Pacquiao vs Marquez: Why Pacquiao Will Succeed Under Pressure

Manny Pacquiao knows what is at stake. The trilogy with Marquez will be decided on Saturday night; questions about his age and focus will be answered; most of all, the Superfight with Floyd Mayweather is on the line. With Mayweather finally willing to play ball with Pacquiao, steroid tests and all, now is the time to finally set up the fight.

First, Manny has to take care of an old nemesis. That is a lot of pressure for one man to endure, but Pacquiao will answer the call. Marquez is a formidable, but beatable foe.

Though the previous fights have been very competitive and controversial, this one will be different. The increased weight, coupled with Marquez's advanced age (38 years old) will help Pacquiao.

Manny could have won, as he has shown, without these factors, but they only increase the odds that he will be victorious in the third fight.

When a fighter is under this much pressure, normally I'd worry about their focus. That would especially be the case for someone like Pacquiao, who is involved in so many things aside from boxing.

Manny doesn't appear to be looking past Marquez, though it would be easy to see how he could. He respects Marquez as a worthy and dangerous opponent. I also thinks he knows he's an even better puncher now than he was in their last two fights.

Pacquiao is the rare personality in sports that is capable of dealing with immense pressure and expectation. He has been unflappable.

His confidence level is huge and his strength is that he keeps that within. He wants Mayweather, and whether he publicly admits it or not, he needs him to validate his career. He will not let Marquez stand in his way to attempt to prove his greatness.

Pacquiao knows he's going to stop Marquez, and then he will have to wait on Floyd. Hopefully, we'll all be in for a treat come May of 2012.