Pacquiao: Part III will be the last

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao announced during the final press conference this is going to be his last fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Well, it’s either he’s so sure of a victory or he must have totally forgotten about the rematch clause stated under the fight contract.

It must be the former.

“This is going to be our last fight,” Pacquiao said as his way of teasing fight fans to come and see Saturday’s fight at the MGM Grand.

If Pacquiao wins the fight, the third between these two great warriors, then it will be their last. The rematch will only happen if Marquez wins this one.

But again, Pacquiao has said many times leading to Saturday’s fight that he wants to provide the answers to all the questions surrounding their first two fights.

They fought to a draw in 2004 and fought another close one in 2008, with Pacquiao winning a razor-thin split decision.

Pacquao said his motivation for this bout is far greater than for any of his previous fights. He feels Marquez had disrespected him in shouting to the world that he had beaten him twice.

Money-wise, this should also be the biggest for both boxers. Reports said Pacquiao is guaranteed $22 million and may hit $30 million when everything comes in; Marquez is guaranteed $5 million.

During the well-attended press conference at the Hollywood Theater of the MGM Grand, again it was pretty evident that Pacquiao dislikes Marquez.

They stood side by side, and then face to face, before the press, but they never spoke. After the photo-op, Marquez tapped Pacquiao’s shoulder with his left hand and seemed to have offered his right.

But Pacquiao moved to his left and walked away.

No handshakes.

“It’s not good for a boxer to trash talk. You can be a good fighter even if you don’t say bad things about your opponent,” Pacquiao said before the press conference.

“He wore a t-shirt he beat me twice or he was robbed. It’s his freedom to do that but to me something inside my heart, well he’s my friend, but inside my heart we have a business to do. We will make sure there is no issue after the fight,” he added.

With Marquez just inches away to his left, Pacquiao also said, “I’m praying not only for myself but that no one gets hurt, (meaning) hurt like badly hurt,” he said, drawing some laughter.

“Boxing is hitting each other but I hope it will end by people loving it,” he said.

Marquez had his turn at the microphone, and said something like he’d never been a trash talker.

“A lot of people know me I don’t like talking outside the ring. I just want to give another great show, another great fight,” he said.

Pacquiao looked the other way.