Marquez, Bradley handa na sa laban

MANILA, Philippines - Sinabi ni Juan Manuel Marquez na hindi maka­ka­apekto sa kanyang la­kas at bilis ang pagiging isang 40-anyos na boksi­ngero sa paghahamon kay World Boxing Organization WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr.

“I’m 40 but I feel like I’m 26 or 27,” wika ni Mar­quez sa panayam ng RingTv.com. “I wake up mo­tivated and I train for three hours.”

Nakatakdang magsa­gu­pa sina Marquez at ang 30-anyos na si Bradley sa Ling­go sa Thomas and Mack Center sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Hangad ni Marquez na makagawa ng kasay­sayan bilang tanging Me­xican fighter na nanalo sa limang magkakaibang weight divisions.

“This fight represents ano­ther title opportunity for me – a fifth title,” sabi ni Marquez.

Sina Marquez at Bradley ang dalawang boksi­ngerong tumalo kay Filipino world eight-division titlist Manny Pacquiao no­ong nakaraang taon.

Ayon kay Marquez, no­ong 2011 pa sana niya na­agaw kay Pacquiao ang na­turang WBO welterweight title kundi lamang si­ya natalo mula sa isang kon­trobersyal na majority decision.

“I should have won that title when I fought Pac­quiao in 2011, but I don’t know what happened with the judges,” ani Marquez.

Samantala, sinabi naman ni Bradley na kaila­ngan niyang maging aler­to laban kay Marquez.

“The main thing that I have to do is to stay smart, guys,” sabi ni Bradley. “That’s the main thing. I just have to stay smart and I just have to use my head.”

Ang naturang WBO belt ay inagaw ni Bradley kay Pacquiao via split de­cision noong Hunyo 9, 2012 kasunod ang kabigu­an ng huli kay Marquez.