By Keith Idec
Juan Manuel Marquez would’ve preferred facing Manny Pacquiao at a lower weight.
He is not at all concerned with the other number people keep pointing out as their third fight nears.
“I don’t believe age has anything to do with it,” Marquez, who turned 38 on Aug. 23, said on a conference call Wednesday. “I prepared myself very well. I’m going to be as good as I was a few years back. As long as I have a good training camp [like] I had, I’ll be fine.”
Mexico’s Marquez is almost 5½ years older than Pacquiao, who’ll turn 33 on Dec. 17.
Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KOs) was 30 the first time he opposed Pacquiao in May 2004. The former three-division champion survived three first-round knockdowns during that featherweight championship match in Las Vegas and earned a 12-round draw.
Marquez was 34, still in his physical prime, for their rematch as well. Pacquiao dropped him once in that junior lightweight title fight 3½ years ago in Las Vegas, but Marquez again got up to make their 12-rounder extremely close, though he lost a split decision.
Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs) just hopes Marquez, who has fought less than one round in the last 11 months, remains capable of competing at the elite level as they try to settle their debate once and for all Nov. 12 in Las Vegas. They’ll square off at a catch weight of 144 pounds, three below the welterweight limit, even though they’ll fight for Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight crown.
“For me, I hope I’m fighting with the same Marquez as the last fight [three] years ago, not worse,” Pacquiao said recently. “I hope it’s the same Marquez I fought [three] years ago because if I win the fight, maybe somebody will say, ‘Oh, [it’s] because Marquez is old, you know, and slow.’ ”
Keith Idec covers boxing for the Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com.