HOLLYWOOD–As the fight draws closer, the odds get bigger in favor of Manny Pacquiao.
In a trend that has boosted the stock of the Filipino ring icon, bookmakers have installed Pacquiao as 2-1 favorite to dethrone Juan Manuel Marquez in their showdown for the World Boxing Council super featherweight crown on March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

As of Sunday (Monday in Manila), Pacquiao is listed at minus-200 and Marquez at plus-160. Simply put, a $200 bet on Pacquiao would win just $100 while a $100 wager on Marquez would pay $160.

Pacquiao opened as slight favorite in the betting, but his worth gradually increased as Filipino supporters started to fly into Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The odds are not about to let Pacquiao fall into complacency.

“Okay lang sa akin kung ganon sila katiwala sa akin (It’s okay if the bettors trust me that much),” said Pacquiao. “Basta ang gusto ko manalo at magpakita ng magandang laban (All I want is to win and fight a good fight).

Demand for tickets to the bout, to be aired via closed circuit by co-promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions and by pay-per-view (PPV) by HBO, have gone up beyond expectations, according to Pacquiao.

“Gusto ko pang bumili pero wala nang makuha (I want to buy more tickets but there’s nothing left),” said Pacquiao, who already has spent a fortune for the tickets of his friends, relatives and close supporters.