Pacquiao vs. Marquez: Pacquiao's Brash Words Before Fight Unusual

When you think Manny Pacquiao before a fight, you think the opposite of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

While Mayweather does his best to spark an audience, Pacquiao has largely been quiet and subdued, preferring to do his talking with his gloves.

But something has changed in Pacquiao leading up to this third and final fight with longtime rival Juan Manuel Marquez. And he's doing plenty of talking.

Think about all the soundbites so far leading up to the fight. Notice how most of the barbs have come from Pacquiao's camp? Notice how Marquez has said very little?

On Tuesday, Pacquiao called Marquez out for being a nice guy. Pacquiao, mind you, is considered one of the nicest guys in boxing.

He also called Marquez a "genius" for playing the nice-guy card, then said, via Yahoo! Sports:

"

"He thinks that if he is very nice and respectful to me before the fight then I will go easy on him and will not knock him out.

“It is very smart. But I am smarter than him because I know what he is trying to do.”

"

Notice what he did there? He's already saying he's going to knock Marquez out and that he's the smarter boxer.

But it certainly doesn't end there.

Pacquiao has also said Marquez "disrespected" him for claiming he one both of their fights. While that's understandable, keep in mind Marquez hasn't said anything since and Pacquiao won't let it rest.

But Pacquiao isn't stopping at Marquez. Now he's going after Mayweather.

Talking about Mayweather's controversial knockout of Victor Ortiz in September, in which Mayweather hit Ortiz when he wasn't looking after a break, Pacquiao said, via AFP:

"

"I won't do that. I don't want to disappoint the fans. I care about the fans. I don't want them to be disappointed.

"Nothing wrong with what he did. It's legal. But we are talking about sportsmanship."

"

Said Roach, "Manny has a little extra fire in him. He has been a little rougher on his sparring partners."

Sounds to me he's been a little rougher in general.

I don't know what's gotten into Pacquiao, whether he's becoming a better promoter or he's as pumped up headed into the Marquez fight than he's ever been.

I do know this: This is not the same Manny Pacquiao.