Manny Pacquiao is itching to make his fifth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez happen and he wants their rivalry finale to take place in his home country, the former eighth-division world champion said in an interview with a major television station in the Philippines.
Pacquiao is scheduled to begin his training camp in the coming weeks for his make-or-break fight against Brandon Rios on Nov. 24 in Macau, China. Though he's focus right now for his upcoming fight with the hard-hitting California native, Pacquiao couldn't resist to talk about the possibility of a fifth showdown with his fiercest Mexican rival.
In an interview on an ABS-CBN news program Bandila, Pacquiao said he's still willing to engage in another brutal contest with Marquez should the WBO order both of them to face each other one more time.
"I am very willing. I liked it," Pacquiao said of another battle with Marquez, who dealt the Filipino champ the most devastating loss of his career after knocking him out in the sixth round of their welterweight fight last December.
WBO President Francis 'Paco' Valcarcel announced last week that the winner of Pacquiao-Rios fight will become the mandatory challenger to the winner of the WBO Welterweight Championship bout between Marquez and undefeated American boxer Tim Bradley on October 12.
"If Marquez and Pacquiao both win, the World Boxing Organization regulations would view the Filipino as [the mandatory] challenger to Juan Manuel. Pacquiao goes against Rios for the WBO International title, while Marquez will attempt to capture the world welterweight championship of the WBO from Bradley. If both win the bout between them would be ready, but of course, the fighters have the last word," Valcarcel told Boxing Scene.
The Pacquiao-Marquez V seems unlikely to take place after the Mexican boxer Marquez made it clear that he has no intention of fighting "the Pacman" again.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao appears ready to take on the challenge again, if Marquez softens his stance on fighting him again. If everything falls into place, Pacquiao said he will try to bring the showdown to the Philippines.
"I hope the fight will take place in the Philippines. I would try my best to make it happen," said Pacquiao.
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