Marquez weighs in lighter for fourth bout with Pacquiao

It could be at a Boxing Hall of Fame dinner, as both fighters one day are destined to become enshrined. It could be at a convention. Or their paths might cross at someone else’s fight.

After their fight tonight at the MGM Grand Garden – the fourth time they have met in the ring in eight years – they will be linked to each other. And while both say their series doesn’t define their careers, it sure does shape them.

“I think we respect each other as professionals,” Marquez said. “But after what happened in our three previous fights, I don’t think we can have a friendly relationship.”

Pacquiao, who won close decisions in 2008 and 2011 and fought Marquez to a draw in 2004, said he doesn’t plan to invite Marquez out for dinner and a friendly game of darts anytime soon.

“I respect all my opponents,” Pacquiao said. “But I don’t think we’ll become friends outside the ring.”

It’s not out of animosity that Pacquiao and Marquez are unlikely to develop a friendship after boxing. Their worlds are just different.

Pacquiao has a political career in the Philippines that will carry him well past the last time he fights. Marquez, who lives in Mexico City, is likely to remain in the sport in some capacity when he retires.

But they still have unfinished business to tend to tonight. Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 knockouts) is coming off a controversial loss to Timothy Bradley on June 9, and he also is motivated by the fact many fans and boxing media believe he lost to Marquez on Nov. 12, 2011, when he won a 12-round majority decision at the Grand Garden.

Marquez’s motivation is simple – he needs to win convincingly to confirm to everyone he is the better fighter. At 39, Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs) knows this might be his last chance to beat Pacquiao, who turns 34 on Dec. 17 and is committed to fighting in 2013 but not beyond that.

No titles are at stake tonight. It’s simply two of the sport’s best going head to head with both seeking closure to their amazing run together.

“I always focus on every fight but not like this fight,” Pacquiao said. “I trained harder and with no distractions for this fight. I believe the focus in the last Marquez fight wasn’t the best. I feel I won that fight, but this is a fight I feel I must win convincingly.”

Marquez said he prepared for another tough fight.

“It’s going to be a war, and I trained for a war,” he said. “We’re going to fight with a lot of intelligence.”

Both fighters made the 147-pound limit at Friday’s weigh-in, with Pacquiao at 147 and Marquez at a surprisingly light 143. Marquez’s trainer, Nacho Beristain, said the goal was to come in under 147.

“We were looking for 143, 144 pounds, so we’re very pleased,” Beristain said.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said he was surprised Marquez came in so light but that it won’t change his fighter’s preparation.

“A couple of pounds won’t make a difference,” Roach said. “My concern is with Manny, and he came in perfect at 147. We’re ready to go.”

After the weigh-in, the two camps met with Nevada Athletic Commission officials, referee Kenny Bayless and tonight’s judges – Adalaide Byrd, Steve Weisfeld and John Keane – to be clear about how the fight will be scored.

It was an unprecedented move by the commission, which normally doesn’t make its judges available to anyone before a fight. But chairman Bill Brady thought a fight of this magnitude, coupled with the history of close, controversial decisions, warranted having the judges at the rules meeting with the camps.

NAC executive director Keith Kizer discussed the criteria the judges will implement – effectiveness of punches landed, effective aggression and ring generalship. Neither Roach nor Beristain had any questions, and the judges did not speak during the 25-minute meeting.

Roach said there was no need to have the judges attend.

“If they do their job like they’re supposed to,” he said, “everything will be fine.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.