Manny not avoiding third Marquez bout

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao was getting ready for a commercial shoot in Manila yesterday when Juan Manuel Marquez kept calling his name from Las Vegas.

“We know that Pacquiao has been avoiding us,” Marquez said following an impressive ninth round knockout of Michael Katsidis at the MGM Grand.

“Pacquiao, Pacquiao, Pacquiao, I sound like a broken record already,” Marquez said during the post-fight press conference, and wearing a shirt that says boldly, “Marquez beat Pacquiao twice!!”

“Yes he beat bigger fellows but they are all past their prime while I beat younger and stronger boxers like Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis,” Marquez said in a philboxing.com article by Dr. Ed dela Vega.

Pacquiao said he isn’t avoiding Marquez, adding that his only concern is if the people still want the fight.

“May manood pa kaya? (Will they still watch it?)” Pacquiao asked.

Marquez went down against Katsidis after taking a big left in the third round. But as always, he got up.

In the end, referee Kenny Bayless stepped in to stop the fight as Marquez, getting stronger as the fight wore on, was landing killer blows on his virtually defenseless foe.

“Do you think that tonight you made a convincing case for you to fight Pacquiao again?” he was asked by Larry Merchant.

“We know that Pacquiao has been avoiding us. We will put a lot of work into it and a third fight is what the public wants to see,” said Marquez, still a champion at 37.

The great Mexican counter-puncher kept his WBO, WBA and Ring Magazine lightweight belts, and is now hoping to land a third fight with Pacquiao, even at the welterweight limit of 147.

“Everytime you fight it seems that it’s a plebiscite, an election for you to catch another chance to fight Pacquiao because of how close those two fights were,” Merchant continued.

“That’s what I always do. I always come in looking for that but we always have hard rivals, difficult rivals like Katsidis but we always come in looking for a third fight,” Marquez answered.

Pacquiao is the reigning WBC super-welterweight champion, his eighth world title in as many divisions, but has signified his intention to drop down to 147 where he’s most comfortable.

Freddie Roach, said they will fight Marquez a third time if it’s at 147.

But Pacquiao, according to his business manager, is firm with just one demand.

“Manny will take the fight if they (Marquez camp) do the promotion,” said Eric Pineda yesterday.

“Manny thinks Marquez has a small fan base that’s why he doesn’t want any hand in the promotion. All he wants is a guaranteed purse, and that Top Rank and MP Promotions won’t be involved in the promotions.,” said Pineda.

“Then he will take the fight,” he added.

Pacquiao and Marquez have been at it twice, for 24 rounds, including four knockdowns suffered by the Mexican.

But Marquez is still itching for a third fight, saying that on both occasions he came close to winning, even if the first one in 2004 should have been for Pacquiao instead of a draw, if not for an errant judge.

Pacquiao’s legal counsel, Franklin Gacal, has nothing against a third match with Marquez.

“He’s really tough,” he said when told of yesterday’s results from Las Vegas.

“I think it can still make a great fight. Maybe you can still label it as an unfinished business because some people still have doubts on the results of the first two,” he added.

Roach has a very simple reason why he wants a third fight.

“I want Manny to shut him up for good,” he said.