MANILA, Philippines - It’s no secret that Mike Tyson likes Manny Pacquiao, one time being there at the gym as the Filipino superstar trained for a fight and at times sitting at ringside as Pacquiao fought.
The youngest and fiercest heavyweight champion the world had ever seen likes Pacquiao because of the excitement he provides the fans -- in and out of the ring
Tyson, now busy with the better things in life, is already looking forward to Pacquiao’s fourth fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
He said he’ll be there.
“That’s going to be a pretty interesting fight. I’m going to watch that fight,” Tyson told The Examiner at the Bellagio in Las Vegas the other day for the WBC Pension Fund auction.
But he’s not ready to pick the winner of the fight.
“It’s going to be tough for Pacquiao. It’s a tough fight for him. I can’t believe he’s fighting that guy again,” said Tyson, who came to see Pacquiao as the latter trained for the Oscar dela Hoya fight.
Pacquiao and Marquez have fought three close fights, each one as controversial as the other. Some say Marquez won the third fight, but others insist the 39-year-old Mexican didn’t do enough.
Personally, Marquez thinks he won them all.
Like Tyson, others are quite surprised why Pacquiao is taking on Marquez one more time when their heads-on duel has him ahead with two wins and a draw.
After Pacquiao faced Marquez for 12 hard rounds in 2004, which ended in a draw despite three knockdowns in the opening round, Pacquiao was told never to fight Marquez again.
“Huwag na huwag mo na lalabanan yan,” said the late Rod Nazario, Pacquiao’s business manager then.
But here he is, up against Marquez for the fourth time. While Pacquiao said he wants to put a closure to their rivalry, it’s really more about the money why he chose Marquez over Tim Bradley.
Tyson also talked about the other great Filipino world champion, Nonito Donaire Jr. who puts his WBO and IBF super-bantamweight titles at stake against Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka on Oct. 13 in Carson, California
“He’s a pretty interesting guy,” Tyson told Chris Robinson of The Examiner.
“He’s a rapper as well, have you seen him before his fights? But he can fight as well, so he can back it up. I just think he has an awesome fighting spirit,” Tyson said of Donaire.