Pugilmania is coming

If last week's unification bout between Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov sent you looking for a pot of coffee, Saturday's rubber match between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez should more than make up for the lack of action provided by the heavyweight snoozer.

Vazquez-Marquez III is the first of four can't-miss bouts over the next seven weeks. There will be other action during this stretch of pugilmania, but each of these four matchups contains the same critical element: Every fighter mentioned has a chance to win and in each contest, anything can happen.

ISRAEL VAZQUEZ-RAFAEL MARQUEZ III

WHEN: Saturday at 9 p.m.

TV: Showtime.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Not only Vazquez's WBC super bantamweight crown, but de facto supremacy in the 122-pound division.

THE SKINNY: After getting his schnozz hammered into putty and stopped in the seventh round by Marquez in their first fight in March, Vazquez exacted revenge the following August by stopping his fellow Mexico City native in round six of 2007's Fight of the Year.

The 30-year-old Vazquez, 42-4 with 31 knockouts, and the 32-year-old Marquez, 37-4 (33), went toe to toe in the bloody rematch, with Marquez hitting the deck in the final round.

Marquez, who vacated his IBF bantamweight championship to move up to 122 pounds last year, was also floored in the first fight. However, he was able to get back up and pound his opponent's beak until a metabolic blockage completely closed his left nostril and 90-percent sealed up his right one, forcing the stoppage even though Vazquez was coming on.

It was an exciting fight, but the second meeting had even more action as both men traded bombs from the opening round, with Marquez apparently emboldened by the results of their first tilt.

Vazquez nearly put Marquez down in an all-action third round, but Marquez fought gamely off the ropes. In the end, though, Vazquez, bleeding profusely from cuts over both eyes, fought through the gore and stopped the proud Marquez, who was also cut.

The winner of this fight could move up to 126 pounds or remain the king at 122, knowing he is also one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

This meeting has all of the indications of once again earning fight of the year honors and going down as one of the best trilogies in the history of the sport.

THE PICK: Marquez will likely box more this fight, but Vazquez smells blood and has all of the momentum. Vazquez inside of nine.

OLEG MASKAEV-SAMUEL PETER

WHEN: Saturday, March 8.

TV: HBO.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: The WBC heavyweight championship.

THE SKINNY: The hard-hitting 39-year-old Maskaev, 34-5 (26), showed he was still a force in the heavyweight division when he once again stopped former undisputed heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman in their August rematch.

The 27-year-old Peter, 29-1 (22), showed a serious vulnerability against Jameel McCline in October, but still possesses one of the biggest punches in the division.

The winner of this bout will put himself in prime position to face either the comebacking Vitali Klitschko, who is out with yet another injury, or his brother, IBF-WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko in yet another unification bout.

THE PICK: Along with his power, Maskaev can box fairly well and possesses a pretty good chin. Peter should be at the peak of his game as he gets the biggest opportunity of his life. It should be a close fight, with the more aggressive "Nigerian Nightmare" eking out a controversial split-decision victory over "The Big O" in Cancun, Mexico.

MANNY PACQUIAO-JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ II

WHEN: Saturday, March 15.

TV: HBO Pay Per View.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Marquez's WBC super featherweight belt aside, bragging rights as the 130-pound division's real champion.

THE SKINNY: In their first meeting in 2004 - at 126 pounds - the now 29-year-old Pacquiao, 45-3-2 (35), put the now 34-year-old Marquez, 48-3-1 (35), on the canvas three times in the first round. But the plucky Marquez got up and boxed well enough to earn a controversial 12-round draw with "Pac-Man."

Both men have gone on to beat Marco Antonio Barrera - Marquez retired him - and Pacquiao also sent Erik Morales packing. The winner could go on to move up to 135 pounds or hang around to meet undefeated slugger Edwin Valero or slick stylist Joan Guzman at 130.

THE PICK: Pacquiao has improved since their first meeting and his career has somehow yet to arc. Marquez, while still an excellent boxer, looked beatable against Terdsak Jandaeng in August 2006 at Lake Tahoe. Pacquiao by bloody eighth-round stoppage.

JOE CALZAGHE-BERNARD HOPKINS

WHEN: Saturday, April 19.

TV: HBO Pay Per View.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Hopkins' linear light heavyweight championship.

THE SKINNY: Before moving up to beat then light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, the now 43-year-old Hopkins, 48-4-1 (32) with 1 no contest, defended his middleweight championship a division-record 20 times (he lost twice in a row to Jermain Taylor).

The soon to be 36-year-old Calzaghe, 44-0 (32), the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world, has defended his crown a division record-tying 21 times.

The winner of this bout could go on and face Roy Jones Jr. - which would be a rematch for Hopkins, who lost to Jones in his first crack at the IBF middleweight title back in 1993.

THE PICK: Hopkins has lowered himself by turning this into a race war, proclaiming he'd never lose to a "white boy." But what "The Executioner" has lost to in the past in Jones and Taylor are fighters with fast hands, fast feet and in-and-out styles, which Calzaghe, white boy or not, has in abundance. It's all about the axiom of styles make fights. In this case, "The Prince of Wales" will outbox B-Hop over 12 rounds for a unanimous decision win.