By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Philippine super featherweight champion Jimrex Jaca says he knows how to beat ageing Juan Manuel Marquez when they clash for the Mexican’s WBO interim featherweight crown before what is certain to be a pro-Mexican crowd at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.
Jaca who is managed by Rex “Wakee” Salud, regarded as a close friend and confidant of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao indicated that at 33 years of age Marquez is old but admitted, the crafty Mexican is good. Marquez was decked three times in the opening round when he waged war with Pacquiao but earned a split decision with some superb counter-punching throughout the fight on May 8, 2004..
Salud himself was confident that his protégé, a hard-hitting southpaw could use that power against Marquez similar to what Pacquiao did when they clashed. Besides, Salud believes that Jaca is “definitely hungrier” and if he is at his best, could create an upset against the heavily favored Mexican.
Marquez who lost his WBA featherweight title to Indonesia’s Chris John in what the Mexican claimed was a hometown decision on Borneo Island last March 4 won the interim WBO title with a seventh round TKO over Thailand’s Terdsak Jandaeng last August 5. Marquez has a record of 45-3-1 with 34 knockouts while Jaca boasts of a record of 26-2-1 with 12 KO’s.
Jaca will soon leave for Los Angeles to train at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach where he will be handled by Roach’s assistant Eric Brown. It was Brown who handled Jaca when he demolished Geronimo Hernandez in one round in his US debut on the Pacquiao-Erik Morales undercard last January 21 in Las Vegas.
