Juan Manuel Marquez: Taking a calculated risk

Open mouth wide. Insert foot. I am reading the instructions on how to put myself in my place. For you see, I have had an epiphany.

I have not given proper credit where credit is due. I have assumed, so to speak. Everyone knows what happens when you assume. Break the word into three parts and it is self explanatory.

The man I don't think that I've been fair to is Juan Manuel Marquez. Juan , of course, is the lightweight champion of the world. He is also one of the smartest boxers on the planet. If anyone wants to question his heart, just you try going 24 rounds and suffering four knockdowns at the hands of the baddest man on the planet, Manny Pacquiao. Marquez did this and was still in each fight.

Juan had been quoted in Ring magazine as saying that he didn't feel his career would be complete without a win over Pacquiao. Many still feel his ultimate goal is Pacman, but at the same time we rationalize that Juan Manuel must sit around feeling sorry for his lot in life. I firmly believe that nothing could be further from the truth.

Juan wanted to be an accountant. A noble profession and one that takes brains. And as his fighting style would attest, you can be sure that he calculates the odds of things happening in the ring. He also must calculate what happens outside the ring.

Taking all of that into account, we as fans assume that he dreams of getting Pacquiao in the ring a third time. But perhaps we are wrong. As a smart man, perhaps Juan Manuel has said to himself that when Pacquiao said no to a third fight, then he meant no.

So maybe Juan said I'll look for the best alternative to Pacquiao that will enhance my standing and career as one of the best boxers in the world. In steps Floyd Mayweather. The previous pound for pound king still officially has no loses, although Jose Luis Castillo may beg to differ.

As we hear his trainer Nacho Beristain tell Juan Manuel that Floyd is bigger and faster, all we see from Juan Manuel is a look of defiance. A win over Mayweather could be one of boxing's biggest upsets. Fighters sometimes take long periods off in between fights. Although Floyd took a year and a half off, don't expect him to be too rusty. He did not let himself go during this time. If anything, reports are that he was constantly working out.

So Juan Manuel will by all accounts, be stepping in the ring with a larger, quicker fighter. One that is still considered one of the best in the world.

Why does Juan want to take this risk? He may know something that the rest of us don't. In Marquez mind it might be a risk he can't afford to pass up. If there is one thing an accountant is good at, it is adding up numbers. Maybe Juan Manuel feels the numbers are in his favor. Call it a calculated risk. Something Marquez knows quite a bit about.

Source: examiner.com

'Young' Juan Manuel Marquez Will Turn Up Heat on Floyd Mayweather

Can an aging veteran who will be fighting as high as 144 pounds for the first time in his professional boxing career take down a 32-year-old who is admittedly bigger, stronger and faster?

That, in essence, is what Sept. 19 boils down to for Juan Manuel Marquez. That's when he walks into the ring for his megabout opposite unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"Right now, I'm 36 years old, but I feel young," said Marquez, a married father of three, during Tuesday's exclusive interview with FanHouse from his training quarters in Mexico City. "I feel like I'm 28."

A traditional counter-puncher who has not competed at higher than 135 pounds, Marquez (50-4, 37 knockouts) knows that he will need to take risks in order to beat Mayweather (39-0, 25 knockouts), whose defensive skills often involve yielding ground and fighting in retreat early while shielding himself with a "shoulder-roll" and picking his spots.

That strategy worked well for Mayweather against Ricky Hatton on the way to a 10th-round stoppage in December of 2007 -- the last time he was in the ring.

"Floyd Mayweather is the best fighter, pound-for-pound," said Marquez, whose birthday was on Aug. 23. "It's going to be very important to bring the pressure against his speed."

Marquez has spent most of his career at featherweight (125 pounds) and superfeatherweight (130), but is coming off of consecutive knockouts of Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz at 135 pounds.

Against Mayweather, who has fought at a weight as high as 150 pounds, Marquez may need to make the unbeaten man feel whatever "pop" there is in either hand quickly, in addition to maintaining an extraordinary activity level that outworks the larger man.

"When they start the fight, the pressure will be very important, and it will be very important to connect on as many punches as I can," said Marquez. "It's going to be very important to work the body, and to use my intelligence."

Marquez must try to expose any existing ring rust that may be the result of Mayweather's long layoff, also potentially winning the minds of judges, should they be convinced that Mayweather's retreat has more to do with caution than strategy.

Asked if he thought he could hurt Mayweather, Marquez said, "I'll try."

"My confidence is in my preparation, my conditioning and my intelligence," said Marquez, adding that he weighs 143 pounds. "I will go into the ring with great confidence in my game plan."

One avenue for Marquez could be if he is able to borrow a page from Roberto Duran, who, on June 20 of 1980 -- four days after his 29th birthday -- carried the fight to 24-year-old Sugar Ray Leonard, for 15 rounds.

When the dust had settled, Duran had wrested from Leonard the former Olympic gold medalist's WBC welterweight championship belt.

Like Marquez, Duran, of Panama City, Panama, was a former 135-pound star. Duran was able to pounce early and often, his power earning Leonard's attention within the first four rounds before following up his momentum with a sustained, relentless, high-energy punch output.

Leonard remained aware of Duran's potency and bothered by his aggression throughout their bout. But Duran had taken more time to acclimate himself in preparation for Leonard.

After beating rival Esteban De Jesus in 1978 -- his last time fighting as a lightweight -- Duran spent the next nearly two and a half years competing eight times at or around the welterweight limit, including twice going over 147 pounds.

Duran was 8-0 with four knockouts during that time, having twice avenged his lone defeat against De Jesus. Against Leonard, Duran's confidence soared.

Marquez's heart is unquestionable. The old warrior rose from the canvas after being floored three times to earn a draw against Manny Pacquiao, whom he still insists he has beaten twice.

Marquez has stated that he has, yet again, prepared "to die in the ring" against Mayweather, and if so, then the little man from Mexico City must, yet again, fight as if his life depends on it.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Juan Manuel Marquez won't let Floyd Mayweather Jr. bore you to death

It is a legacy, a tradition, and an honor. In Mexico, they don't make many boxers. But they make a lot of great fighters.

It's not to say that they are unskilled brawlers or crazy sluggers hell-bent on knockouts. Far from it, in fact. The skill level of the best Mexican fighters of this generation is outstandingly high. Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Israel Vazquez, and many more have both thrilled us with amazing guts and wowed us with their pure talent and boxing brains. For as action-crazed as all three men could get, they were/are also very good boxers.

The most talented of them all, however, may be the man who more inherited the throne than anything else. Juan Manuel Marquez was seen for years as a great fighter that couldn't get over the hump, couldn't win the big one. Losses to Freddie Norwood and Chris John derailed his career one step before he could perhaps start creeping further into the public's line of sight, and a draw with Manny Pacquiao -- while great for Marquez's career and notoriety -- gave the notion more weight.

It was a March 2007 win over Mexican hero Barrera that finally put him over the top. While the fight was closer than the judges' scorecards and a bit of an underrated mini-classic, with both warriors bringing their best, it was Marquez who came out the victor, and it felt overdue. Finally, Juan Manuel Marquez could get the credit his skills so richly deserved. And it's not that he didn't get any credit; he got plenty. But he deserved even more.

Barrera would retire later in 2007, and unretire the next year. Barrera's rival and fellow Mexican fighting icon Erik Morales also retired in 2007, and plans to come back this year. Barrera and Morales stepping down could have hurt Mexico's boxing reputation to some degree, but they left the country's fighting pride in good hands. Marquez and his brother Rafael along with Rafael's rival Israel Vazquez carried the torch, putting on Fight of the Year candidates and cementing themselves among the sport's best pound-for-pound.

After their third war in 2008, Rafael Marquez and Israel Vazquez both took a break. Top-level boxing in Mexico took a serious blow in January of this year when Antonio Margarito not only got demolished by Shane Mosley, but was also disgraced, and is now seen as a cheater by the vast majority of the boxing audience.

With one hero's name in the mud and two more on the shelf, Juan Manuel Marquez stepped into the ring on February 28 with Mexican-American Juan Diaz, and the two went to war. Marquez eventually knocked Diaz out in the ninth round of an instant classic, and he immediately called out Floyd Mayweather Jr.

I thought then that it was really more of a bait tactic, trying to lure Manny Pacquiao into the third fight Marquez was so desperately chasing. There was no reason for Juan Manuel to be fighting at 135 pounds other than to chase Manny and try to force his hand. Now he was calling out the former welterweight champion?

To my surprise, Mayweather-Marquez is merely two weeks away now. I have been a fairly harsh critic of the fight, its promotion, and pretty much everything else.

But I do not believe it will be a bad fight, as some do. I don't think Juan Manuel Marquez has a bad fight in him anymore. As he's aged and slowed, he's become one of the sport's most reliable must-see men. And with his role as such an underdog and the physical disadvantages he'll face (size, speed, power, defensive acumen -- pretty much the whole nine yards), chances are good Marquez will find himself in a hole against Mayweather on the scorecards.

And will Marquez be content to just not get knocked out and rack up a points loss?

Not a chance. He's just not wired that way.

This fight may very well end with Juan Manuel Marquez flat on his back, knocked silly a la Ricky Hatton when he faced Floyd. But you can bet your bottom dollar that Marquez isn't going to let this turn into one of Floyd's yawn-inducing clinics. If it gets him knocked out, Juan Manuel Marquez will make this a fight.

And the great Mexican tradition will carry on.

Source: badlefthook.com

Mayweather takes center stage

For Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr., boxing is his business. And his major comeback to the boxing arena proves that the undefeated boxer will once again take center stage in the boxing world.

After years of absence in the boxing scene, Mayweather will be back in the ring to fight Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez of Mexico on Sept. 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Mayweather made quite an entrance when he showed up with his “armored truck,” a statement for his nickname “Money,” when he opened his training session to the media.

He said he is looking forward to his match with Marquez and possibly, with No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Manny Pacquiao.

“Manny Pacquiao is a good fighter and the fight presents itself in the future. Absolutely, we’ll make it happen but all roads lead to Floyd Mayweather,” he said.

“But my main focus at this particular time is Marquez. The world and the people are saying that Marquez really beat Pacquiao both times so we will see how the fight plays on September 19th,” he added.

Fight of the century

Meantime, the presence of his father and former trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr. was a surprise to many.

It has been years since Floyd Jr. and Floyd Sr. were in speaking terms. But now, Floyd Sr. is back in his son’s corner.

Floyd Sr. believes that a Mayweather-Pacquiao bout is a mistake for “the People’s Champ.”

“Floyd and Manny Pacquiao—That’s ooops upside the head, believe me that’s what it all is,” said the elder Mayweather.

Boxing analysts, meanwhile, said that if the “Pacman” were to fight “Money,” Mayweather would have the advantage.

“The fight that people want to see is Mayweather against Pacquiao, that’s the fight that would be the fight of the century,” said Yahoo Sports columnist Kevin Iole.

“But I think that’s the fight everybody wants to see. If you’re gonna say the fight of the century, it would be that one,” he commented.

The “Number One / Numero Uno” bout will be on pay-per-view while the fight will be broadcast in the Philippines by ABS-CBN.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Team Peterson Exclusive on Mayweather Sparring Tale

The gym rats in Las Vegas are buzzing. Not about the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez. And not about the November clash between Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto. Two weeks after it happened, the local gym rats and numerous Las Vegas insiders are still chatting, without rest, about the sparring session between Mayweather and undefeated junior welterweight Lamont Peterson.

With many of these gym stories, there is a lot truth and also a lot of fabrication. The recent story going around, about Mayweather working Peterson over until he quit, was one of those stories with a lot of fabrication. A trainer for one of Mayweather's current sparring partners sent a recent gym report to Doug Fischer, the editor for RingTV.com. In that report, the trainer disclosed his fighter's account of the Mayweather-Peterson sparring session.

“FLOYD IS MORE THAN READY FOR MARQUEZ. HIS HAND SPEED, REFLEXES, CONDITIONING, TIMING AND RHYTHM ARE ALL THERE. MY FIGHTER TOLD ME THAT LAMONT PETERSON SHOWED UP AT FLOYD’S GYM TWO WEEKS AGO TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF. AFTER VERBALLY ABUSING EACH OTHER FOR 30 MINUTES WHILE PUTTING ON THEIR HANDWRAPS, THEY WENT EIGHT 4-MINUTE ROUNDS WITH 15 SECONDS REST, WHICH WAS A SPARRING SESSION WORTH PAYING FOR ACCORDING TO MY FIGHTER. AFTER EIGHT ROUNDS, LAMONT COULDN'T GO NO MORE BECAUSE OF FATIGUE. THAT’S WHEN FLOYD REALLY STARTED TAUNTING HIM SAYING TO HIM ‘ANOTHER ROUND, ANOTHER ROUND!’ WHEN LAMONT REFUSED TO GO ANOTHER ROUND, THAT’S WHEN THE VERBAL ABUSE WENT TO RECORD LEVELS IN THE MAYWEATHER CAMP. NAME CALLING AND VERBAL ABUSE CONTINUED TO BE DIRECTED AT LAMONT FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.”

There were many who were impressed after reading that bit of information. I was impressed until I spoke with a well-known insider in Las Vegas, who told me - "You heard what? That's not true. I know several guys who were there and Lamont Peterson worked Mayweather over." After making several more calls to my contacts in Vegas, it became embarrassing to even repeat the above story.

Then I began to dig.

I got a hold of one individual who was actually there. He completely backed the version of the story where Peterson handled his business and sent shockwaves in the Mayweather gym. Due to a friendly relationship with the Mayweather team, the person asked to remain anonymous.

"Lamont did his thing. If anybody got their ass kicked - it was Floyd. Lamont went to town on the boy. Make no mistake, it was competitive and exciting to watch."

Then I dug some more.

The hunt led me to Team Peterson member Jeff Miller. He was present for the sparring and backed the story of my sources. After showing him a copy of the story floating around the net, with Mayweather making Lamont quit, he advised me to contact Peterson's trainer/manager Barry Hunter.

I then made my way to Hunter. Coincidentally, Hunter had heard about the story Monday night through his wife - and I didn't blame him for being animated at times during our conversation. He couldn't believe that so many people were running with the story - without speaking to both sides.

The two days of sparring took place by chance. Lamont, Hunter and their entourage were in town for Anthony Peterson's fight at the Hard Rock. They were looking to get in some sparring work. A mutual friend, former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, made a suggestion to head over to the Mayweather Gym. Rahman made the call and got them the green light.

Hunter was more than ready to set the record straight.

"That's bullsh*t. There were several people in the gym. If you are going to put the story out there, at least tell the truth. We weren’t even going to speak about it. I had a few people ask me about it and I said 'I plead the fifth.' The first day was real hostile. They went to war the first day. Lamont had 18-ounce gloves on and Floyd had on 14-ounce gloves. They went 8 to 10 4-minute rounds with 15 to 30 second rests. The first day was relatively easy, the second day Lamont did his thing," Hunter told BoxingScene.com.

"Keep in mind, Lamont was out of shape with 18-ounce gloves on. I have to tell you, it was unbelievable to watch. I wish I had a tape to show you. They thought after the first day we weren't coming back but we went right back. The second day, Lamont was off the chain. It was raw, uncut and things they said to each other you certainly wouldn’t say in a church. They, meaning the uncle and father, thought that was the best work that Floyd ever got. The combinations, the skill, it was unbelievable to watch those two.

“Lamont did not go there to make a name for himself. Lamont is not a stranger to sparring former and current world champions. I'll keep the names a secret but it wasn't the first time he went into someone's backyard and put it on. I can't take nothing away from Floyd, he can fight. What got him is this. The average person Floyd spars can't hold a candle to him. But Lamont is a world champion like Floyd, not some sparring partner. And I think it caught Floyd off-guard. If they ever show a tape of that, his reign of terror will be over."

I asked Hunter about one version of the story where Peterson, prior to the start of the last round of their second day of sparring, went after Mayweather with a vengeance. That incident did take place but contrary to some of the stories, it was Hunter who stopped the sparring after the situation began to intensify.

"We said 'one more round,’ and they said 'one more round. ' Floyd went to go drink some water and Lamont went right to him and hit him. He didn't want no breaks. Lamont went into his bang of tricks in that round. I remember there was one punch he threw where it looked like a pitcher was winding up to throw a ball, and he threw a bodyshot. Then it was getting a bit heated,” Hunter said.

“Lamont is one of the toughest men I've ever known in my life. He took off his head gear and wanted to fight without head gear. They went in the middle of the ring, face to face, talking back and forth. I went in and got him and I took him out because now it was beyond fighting. I stopped it and that's the truth."

Peterson will get his big chance at the spotlight when he challenges WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley on December 5. I’ve spoken to a few on my respected colleagues about Bradley-Peterson. The predictions are literally split down the middle - an early indicator of a great fight.

Source: boxingscene.com

Skeptical over Mayweather's 'bloody' sparring session

"This is blood. This is real blood!", Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s sparring partner told the HBO 24/7 camera crew.

I have never seen a fighter so proud and excited showing off the evidence of what Roger Mayweather himself described as an "a$$-whooping".

Not that I doubt that "Money" isn't capable of busting up a sparring partner the way he did against this blood drenched fellow, it's just that it all looks too convenient.

First the door closes for cameras to film any sparring then next thing you know, Mayweather's sparring partner is bloodied up as if they waited to holler and get the camera crew back before they attempted to tend to Mayweather's bloody sparring partner.

Perhaps I may be watching too much of 'Forensic Files' but the manner of how the blood was smudged all over the headgear also hinted tampering. How did the blood get all over the top and the sides of the headgear when it seemed that it came from the nose and the mouth? And the ring floor looked pretty impeccable too for it to appear it just witnessed a bloody beatdown. Not to mention, Mayweather had been hanging out with WWE people quite often in the past couple of years.

I guess we will never truly know if the bloody sparring session was for real or staged unless Mayweather opens his doors to future sparring sessions and captured the real thing. But then again, it probably doesn't really matter. What I am more curious about is Mayweather's ribs. Videos of sparring sessions can definitely reveal that- whether Floyd is favoring it or it's also another one of his myths.

I'll tell you this though, Marquez can drink all the urine in the world he wants but Mayweather has the advantage in terms of preparation simply because its easier to find sparring partners that can mimic Marquez's actions compared to his. Marquez's camp really needs to get better quality and more accurate, quick and slick sparring partners than the people they employ right now. Shane Mosley would be a great fit as he is another Golden Boy exec and has a great reputation of being able to copy other fighters during sparring sessions. Aside from that, he has the strength, size and speed that would prepare Marquez to face the biggest opponent and challenge in his career in Mayweather.

Either way, the bloody scene proved to have served it's purpose. It gave the fight some needed publicity and planted thoughts and doubts in his opponent's psyche. Real or not, Floyd Mayweather Jr. can really bust a sparring partner up... real bad. But Juan Manuel Marquez is no sparring partner.

Source: examiner.com

Roger Mayweather confident layoff won't hurt Floyd's chances against Juan Manuel Marquez

When the issue arose last week of his nephew's layoff, which reaches 21 months tomorrow, Roger Mayweather blanched, then correctly pointed out how some of the greatest names in boxing history, alongside which his nephew compares favorably, overcame much more substantial respites.

Floyd Mayweather's labor day looms next week in a comeback bout against Juan Manuel Marquez that falls something short of his all-important potential showdown against Manny Pacquiao, and well beyond the sort of tuneup fight most in his position would have taken.

The Grand Rapids native has 12 rounds, in 12 days, to traverse the rust vs. rest canyon, while trying to shake off the former in the midst of a bout against a man renowned for his own mid-fight tweaks. As Marquez adjusts to Mayweather, Mayweather must adjust to both Marquez and himself.

There isn't anything easy about it.

Roger Mayweather fought steadily from 1981-99, and during his two-championship career took only one break as long as a full year, and then only at the very end.

He remains a rare student of boxing, however, and can recite some of the more -- and less -- successful comebacks by rote and rationale.

Essentially, fighters who build their legends as whirlwinds, then embark on comebacks after lengthy layoffs, generally find their dynamic fury difficult to recreate.

Those with more fundamental foundations -- a category into which Floyd Mayweather definitively falls -- have easier times of it.

That's why Mayweather may not be exactly the same fighter as before but should come far closer to it than naysayers might hope.

"The greatest fighters in the world have had layoffs," Roger Mayweather said. "What do you think Sugar Ray Leonard had? He had a 51/2-year layoff. He had two detached retina surgeries. And he still beat Marvin Hagler after being laid off 51/2 years. Sugar Ray Robinson was laid off three years and that's the greatest fighter on the globe. Ali was laid off three years.

"So Floyd ain't the only guy that's been laid off. Most of the greatest fighters in the history of boxing have one thing in common: They've been laid off."

Leonard actually had one fight in five-plus years before defeating Hagler, although the rest of the timelines essentially are accurate.

And so is this: Robinson spent several years losing and regaining championships after his comeback, against fighters who might not have touched him beforehand; Muhammad Ali did great things after his comeback, but undeniably was not the same after his draft-refusal layoff; and Leonard stretched his comeback too far and took some losses because of it.

Fury-fueled fighters have the biggest comeback problems.

Joe Louis' post-war comeback resulted in some good wins after one fight in four years, but a second comeback, induced by tax trouble, was not as successful and included two of his three losses, to Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano.

Mike Tyson's post-prison comeback began with some typical tuneups but he never was close to the same fighter after his rape conviction, was softened up in ugly losses to Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, then later blown out by little-known Danny Williams and Kevin McBride.

Floyd Mayweather, at 32 years old, should not yet be in the position of challenging his 39-0 record via timeline.

Then again, Father Time treats people differently.

"Once I started boxing, I had to box a few times, you know, box four or five times," Floyd Mayweather said. "I still was looking good, I really wasn't taking no punishment. But about the fifth time I started boxing, I started looking real, real sharp, looking real, real good."

The rib injury that postponed the original July date was indicative of an athlete on the rebound, but if Mayweather falters against Marquez, the choice of comeback opponent will bear more responsibility than the down time.

"I don't think the two-year layoff is going to affect me," he said. "I feel fast, I feel strong and the timing is there."

Source: mlive.com

The Quiet Strength of Juan Manuel Marquez

As I watch HBO’s 24/7 program showcasing Juan Manuel Marquez and Floyd Mayweather, one thing becomes strikingly apparent: these two guys are monsters.

It is both frightening and exhilarating to see the mental change within these proud warriors as they steel themselves for their upcoming collision.

What I’ve found most interesting is the way that Juan Manuel carries himself as he prepares.

He jokes about “turkey boogers” as he gleefully downs raw quail eggs, unassumingly helps his son with math, then plays a friendly game of FIFA, and finally, and most shockingly, discusses drinking his own urine, on camera, as though he were espousing the newest super diet.

But despite these somewhat comical, and sometimes just plain gross, exploits and his quiet, courteous demeanor, there is a latent lethality to him. Just below the pleasant and inviting exterior, lurking in the netherworld of his mind, is a warrior prepared to do whatever it takes, at any cost, to earn a victory.

Marquez may sing with his family and play with his kids, nieces, and nephews, but he also wanders around volcanoes 14,000 feet (4267 meters) above sea-level, chucking boulders through the air for fun. He pops speed bags and works his sparring partners over like they owe him money.

This dichotomy is what I can only describe as quiet strength. A level of self confidence and mental focus that is well and above that of any man.

The seemingly bi-polar nature is a by product of the psychological change. Having reached a profound level of ability, something in the fighter changes and he becomes a genuinely nice person, unless of course your fighting them.

In which case one will be faced with a hurricane.

Not to say that “Money” hasn’t also reached a similar level of mental calm. Mayweather certainly carries himself with the braggadocio and self-espousing rhetoric endemic to the rap sub-culture, but if he didn’t have the mental focus to execute on a high level, he wouldn’t be 39-0 right now.

As I said, it’s watching the mental preparations that these fighters are making that intrigues me so much about 24/7. In their own minds, they go somewhere else. A place where they are infallible and their opponents totally open. A strange nirvana of sport where for an instant that seems to last a lifetime, they are perfect. Such confidence and psychological presence is rare, and an absolute pleasure to watch.

I don’t know if this mental strength will be enough for Marquez to overcome the considerable challenges in his way. I do know that when things reach their worst and the fight turns bad, it will be this same mental determination that will save him.

Win, loose, or draw, one has to admit that Juan Manuel Marquez is a fighter of extra-ordinary strength, even if he carries it quietly.

Source: bleacherreport.com

Floyd Mayweather Insists He, Not Manny Pacquiao, Is The Man

Floyd Mayweather Jr. debunked Manny Pacquiao's present status as boxing's best fighter, pound-for-pound, insisting, among other things, that the 2009 Fighter Of The Year's consecutive knockouts over Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton were against foes he had already exposed.

"Once again, when I beat those guys, it wasn't nothing. But when [Pacquiao] beat them, 'Oh, it's so unbelievable,' and, 'We've never seen something so crazy,'" said Mayweather, 32, in response to questions from FanHouse during a recent conference call. "They're commentating and they've never been in the heat of battle."

Mayweather (39-0, 25 knockouts), who retired after a 10th-round stoppage of England's Hatton in December of 2007, will end a near two-year layoff when he enters the ring on Sept. 19 opposite Juan Manuel Marquez, a 36-year-old former champion with a record of 50-4 with 37 knockouts.

Marquez, who will be competing at his highest weight ever when he meets Mayweather at their catchweight of 144 pounds, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, has twice faced Pacquiao (49-3, 37 KOs) of the Phillipines.

They battled to a draw in May of 2004 after Marquez was knocked down three times in the first round, and Marquez lost a decision during their second meeting in March of 2008.

Marquez is coming off of consecutive stoppages of former champs, Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz, in 11 and nine rounds respectively, while weighing 135 and 134.5 in those bouts.

In an exclusive interview from Mexico City on Tuesday, Marquez told Fanhouse that he weighed 143 pounds. Pacquiao will meet World Boxing Organization welterweight king, Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand.

But Mayweather has taken heat unfairly for choosing to return to the ring against what is considered an aging, smaller man in Marquez, a Mexico City native and former featherweight (125 pounds) and superfeatherweight (130).

Long resentful at the boxing media for discounting his status as the sport's premiere player, Mayweather believes he should receive credit for facing a man Pacquiao already has beaten just as the Filipino has in defeating De La Hoya and Hatton.

Mayweather was at a career-high 150 pounds when dethroned 154-pound De La Hoya as World Boxing Council light middleweight champion in May of 2007.

That victory came seven months before becoming the first man to knock out Hatton, who lost for the first time in 44 bouts. Hatton had just come off of a fourth-round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo.

Mayweather, meanwhile, contended that Pacquiao's KOs -- in eight, and, two rounds, respectively -- were against one man who was physically drained from weight loss in De La Hoya, and another, in Hatton, who was in transition from a brawling style to that of a boxer.

"De La Hoya was more comfortable at 154 when he fought me. When he fought Pacquiao, he was basically on a diet," Mayweather said of De La Hoya, who weighed 145 pounds against Pacquiao's 142. "De La Hoya was training to lose weight instead of training to fight."

Hatton was in only his second bout under longtime De La Hoya trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. -- known for teaching boxing technique and head movement -- after having split with longtime trainer, Billy Graham.

"Hatton was switching styles. I think that his head was straight up in the air. [Plus,] once you've been knocked out, there's no doubt that you can get knocked out again," said Mayweather.

"I sit back and ask myself questions like, 'Where was this guy Pacquiao when I was dominating in the 90s?'" Mayweather said. "But where would I be if I didn't have my critics, huh?," Mayweather asked. "Where would I be?"

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

ROGER MAYWEATHER: "FLOYD IS AS SHARP AS EVER"

"No doubt about it, Floyd gonna win. If Marquez can avoid a knockout somehow, more power to him, but from what we can see, if he brings the energy like Hatton, it's gonna end up the same way... Floyd is as sharp as ever. I know that for a fact. I'll be in the corner just as I always am, but I don't expect to see anything less from Floyd than we have seen in the past," stated trainer Roger Mayweather as he spoke about Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s upcoming clash with Juan Manuel Marquez on September 19th. Check it out!

Percy Crawford: How are you doing Roger?

Roger Mayweather: I'm doing good. Trying to stay focused right now and worry about nothing else until after the fight.

PC: How would you grade this training camp for the Marquez fight?

RM: It's good; great now that Floyd Sr. is part of the team again. No matter what Floyd says, having his father here is going to give him a stronger mindset going into the fight.

PC: I agree 100% with that. A lot of fighters let themselves go, in between fights and especially in retirement. How easy does it make your job that Lil Floyd is not one of those guys?

RM: Floyd has such a natural ability. We never had to worry about that, not only because of his natural ability, but his own drive. He stays in shape between fights, whether it's a 6-month break or 2 years.

PC: When Floyd got back into the gym, you being his trainer, what were some of the things you were looking for from him?

RM: I wanted him to pick up right where we left off; to come back into the game just as strong as he was before.

PC: Do you feel you picked up where ya'll left off or was it a matter of getting his feet wet again?

RM: Well, it's like warming up before you hit the weights. On day 1, we weren't training as hard as we are now, not because he wasn't capable, but because we wanted to ease the body back into the process.

PC: Floyd has been doing this for a long time. Will you be watching him closely the first couple of rounds to make sure everything is still sharp?

RM: Floyd is as sharp as ever. I know that for a fact. I'll be in the corner just as I always am, but I don't expect to see anything less from Floyd than we have seen in the past.

PC: What threats do you think Juan Manuel Marquez presents to your nephew?

RM: He's a good fighter, there's no doubt about that. He wants to fight a high-energy fight, so did Ricky Hatton and Oscar. It doesn't matter, high-energy, low-energy, it's about the overall skill of the fighter. You can fight any kind of fight you want, if Floyd better than you, he gonna beat you either way.

PC: If you had to give a prediction, how do you see this fight going?

RM: No doubt about it, Floyd gonna win. If Marquez can avoid a knockout somehow, more power to him, but from what we can see, if he brings the energy like Hatton, it's gonna end up the same way.

PC: Do you still view Lil Floyd as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world?

RM: Floyd will always be the greatest fighter in my opinion.

PC: I'm sure you plan on being successful against Marquez. Would you want the Pacquiao fight next to see if you can go 2-0 against Freddie Roach?

RM: You know, that's something that Floyd has to decide at the end of the day. We take things one step at a time, one fight at a time. We get a lot of BS from publicists out there, whether it be Pacquiao or any of the others, Floyd gonna take things one fight at a time.

PC: Good luck on the 19th. I appreciate your time Mamba. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

RM: Thank you. Just support boxing and tune in on the 19th. The sport needs all the great fighters it can get and you're gonna see a great fighter on the 19th.

Source: fighthype.com