Marquez finds his match, and his name isn't Pacquiao

After his controversial loss to Manny Pacquiao in March, Juan Manuel Marquez (left) has been itching for a rematch. Chris Cozzone/AFP/Getty Images Forecasting Casamayor vs. Marquez SI.com's Chris Mannix and Sports Illustrated boxing editor Richard O'Brien weigh in on Saturday's big fight. Chris Mannix: The elephant in the room is whether Marquez -- after eating, drinking and sleeping Pacquiao for the last year -- is completely focused on his upcoming bout. Casamayor's style (counterpunching) is the polar opposite of Pacquiao (bull rushing), and the crafty Casamayor has a knack for winning rounds with flurries that don't necessarily hurt, but impress the judges. Still, Marquez is a better technical fighter who will not lose any of his power as a result of the move from super featherweight to lightweight. If Marquez can build an early lead on the scorecards -- and I expect him to do just that -- and force the defensive-minded Casamayor to become the aggressor, he will have a huge advantage. Casamayor's game is to avoid punishment and win rounds counterpunching. Marquez's ability to take him out of that game will be critical. PREDICTION: Marquez, split decision. Richard O'Brien: While it may not be even the best lightweight matchup of the weekend with Campbell and Guzman facing off the same evening, Marquez-Casamayor figures to be a very tough fight. Casamayor looked far from his best in his two most recent bouts, barely surviving against Jose Santa Cruz last November and Katsidis in March. But the southpaw remains one of the slickest, most resourceful fighters in the game. And he knows what's at stake here. A win would cement his status as a true Hall-of-Famer and would also put him in line for significant paydays against the likes of the Campbell-Guzman winner, Diaz and Pacquiao. He'll be up for this one. Marquez will be making his first outing at 135, and he's coming off a very close (some would say mistaken) split-decision loss to Pacquiao in March. At 35, he appears to be in the prime of his career (just ask cruiserweight contender Chris "The Departed" Mannix) and is a classic boxer-puncher who does everything well, even if his considerable power is undercut some by the added weight. He'll bring pressure to bear, and if he can catch his opponent cleanly, Marquez's capable of hurting the Cuban. PREDICTION: Marquez, close decision.

If Manny Pacquiao had a fan club, Juan Manuel Márquez would probably be its president -- as long as Pacquiao promised to show up for the club's meetings. With his trainer. And an official from the WBC.

If Pacquiao ever needed a driver, Márquez would most assuredly hop into his car, grab his passport and make the trip from his home in Mexico City to pick up the "Pac-Man." Only, instead of taking Pacquiao to his destination, Márquez would probably drive to a local boxing gym, enlist a referee and demand Pacquiao lace up his gloves.

That's how desperate Márquez is to fight Pacquiao again.

It's been this way since last March, when in the rematch to their explosive 2004 featherweight fight (a match where Márquez was knocked down three times in the first round before rallying to force a draw) Márquez, the then-reigning WBC super featherweight champion, lost a razor-thin decision to Pacquiao. Two judges scored the fight 115-113 in favor of Márquez and Pacquiao, respectively, while a third gave Pacquiao a 114-113 edge.

Since then, Márquez has done everything short of showing up at Pacquiao's estate in the Philippines with Jay Nady in tow to get the popular Filipino back in the ring. In the aftermath of the rematch, Márquez tried to bait Pacquiao into agreeing to a third go-round immediately after the fight. No dice. All he got was a scolding from Top Rank promoter Bob Arum on the dais.

"Grow up," Arum shouted at Márquez. "Be a man and accept the judge's decision."

Márquez tried to force another fight by chasing Pacquiao to his new weight class, the 135-pound lightweight division. That didn't work either. After systematically dismantling David Diaz for the WBC lightweight title, Pacquiao accepted a lucrative offer to fight Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight. Eating all the chalupa's in Mexico wouldn't make Márquez competitive at 147 pounds.

So what was Márquez left with? A healthy amount of frustration, that's what.

"Manny Pacquiao knows that in the second fight, something strange happened with the decision," said Márquez. "I wanted to fight Pacquiao because I wasn't happy with that decision."

On Saturday, Márquez will have an outlet for those frustrations when he takes on Joel Casamayor (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET) for Casamayor's Ring Magazine lightweight title. While it's not the fight Márquez wanted, it is one he's focused on. In other words, he hasn't been taping photos of Pacquiao to his speed bag during training camp or calling his opponent "Manny Casamayor."

"Joel Casamayor is one of the best 135-pounders," said Márquez, who is (48-4). "I'm going to prove to the people and I'm going to prove to myself that I can do better things in higher [weight classes]."

Still, Márquez can't resist tweaking Pacquiao, even in the context of praising his opponent.

"I just want to prove that I'm fighting the best," said Márquez. "When Pacquiao fought Diaz, he was a champion, yes, but not a top fighter in the 135-pound division. I'm going to prove I'm the best 135-pound fighter out there."

Though the light hitting Casamayor (36-3 with just 22 knockouts) will never be confused for the powerful Pacquiao, he has his own attributes: a cagy southpaw who counterpunches in his sleep. Casamayor's bread-and-butter is lightning quick hands that enable him to throw a flurry of combinations. At 37, he's looked to have one foot in retirement's door before a stunning tenth round knockout of Michael Katsidis last March re-established Casamayor on the lightweight stage.

And much like Márquez before his most recent fight with Pacquiao, Casamayor is talking like a man with something to prove.

"Juan is a great fighter," said Casamayor. "It's a chance for me. I believe 100 percent [that Márquez is the best lightweight]. Better than Nate Campbell, better than Juan Diaz and a lot of other guys in this weight division."