MANILA, Philippines - Not even the added muscles could help Juan Manuel Marquez pull the odds even slightly to his favor.
Two weeks before the big fight, the fight odds remained heavily stacked in favor of Manny Pacquiao repeating over his Mexican rival.
As of yesterday the reigning WBO welterweight champion remained the -800 favorite, meaning you need $800 to win just a hundred bucks.
Marquez, six years older at 38, stayed at +500. It’s been that way when the odds first came out, and could stay that way until fight night.
A couple of weeks ago, a video of Marquez was posted on the Internet. He was in training in Mexico, as bulky as he’d never been seen before.
Marquez is getting special treatment from a team of specialists making sure he puts on the added heft needed for him to cope with Pacquiao.
Roach said Marquez is entitled to anything he wants.
“He looks like he put on some muscle,” he told The Examiner:
“Getting a little stronger. Maybe, he’ll try to exchange with us. I hope that happens,” added the hottest trainer in boxing today.
Roach should be happier as Marquez gets bigger and heavier because that could make him slow and sluggish.
Pacquiao and Marquez fought to a draw in 2004 at 126 lb, and Pacquiao won a spilt decision in 2008 at 130 lb.
Again, Marquez should feel the difference when he fights at 144 lb.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, is just going through the motions in training, just as comfortable with his weight.
There’s nothing new, nothing unusual in Pacquiao’s training, no special concoctions and no need to drink his urine, like Marquez.
“I still say, Manny has become a completely different fighter than Manny Pacquiao that first fought him long time ago,” Roach added.
“This fight won’t last six rounds,” he said.
Well, that’s what the fight odds suggest.