LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao is ready for anything, everything Juan Manuel Marquez will have to offer on March 15 in Las Vegas.
“It’s up to him what type of a fight he wants – whether toe-to-toe or hit-and-run. Whatever he wants, I’ll give it to him,” said Pacquiao.
In his cozy La Palazzo apartment Friday, after an early dinner of fish, steamed rice and corn soup, Pacquiao gazed at the coming fight.
He liked what he saw.
“Because I have the key to anything he plans to do,” said Pacquiao, craning his neck toward a group of friends playing darts in his living room.
“Whatever happens there I’m ready, I’m prepared,” said Pacquiao.
He was asked to elaborate.
Pacquiao, arguably the hardest puncher in the sport today, said his fight crew, which includes Freddie Roach, Eric Brown, Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri, has long drawn the master plan.
“We believe that power and strategy will determine the outcome,” said Pacquiao, who floored Marquez three times in the opening round of their 2004 match, only to be dragged into a controversial draw.
“It’s the question of ‘can I handle his power or can he handle mine?’ If we both can, then it’s going to be a good fight. Strategy comes in,” said Pacquiao.
“And in terms of speed, even if he can match mine, I have full faith in my power.”
He said he’ll always be alert and ready if Marquez, the great counter-puncher from Mexico City, comes to him instead, and triggers a good, early exchange in the hope of landing a big one.
“Marquez may have the tendency to come in. It could be part of their plan. But I’m ready for that. I know what to do,” he said.
Pacquiao said he prefers an early exchange.
“But if I catch him with one solid punch, I’m sure he’d run away. Then he’d just try to counter and counter the whole evening,” Pacquiao said.
He said the other day if Marquez runs away, then the fight becomes boring.
Nobody wants that to happen.