has entered the boxing promotional business. He has signed Cuban super featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16 KOs), who will face Michael Farenas (34-3-4-1, 26 KOs) on the undercard tomorrow night.
Jackson is the only one throwing punches at Mayweather these days over the end of their short-lived business relationship. The two had formed TMT (The Money Team) Promotions, but parted ways over financial issues. Jackson has since formed SMS Promotions and is working with Mayweather’s arch-rival Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc. on this weekend’s card. “He’s a really nice guy,” Arum said. “Or at least he seems to be.”
Whether Jackson can facilitate a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight remains to be seen, though it would appear Mayweather may want little to do with Jackson, Arum or Pacquiao.
That leaves Pacquiao looking for other opponents, which is why he is fighting Marquez a fourth time.
“When he gets in the ring it’s going to be extra motivation for not only me, but for him also,” Marquez said. “I definitely think it’s the fight that everybody wants to see. I think the fans are going to be delighted to see the fight.”
Perhaps. But it’s not the fight for which Pacquiao will ultimately be remembered.