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2012 Boxing Free Pick: Manny Pacquiao -300 vs. Juan Manuel Marquez    
By Drew Sharper

LAS VEGAS, NV (TheSpread) – Manny Pacquiao looks to put an official end to his rivalry with Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night. Can he do it, or will Marquez get the last laugh?

The fight is a non-title welterweight collision and will air live on HBO PPV. According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Pacquiao (54-4-2) is the favorite to win this contest, as he has a money line of -270. Marquez (54-6-1) comes in with odds of +210 to win. This fight will take place from the MGM Grand Garden Arena and be the fourth meeting between these two.

In the three previous meetings between these two fighter, neither man has finished the other and neither has won by unanimous decision. In their first meeting back on May 8 of 2004, the two fought to a draw. Their second meeting on March 15 of 2008 saw Pacquiao getting the nod via split decision, with one judge scoring the bout for Marquez. The third fight last November saw Pacquiao one again earn a decision victory. That time saw Pacquiao win on two scorecards, while the third judge saw the fight as a draw.

Pacquiao last fought in June and suffered a decision loss to Timothy Bradley. It was the first loss Pacquiao had suffered since 2005. Though losing officially, the fight was heavily disputed. Regardless of how it went down, Pacquiao didn’t look all that dominant and it marked his fifth-straight fight where he failed to finish his opponent.

Marquez has arguably been the toughest opponent Pacquiao has had in his career, but he still has yet to beat him in three previous tries, and he isn’t getting any younger (39). His last fight saw him beat Serhiy Fedchenko for the Interim WBO Light Welterweight title, but Fedchenko is not Pacquiao.

BOXING FREE PICK: I think Pacquiao is the better fighter, but not by much. I don’t see Marquez winning this fight for multiple reasons beyond just skill. A fifth fight between these two won’t be very marketable. A fourth barely is. Pacquiao has a destined rematch with Bradley that can still make good money and a possible clash with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Unless Marquez can knock out Pacquiao cold, I don’t see him doing very well on the cards. I don’t think Pacquiao wins by KO either, but he will do enough to earn another decision. BOXING FREE PICK: MANNY PACQUIAO -270.

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