Manny Pacquiao suffered the worst loss of his boxing career when he was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth showdown, but the Filipino boxing icon does not see the same scenario happening again.
Pacquiao was ahead on the score cards and looked poise to knock Marquez out during their fourth showdown in December 2012, but Marquez connected with a powerful counter punch, which was enough to knock the former pound-for-pound king out cold en route to a win.
In his upcoming fight against Floyd Mayweather on May 2 at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Pacquiao vowed that it will not happen again because he is 100 percent prepared for all things Mayweather will throw into him in their Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown next month.
"That will never happen again," Pacquiao said of a loss like his knockout defeat to Marquez. "I am ready, physically, mentally and, especially spiritually. I took that dream and eventual defeat more of a lesson from Somebody up there. A reminder that I should, all the more, serve Jesus by way of spreading His words and teachings."
Pacquiao said that he can still remember how painful that loss to Marquez is, not because he absorbed the fifth defeat of his career, but he felt he let his countrymen down.
"My sadness lasted for only a short while though. I recovered easily and, in fact, I wanted to fight April of the following year," Pacquiao said. "But my family, my wife, my parents, brothers and sisters, friends and associates advised me to rest a while and think things over."
And because he is aware his fellow Filipinos are going to support him more in the biggest fight of his career, Pacquiao knows that he cannot let the same thing happen again next month, which is the main reason why he is training harder than ever for the upcoming fight.
The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, which is expected to become the richest fight in boxing history, will be broadcasted by the three biggest networks in the Philippines. Pacquiao personally requested to the networks to unite and carry the fight simultaneously so that more Filipinos will be able to watch him face Mayweather.
Pacquiao, who is coming off a convincing unanimous decision win against Chris Algieri in their title fight in November last year, will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title. He will also aiming to add the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association welterweight crowns two his collection -- two world titles that currently belongs to Mayweather.
