Pacquiao, Marquez set for rematch

Manny Pacquiao has one more fight left in him at 130 pounds, and it could prove to be a memorable one.

Pacquiao will meet Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in a rematch of their May 2004 draw. Marquez's WBC super featherweight title will be on the line in the bout being co-promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions.

"The first fight was sensational, and the second fight will be even better," Top Rank president Bob Arum said Thursday. "Manny said he really wanted Marquez, and he said there'll be no trouble making 130."

There had been speculation that Pacquiao would move up to 135 pounds and fight lightweight champion David Diaz. However, he will get another crack at Marquez, whom he knocked down three times in the first round only to see Marquez storm back and fight to a draw.

The rematch will be shown by HBO Pay Per View.

"Richard Schaefer deserves a lot of credit for making this fight happen," Arum said. "There was a lot of back and forth. Marquez was asking for crazy money. But Richard talked some sense into him, and we're going to have a great rematch."

Schaefer, Golden Boy's chief executive, said Marquez (48-3-1, 35 knockouts) wanted another crack at Pacquiao (45-3-2, 34 KOs), regardless of the purse.

"I had to talk him down on the purse, yes," Schaefer said. "But in the end, it was about Marquez wanting to take this fight for his pride and that of Mexico. He wants to show Pacquiao, 'Yes, you may have beaten Barrera, you may have beaten (Erik) Morales, but you didn't beat me, and you can't beat me.' "

Tickets are expected to go on sale by the end of December.