A shining example of familiarity breeding contempt, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez are preparing to battle for a fourth time in the Las Vegas desert later tonight.
Pacquiao has the edge over his Mexican nemesis across nine contentious scorecards, in a pulsating trilogy spanning nearly a decade.
Both men have different points to prove and are aiming to show beyond doubt that they are the superior pugilist this weekend.
Pacquiao's star power has waned slightly since the pair's third meeting, thanks mainly to a hotly-debated decision defeat to Timothy Bradley in June.
The Filipino has struggled to deal with Marquez's precise style in the past and will need to be at his explosive, all-action peak to vanquish the 39-year-old.
Marquez has designs on a decisive victory over his long-time foe before it's too late, and has admitted that he feels only a knockout will ensure his hand is raised.
Look for Pacquiao to try to turn on the accelerator from the outset and land the odd eye-catching shot in the early exchanges.
Marquez is a master technician and if Pacquiao cannot improve the missed punches in bunches of the Bradley fight, the Mexican could come on strong in the middle rounds.
While a frenzied MGM Grand crowd would love to see this one stay out of the judges' hands, a knockout win for either man looks unlikely.
Sports Mole says: If the Pacquiao whirlwind is truly on the slide this could truly be the night Marquez steps out of the Filipino's shadow. A titanic battle followed by an anxious wait for the scorecards is the only guarantee in a mouth-watering meeting of modern-day warriors.
Liam Power
