Juan Manuel Marquez's path to a rematch with Manny Pacquiao stretched from Indonesia to the side of a Mexican volcano, stopping at two-bit fights and disappointing decisions before winding back to Las Vegas. Nearly four years later, Marquez still wouldn't change a thing about his strange odyssey. After all, not many easy roads run out of the toughest barrios in Mexico City. “I don't regret anything,” Marquez said. “It was a great experience. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.” Marquez (48-3-1, 35 KOs) and Pacquiao (45-3-2, 34 KOs) fought to an acclaimed draw in May 2004, and two of boxing's most gifted combatants are back together at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in a match for Marquez's WBC 130-pound (59-kg) title. Both bloodied fighters raised their arms in victory after their first bout, in which Pacquiao floored Marquez three times in the first round, but lost most of the late rounds to the resurgent Mexican champion. “I thought that fight was over,” Pacquiao said. “I was surprised that he's getting up and he came on fighting. I couldn't believe it. I totally underestimated Marquez in the first fight.” The rematch would have happened almost immediately if Pacquiao, the fighters' promoters and millions of fans had their way. Bob Arum, who promoted Marquez then and promotes Pacquiao now, thought the deal would be simple. But motivated by pride and what most believe was awful advice from Nacho Beristain, his talented trainer and perhaps not-so-talented manager, Marquez spurned the matchup and embarked on a journey that wound across continents. Just how proud was Marquez? After turning down a $750,000 payday against Pacquiao, he ended up fighting for $30,000 in Indonesia, where he lost his 126-pound (57-kg) title to Chris John. “I wanted to show that sometimes money is not the issue,” Marquez said. “I wanted to show that my pride is first, and I don't accept anybody stepping on me or my pride or insulting me with those kinds of offers.” Marquez still distrusts Arum, but the Top Rank czar easily made a deal with Golden Boy Promotions, Marquez's new representation. Marquez will even make more than the $750,000 he could have had back then, though he can't get back the 2 1/2 years he spent in minor bouts against the likes of Jimrex Jaca and Terdsak Jandaeng before retaking the world stage with a unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Barrera one year ago. “To do this fight, I made a lot of concessions because they wanted to avoid me,” Marquez said. “They wanted for me to say no. I accepted them because I wanted to prove to them that this time it's going to be different.” Marquez believes his preparation will make the difference. While Pacquiao trained for two punishing months at sea level in Hollywood, Marquez set up camp in Toluca, Mexico, where he made countless runs in the 13,000-foot air up the side of Nevado de Toluca, a two-crater volcano. “I think Juan Manuel is ready because he is a better fighter now,” Beristain said. “All this time, we have been working and training and getting better. Manny Pacquiao isn't fighting the same fighter. Juan Manuel is better.” With four years of improved technique and counterpunching acumen, Marquez is a fearsome opponent for Pacquiao, widely considered the second-best pound-for-pound fighter in the world behind Floyd Mayweather Jr. But Pacquiao also has improved under trainer Freddie Roach, notably developing a potent right hook to go with his punishing lefts and nonstop, heedless style. “Because it's been so long since their first fight, there's not a lot you can take from that,” Roach said. “You have to get a whole new approach. You don't know how either guy is going to react to the changes that the other guy made, but we think we're ready for it.” National pride also is at stake. Pacquiao has made a career of pounding the Mexican fighters who often dominate his weight divisions, including Barrera and Erik Morales in recent months. Barrera, Morales and Marquez have been boxing-mad Mexico's top champions since Julio Cesar Chavez's decline, and Pacquiao could complete the hat trick with a win over Marquez - or Marquez could become the No. 1 contender for his nation's heart with a victory. “Pacquiao has a new nickname – the killer of Mexicans,” said Barrera, the beloved champion who retired after losing to both Marquez and Pacquiao last year but is mounting a comeback. “Juan Manuel is coming to change history. Pacquiao will have more experience, but Marquez is very good in this fight. I can't say who will win.” __
