By Mark Vester

Juan Manuel Marquez (48-4-1, 35 KOs) is training hard every weekday in Mexico City at the Romanza Gym, preparing for his lightweight debut against Joel Casamayor  (36-3-1, 22 KOs) on September 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Marquez knows the fight will be tough, but he doesn't think Casamayor can be elusive enough to escape a knockout loss.

"I know that Casamayor is difficult fighter, fast and doesn't give up his face too often. But that doesn't matter to me. I know perfectly how to fight these kind of fighters," Marquez told ESTO. "He is not the first fighter that I've fought with those kind of characteristics. If he thinks that nobody can knock him out by being evasive, he is very wrong.

Marquez makes the jump in weight to follow the lead of rival Manny Pacquiao. Marquez hopes that by beating a fighter like Casamayor, he can force a third fight with Pacquiao, who moved up to lightweight a few months ago and captured the WBC title from David Diaz. He is not looking past Casamayor, and says that he can't afford to lose.

"I know that I'm going to have a difficult fight and by no means do I overlook Casamayor. He is a great fighter, and we all know he is fast. I don't have the luxery of losing. To beat him is to beat one the best out there right now," Marquez said.

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