As Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez enter the ring for their fourth and final matchup on Saturday at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas is buzzing as bets come in faster than a Pac-Man flurry.
Everyone is wondering whether Marquez can score the upset, while Pacquiao remains cool and calm headed into the bout. Each fighter wants to put a stamp on this fight and definitively prove he is the better fighter.
Here's a look at the big bets heading into Saturday's showdown in Vegas.
Note: All odds via Bovada as of Friday, Dec. 7
Pacquiao vs. Marquez
Pacquiao (-270) is favored over Marquez (+210), but if there ever was a fighter that could turn the tables on the legendary Filipino, it's Marquez.
After all, many believe Marquez won the two fighters' bout in November 2011, but it was awarded to Pacquiao in a controversial majority decision.
Marquez is looking for the knockout this time around and that may actually help him, given some believe he hasn't been aggressive enough in the past against Pacquiao.
Method of Victory
Pacquiao by KO, TKO, Disqualification: +225
Pacquiao by Decision: Even
Marquez by KO, TKO, Disqualification: +850
Marquez by Decision: +325
Draw: +1800
If there was ever a time to bet for a knockout between these two, this would be the time. Both have come out and said they want to end the fight before it gets to the scorecards, reasonable given their past controversial losses.
The reason the "draw" is so favorable toward the bettor is that if this goes to the scorecards, no judge is going to want to end the rivalry with a draw. It would almost be more unfathomable than Pacquiao and Marquez's controversial losses lately.
Will the Fight Go the Distance?
Odds are set at (-210) for the fight to go the distance and set at (+170) for it to end before the judges have their say.
As mentioned previously, it may not be as bad of a bet as it seems to go for a knockout or a TKO. Both fighters want to win convincingly this time around. In that sense, betting for it to end before the full 12 rounds may actually be a sneaky good pick.
Over/Under
2.5 Rounds: Over (-5000), Under (+1000)
4.5 Rounds: Over (-1400), Under (+575)
6.5 Rounds: Over (-700), Under (+375)
8.5 Rounds: Over (-400), Under (+250)
10.5 Rounds: Over (-270), Under (+185)
Examining all of these over/under bets, I think you would be best off going with the under for 8.5 rounds or 10.5 rounds if you are feeling lucky. Given both fighters are going for the knockout, it's not out of the question that it ends before the 1:30 mark in the ninth round and it's certainly not out of the question that it ends before the midway mark in the 11th round.
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