• Boxing

Pacquiao keen for Marquez revenge

Marquez celebrates his victory over Pacquiao in December © PA Photos

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Freddie Roach insists Manny Pacquiao will be eyeing revenge against Juan Manuel Marquez if he beats Brandon Rios later this month - and is still refusing to rule out a clash with Floyd Mayweather.

Pacquiao faces a crucial fight against Rios on November 23 as he looks to avoid a third successive defeat, following the knockout delivered to him by Marquez in Las Vegas last year.

And Roach insists the 34-year-old will be determined to avenge that loss once he has overcome the obstacle of Rios.

"We wanted to fight Marquez but Marquez refused to fight us. We want Marquez one more time, yes. That's the fight we want," Roach told Boxing News .

"Mayweather too of course, but Marquez, he got lucky and we want to take that back."

That knock out had many people questioning whether Pacquiao would continue his career, and the bout against Rios is seen as crucial as to whether he will keep fighting.

Roach has even suggested he will tell Pacquiao to retire if he loses to Rios, but he is adamant he will not need to have that conversation with him after seeing how well he has responded to the highly-publicised knockout to Marquez.

Drawing on the experience of his own career in the ring, Roach is convinced Pacquaio is a different breed of boxer to most and will be able to move on from his Las Vegas setback against Rios.

"He has definitely put the knockout behind him. Manny Pacquiao knows that the knockout is part of the sport." He said.

"To be honest with you, when I was knocked out for the first time, it changed my whole career, because I was never as brave as Manny.

"I lost my self-confidence. But Manny is not like me. Manny is a realist and he accepts it. I know everybody doesn't think the same way, but since he accepts it, it doesn't bother him."

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