By ROSS RIVERA

In perhaps boxing’s most intriguing matchup today, Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito finally square off Saturday in front of 70,000 fans in Dallas Stadium, as well as a huge pay-per-view crowd.
Despite legal and political obstacles, both camps claim their fighters are in peak condition to make the scales at the 150-pound catch weight limit Friday.
At 156 pounds in the days remaining, Margarito comes fully prepared to win the world super welterweight championships and prove critics wrong, as well as patch up a tarnished reputation due to the alleged handwrap tampering incident.
For the icon turned Philippines congressman, Pacquiao goes for an unprecedented eighth title, as well as trying to improve conditions for the poor in his homeland.
“I have already achieved my goals in boxing and I want to achieve more in the public service in my country,” Pacquiao said.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, is hardly worried going into the fight.
“It will be an easy fight, just like with Oscar De La Hoya,” he said.
Boxing analyst Doug Fischer expects Pacquiao to win, just not with the ease predicted by Roach.
“I see Manny taking a decision, outboxing him over 12 rounds, but he is going to get marked,” Fischer said.
Perhaps Margarito’s only shortcoming could be his “blood and guts” style that only Pacquiao can conquer when Margarito is at his best.
Why Pacquiao must win.
From a historical context, some of the greatest boxers in the 1930s came out of the Philippines. Some of those names include Zepherino Garcia, Pancho Villa, Speedy Dado and Pablo Dano.
A Philippine and Mexican rivalry exists since that time when greats such as Alberto “Baby” Arrizmendi in the small weights flooded gymnasiums out of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Arrizmendi, who turned pro at 13 (some report 10 as the real age), beat Henry Armstrong, Dado and Dano.
Later, Manny Pasqua of the Philippines knocked out Mexico’s Chiquita Gonzales at the Forum in Inglewood. Juan Manuel Marquez lost once and had a draw against Pacquiao.
Now Pacquiao faces the bigger, stronger Guiness world record breaker in Margarito, who threw over 1,600 punches in a fight with Joshua Clottey. read more