Setanta Sports to screen Juan Manuel Marquez & Manny Pacquiao’s rematch for the World Super Featherweight Title
London, 7th March 2008: The debate as to who is the best super featherweight in the world will finally be settled on Saturday March 15th, when World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ defends his title against three-division world champion MANNY PACQUIAO in the rematch of their 2004 legendary battle which ended in a draw. Setanta Sports will screen the fight exclusively live in the UK from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Boasting near identical records, Marquez and Pacquiao’s first encounter for the featherweight title ended in a majority draw, following a night of furious back and forth exchanges that kept the cheering fight fans on their feet. The fight was nominated for “Fight of the Year” by the 2004 Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA).
“There isn’t another fight I have wanted as much as this one,” said Marquez, WBC World Super Featherweight Champion. “I won our first fight. He won the first round and I won the next 11. He’s avoided me for four years, saying he is the “Mexican Executioner” but he isn’t because he hasn’t beaten me and he won’t beat me. I’m going to finish the job I started in 2004 and show everyone why I am a champion today.”
Pacquiao said: “I have a lot of respect for Juan Manuel Marquez and his professional accomplishments. He was a worthy opponent the first time we fought and he showed a true champion’s heart to come back and stay in the fight after I knocked him down three times in the first round. He should also remember that it was a judge’s scoring error in the first round that allowed him to keep his titles that night. This is a big fight that will require my hardest training.”
Setanta’s Director of Sport, Trevor East, said: “Marquez vs. Pacquiao II is a fight that boxing fans have been waiting for since 2004 and we are extremely excited to bring it to them on Setanta Sports. This rematch looks set to be even more enthralling than their first encounter, with both fighters wanting to settle the score once and for all. This fight is further proof that Setanta really is the home of boxing in 2008 and a must for all fight fans, with Rees vs. Kotenlik, Woods vs. Tarver and Calzaghe vs. Hopkins all to come before the end of April.”
Marquez vs. Pacquiao II Unfinished Business is not be available on a pay-per-view basis, but only by subscription to Setanta Sports at only £9.99 a month.
Setanta Sports is available for £9.99 a month to satellite viewers, via a Freeview box or an iDTV viewing card adaptor (CAM) and on BT Vision and Tiscali. Virgin Media XL pack subscribers can see Setanta for no additional charge, whilst M and L pack subscribers can add the Setanta Sports Pack for just £9.99 per month.
For information on how to subscribe, go to: setanta.com or call 08712 10 20 30. Virgin Media, BT Vision and Tiscali customers should contact their operator.
For more information:
Call James Matheson or Richard Tompkins at braben on 020 7566 2990 or email james@braben.co.uk / richardt@braben.co.uk