Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - In a rematch of their classic 2004 draw, Manny Pacquiao outdueled Juan Manuel Marquez and won a razor-thin 12-round split decision to claim the WBC super featherweight championship at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.
Duane Ford scored the fight 115-112 for Pacquiao, Jerry Roth gave the fight to Marquez by the same margin and Tom Miller scored the bout 114-113 for Pacquiao.
The two previously met May 5, 2004, a bout in which Pacquiao (46-3-2) knocked Marquez down three times in the first round before Marquez (48-4-1) recovered to earn a draw.
The southpaw Pacquiao won on the strength of the fight's only knockdown. Late in the third round, Pacquiao connected with a straight left to Marquez's chin and floored the defending champion.
Pacquiao opened up a cut outside of Marquez's right eye with an accidental headbutt midway through round seven, and controlled most of the middle rounds of the fight. A straight left from Pacquiao opened up another more substantial cut on Marquez's right eye in the ninth, then staggered Marquez with a wild, overhand early in the tenth.
Marquez, who used a more tactical, efficient style to counteract Pacquiao's aggression and power, made a late comeback in the final two rounds, but could not earn the decision. Marquez landed more punches, 172 to 157, and was more accurate, but the powerful Filipino caused enough damage to earn the hard- fought win.
In the night's semi-main event, Steven Luevano retained his WBO featherweight championship with a convincing unanimous decision over Terdsak Jandaeng. Luevano (35-1) won 119-109 on two of the judges' scorecards and 118-109 on the third.
It was the second successful title defense for Luevano, who won the vacant featherweight title with a TKO victory over Nicky Cook in July 2007, then defended the title against Antonio Davis in with a unanimous decision in October 2007.
Jandaeng (29-3), came into the fight off a knockout of Moses Seran in October 2007.
