LOS ANGELES – Oscar De La Hoya believes there’s no need for a fourth fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez since “everybody knows what’s going to happen” in the event they square it off again.
Speaking to Filipino scribes at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, De La Hoya said he actually scored the fight in favor of Marquez, 7 (rounds to 5 rounds) but stressed that it could have also been a draw because “the fight was very close.”
“It’s no secret that Marquez has Pacquiao’s number. It’s no secret. He knows what to when Pacquiao makes mistakes. So Marquez is a counter-puncher, a fighter who wait for you and he’ll wait for you all night,” said De La Hoya, whose stoppage loss to Pacquiao in Dec. 2008 proved to be his last fight.
De La Hoya had predicted before the fight that Pacquiao would run over Marquez owing to his strength and speed and the fact that the Mexican is already 38 years old.
When the dust settled at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last Saturday night, Pacquiao escaped with a 12-round majority decision win as two judges scored it for him (116-112 and 115-113) while the third judge had it a draw (114-114).
Top Rank chief Bob Arum has already floated the idea of putting up a fourth fight set for May 2012.
But De La Hoya said there are other better options bout there for Pacquiao. “No,” said De La Hoya. “I don’t think so. What for? There’s nothing better than Marquez can do, and there’s really nothing better that Pacquiao can do. We’ll gonna see the same fight.”
What’s in store for Pacquiao should be known within the next two weeks and if it is agreed upon that a fourth fight is unnecessary, Team Pacquiao and Top Rank might look elsewhere for a more lucrative payday. And this brings to mind the name of Floyd Mayweather. (Nick Giongco)
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