Thursday, March 18, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Pacquiao, Marquez to fight May 8

By ROYCE FEOUR
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Manny Pacquiao, coming off his sensational knockout victory over Marco Antonio Barrera, will meet featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on May 8 at the MGM Grand Garden, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday.

Marquez, of Mexico City, will be defending his WBA and IBF 126-pound titles in the HBO-televised fight against Pacquiao, who relinquished his IBF junior featherweight title.

Pacquiao (38-2-1) moved up to featherweight and stopped Barrera in the 11th round on Nov. 15 in San Antonio in one of the best performances of 2003.

"This fight is going to be one of the marquee fights of the year because it is so competitive," Arum said.

Marquez (42-2) won the WBA featherweight belt by stopping Manuel Medina in the seventh round and added the IBF title with a victory over Derrick Gainer last year.

The other televised fight on the card will feature undefeated junior welterweight Miguel Cotto (19-0) against Juan Valenzuela (19-6).