USA: BOXING: Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez take turns practicing in the ring ahead of their Las Vegas fight

Record ID: 332847

  • Title: USA: BOXING: Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez take turns practicing in the ring ahead of their Las Vegas fight
  • Date: 15th September 2009
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 14, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ PRACTICING IN RING VARIOUS OF CROWD WATCHING MARQUEZ PRACTICING IN RING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ SAYING: "It's a very difficult fight. Floyd Mayweather is a very strong fighter, hard, who moves well, who has a great defense. I have a hard fight coming u
  • Embargoed: 30th September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA89A1U49WPLC53GD8DL73HPRH8
  • Story Text: A boxing firestorm is spreading as six-time world champion Floyd Mayweather prepares to defend his undefeated record against five-time world champion Juan Manuel Marquez. The two trained in Los Angeles on Monday (September 14) ahead of their Saturday (September 19) bout in Las Vegas.
    Mayweather has won all 39 of his career bouts, including 25 by knockout, but the American will be making his first appearance in the ring for almost two years as he takes on Marquez, a Mexico City native who has a 50-4-1 record with 37 knockouts.
    Marquez has beefed up through a brutal training regime highlighted by lifting boulders up a mountain slope.
    "It's a very difficult fight. Floyd Mayweather is a very strong fighter, hard, who moves well, who has a great defense. I have a hard fight coming up this Saturday," said Marquez.
    He is backed by one of boxing's biggest names, Oscar De La Hoya, who says he thinks Marquez can take Mayweather down.
    "It's a huge fight for all of Mexico. It's a huge fight for all the Mexicans that are here in the United States. It's a big celebration," said De La Hoya.
    De La Hoya is well versed in Mayweather's strengths, having lost the WBC super-welterweight title to him on a split decision in May 2007, the highest-grossing fight in boxing history.
    As for Mayweather, he has not fought since his 10th round stoppage of Britain's Ricky Hatton in a WBC welterweight title bout in December 2007. He says he's confident he'll win.
    "Every fighter that they put in front of me, they all have the same game plan, and if he's got the same game plan, he's going to come up short," said Mayweather.
    Saturday's match will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and air live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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