Pacquiao vs. Marquez: Juan Manuel's 5 Best Quotes Leading Up to the Fight

Filipino superstar and pound-for-pound leader Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38KO) will make his return to the ring on Nov. 12th versus a familiar foe in Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 38KO), who is jumping up 10 pounds in weight to face an opponent he has come close to defeating on two different occasions.

Their first two meetings were memorable bouts with two very different results. What will the third bring us?

In 2004, the first bout saw Pacquiao making a statement early, dropping the Mexican fighter three times in the first round. Marquez showcased the heart of a champion and fought back to earn himself a draw over 12 rounds.

The rematch took place in 2008, and had it not been for a single knockdown suffered by Marquez in Round 3, he may have come away with the victory. Marquez out-landed Pacquiao in the bout, but it was not enough to earn the win, losing a split-decision many had thought he won.

These are Marquez's five best quotes leading up to this weekend's fight, which will go down on HBO pay-per-view.

“The Time I Trained for Mayweather Was Good, but This Has Been Better”

“The Time I Trained for Mayweather Was Good, but This Has Been Better.” - From HBO's 24/7

A lot has been made about Marquez's first venture into the welterweight division when he was dominated for 12 rounds against Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was coming off a two-year retirement at the time.

That 2008 bout saw Marquez moving up in weight for the first time, but the Mexican warrior insists he is making the proper changes to make sure those problems don't happen again.

“The Peaks Are Aged, but They Still Turn Green Every Year”

“The Peaks Are Aged, but They Still Turn Green Every Year.” - From HBO's 24/7

At 38, Marquez doesn't have much time left in the sport, but he still has enough left to challenge Pacquiao for a third time, and his experience may be key to him winning this fight.

They first met when Marquez was 31, and although the lightweight champion has hinted at retirement if he loses this fight, a victory could mean many more years of continued success.

Even if he comes up short, the lightweight division is a place where he could continue to dominate, as he has for years now.

“People Will See Another War”

“People Will See Another War.” - From HBO's Face Off with Max Kellerman

When Marquez and Pacquiao sat down together to review their first two fights, fans got a glimpse of what they were thinking during key moments in the fights, most notable the four knockdowns that took place over the 24 rounds.

Both of their meetings were Fight of the Year candidates, and both contained back-and-forth shifts of momentum that make up the best of boxing. After the final bell rung, nobody really knew who was going to come out victorious.

Expect to see the same after Saturday night.

“I Need to Change Everything”

“I Need to Change Everything.” - From an interview with MaxBoxing.com

Going into the third fight, Marquez feels he "needs to change everything," but it's Pacquiao who has changed more since the last fight from 2008. It will be put to the ultimate test when they finally meet for the final time.

Neither fighter has talked about any specific changes, but Marquez has shown he has the ability to adapt and change his gameplan within a single round of any boxing match against any opponent, and that's one of the many reasons why Marquez has been so victorious in numerous battles.

If he has the ability to change over a single round, imagine if he has four years to make those changes.

“One Single Blink Can Determine the Fight”

One Single Blink Can Determine the Fight.” - From TopRank.com

Leading into this weekend's fight, Marquez and trainer Nacho Beristain have talked about Pacquiao's ability to "surprise" Marquez, which is the main reason why he was knocked down so many times over the first two fights.

Marquez can't let Pacquiao surprise him this time around, and he knows it may mean the end of the fight and his career if he loses focus for a single second.

Expect Marquez's focus to be as good as it has ever been before for this fight.