By Chris Williams: An already in shape Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) has reportedly started training for his November 12th fight against World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez is currently in the Philippines right now, and looking in fighting shape with two months to go before their third fight.

Marquez, 38, will be fighting Pacquiao at a catchweight of 144 lbs, a weight which really gives Pacquiao a huge advantage. Marquez says that he wanted to get a catchweight closer to where he normally fights at but he was afraid to ask, thinking that Pacquiao wouldn’t budge. Marquez is probably lucky he got any catchweight at all for this fight. However, he may not need it if Pacquiao looks as old as sluggish as he’s looked in his last two fights against Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley.

In both fights, Pacquiao was unable to move around the ring like he used to do. Pacquiao’s once quick movements have been reduced to a slow plod, giving him the appearance of a fighter that has lost his legs. His hand speed also looks slower. All I can think of is perhaps it’s from all the eating Pacquiao is doing in order to keep his weight up so that he can campaign as a welterweight.

The result seems to be that Pacquiao’s movements are slowing down to a crawl. That’s a big advantage for Marquez, because it was Pacquiao’s jumping around that saved him getting completely dominated by the more skilled Marquez in their two prior fights. If you take away Pacquiao’s ability to move around, he’s a lot more vulnerable against a guy Marquez. Pacquiao is said to be plagued by a chronic cramping problem when he fights. This could be the side effects of keeping his weight too high for what his small body can handle.