By Ronnie Nathanielsz

THERE won’t be a trilogy between Manny Pacquiao and newly crowned Ring Magazine lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez no matter how many fight fans and boxing writers believe it’s the fight people want to see.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer spoke plainly when he said at the post-fight conference following Marquez’s 11th-round knockout win over Joel Casamayor that the fight won’t happen.

“There’s no way in the world that (Bob) Arum and Pacman (Pacquiao’s moniker) want anything to do with Marquez,” said Schaefer.

“Marquez will fight anyone—and I mean anyone,” added Schaefer in an obvious reference to World Boxing Council lightweight champion Pacquiao.

Schaefer then posed the question: “Has he (Marquez) turned down anyone? No.”

Pacquiao himself has made it clear that in his mind he beat Marquez to win the WBC super featherweight title last March 15 and believes he won the first fight in which he decked Marquez three times in the first round before the Mexican counter-punched his way to salvage a draw. Given this, Pacquiao believes there’s no need for a third fight.

Besides, no matter how attractive a Marquez trilogy would look to fight fans, the money in such a fight would never come near what Pacquiao will earn in his dream match with Oscar De La Hoya and a much-talked-about fight next year with Ricky Hatton.

De La Hoya, looking slim if not thin as Arum told us last week, said they were “leaving the doors wide open for any challengers” adding that the options are many, including a rematch with Casamayor, a possible clash with Juan Diaz or Nate Campbell. But to all intents and purposes, a third fight with Pacquiao appears, at the very least, to be remote.

Former Pacquiao business manager Rod Nazario has often cautioned the Filipino champ in the past not to fight Marquez because he would have a difficult time coping with his style, which proved effective in both their battles.

Marquez who flew to Manila last June and personally challenged Pacquiao during a fight card at the Araneta Coliseum to give him one more fight, himself realized the futility of his efforts.

“The third fight will probably not happen,” said Marquez, who however reiterated his claim. “I already proved I beat Manny Pacquiao. I did my job in the ring, now, Manny and Oscar have to do their part.”

Pacquiao and De La Hoya will face each other at 147 pounds with the Pacman moving up two weight divisions, while De La Hoya who was expected to struggle to make 147 pounds, already looks trim at 149 pounds.

In case he doesn’t, which looks unlikely at present, De La Hoya is committed to pay Pacquiao $3 million for every pound or fraction of a pound over the 147 limit.

Meantime, Pacquiao has arrived in Los Angeles along with lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal and will begin his preparation for the Dec. 6 showdown with early morning jogging at Griffin Park and later on working out at the Wild Card Gym of celebrated trainer Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee, who is five months pregnant told insidesports.ph he plans to leave for Los Angeles probably in the first week of October.