Manny Pacquiao out to silence Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas clash

IN A boxing world where very few fights capture the imagination, today’s WBO welterweight showdown in Las Vegas between holder Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez is sure to get pulses racing.

Their eagerly-anticipated third meeting is expected to provide a conclusive chapter to a trilogy of high quality and electrifying action.

Southpaw Pacquiao, a 7-1 favourite, will be bidding for a 15th consecutive victory since his loss to Erik Morales in March 2005 and his trainer, Freddie Roach, has predicted a knockout by the Filipino inside six rounds.

Mexican Marquez, meanwhile, claims he won their first two encounters. The boxers fought to a draw in May 2004 before Marquez lost his WBC super-featherweight title to Pacquiao in a controversial split decision in March 2008.

“It’s time to shed doubt over who the best fighter is,” Marquez said while preparing for the scheduled 12-round bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. “I want to win this fight because I believe I won the first two.

Marquez gave Pacquiao added motivation by wearing a T-shirt bearing the legend ‘We Were Robbed’ when today’s showdown was first promoted in the Philippines.

Pacquiao, who has often been criticised for being too much of a gentleman, said: “I have never been so motivated as I am for Saturday. I want to prove that he was wrong in wearing that T-shirt. I want this fight to be the answer to all the doubts that have been raised.”