Peñalosa: Marquez won't last three rounds

MANILA, Philippines - Gerry Peñalosa, the former two-time world champion, doesn’t see Juan Manuel Marquez lasting three rounds against Manny Pacquiao.

“He won’t last longer than that. I will put my money on the first, second and third rounds. That’s as far as I would go,” said Peñalosa.

Peñalosa said it would be too much for Marquez, who will be 38 by the time he faces Pacquiao on Nov. 12, to move up in weight.

The third fight between the two great champions is set at a catchweight of 144 pounds.

Pacquiao, 32, and Marquez have fought twice, at 126 pounds in 2004 and at 130 pounds in 2008, and both fights were close ones.

It was a draw the first time, a controversial draw, before Pacquiao scored a razor-thin split decision the second time they met.

Marquez went down thrice in the first meeting and once in the second.

This time, Peñalosa said Marquez, practically a newcomer in the welterweight class, is going down for good.

“Marquez will be too slow as a welterweight, and it will take a lot off his power,” said Peñalosa, always at ringside in Pacquiao’s latest fights in the US.

Marquez had fought once over 140 pounds in 2009, but looked awful against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Then he dropped down to 135 and became the lightweight champion with victories over Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis.

When the fight against Pacquiao was sealed, he opted for a tuneup fight, and found a perfect fall guy in Likar Ramos a couple of weeks back.

Marquez sent Ramos down and out in less than two minutes. But Peñalosa assured that it won’t happen to Pacquiao.

“How many times did Pacquiao floor Marquez? Manny maintained both his speed and power at a higher weight, and I can’t imagine how Marquez will handle that,” said Peñalosa.