Bilang isang Mexican, natural lamang na suportahan ni Juan Manuel Marquez si Oscar Dela Hoya kumpara sa tumalo sa kanyang si Manny Pacquiao.
“That’s a fight that everybody wants to see, everybody is talking about it now. So, obviously I support the Mexican. I support Oscar. Oscar is my promoter and obviously I’m behind him,” ani Marquez. “But, I think it will be a great, great fight.
Nauna nang sinabi ni American trainer Freddie Roach na inaasahan niyang ang 29-anyos na si Pacquiao ang susuportahan ng mga purong Mexican fans at hindi ang 35-anyos na si Dela Hoya.
Ayon kay Roach, hindi pa rin tinatanggap ng mga Mexicans si Dela Hoya, ang ina ay isang Mexican citizen bunga ng pagtanggap nito sa laban kay Mexican boxing legend Hector Camacho.
Sakali namang manalo laban kay Cuban world lightweight titlist Joel Casamayor sa Setyembre 13 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada, itutuloy pa rin ng 35-anyos na si Marquez ang kanyang kampanya sa lightweight division.
“I’m not thinking about winning this fight to get a rematch with Manny Pacquiao,” ani Marquez, inagawan ni Pacquiao ng suot nitong World Boxing Council (WBC) super fetaherweight belt via split decision noong Marso bago angkinin ang WBC lightweight crown ni David Diaz noong Hunyo 28. “I’m taking this fight seriously and I’m thinking about Joel Casamayor only. My only concern is to win, to win my next fight September 13 against Joel Casamayor and that’s to prove to the people that I’m the best.”
Ito ang unang pagkakataon na lalaban si Marquez sa lightweight class.
“I’m worried about them making this fight a great fight for the fans. That’s what I worry about, I don’t worry about Manny Pacquiao,” wika ni Marquez. (Russell Cadayona)