By Jhonny Gonzalez
WBA/WBO junior welterweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez is confident that his age will not be a factor when he faces Manny Pacquiao on November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Marquez will be 38-year-old by the time the two boxers meet in the ring for the third time. In 2004 they fought to a controversial draw and later, in 2008, Pacquiao won a controversial split decision. They fought at 126 and 130, but this time they face off at a catch-weight of 144-pounds.
"I think age is important, but in my case I can't lose any sleep about it. To give you a living example, you have Bernard Hopkins who beat an opponent 20 years younger than him [Jean Pascal]. But, there seems to be a strategy with the handlers of Manny Pacquiao, who waited nearly 4 years for this fight (the second in 2008) and the first was in 2004. It seems that they expect me to be diminished given the long period between fights. I even tried to get them down to 143 pounds, but they opposed that and our negotiations closed at 144," Marquez said.
