By Reni M. Valenzuela
The unforgettable Ali-Frazier, Barrera-Morales, Gatti-Ward, Zale-Graciano, Holyfield- Bowe and Leonard-Duran were exceptional trilogies that were made under appropriate times and conditions, and with no ifs and buts. They were among the historic bouts that showed the world how boxing matchups can be classic and so exciting.
It was Juan Manuel Marquez that Freddie Roach feared the most as Manny Pacquiao’s opponent that’s why they waited too long to make the trilogy if not altogether discard the staging of it had it not been for the clamor just to determine with finality who between the two was the better boxer and true winner. Pacquiao had two previous closely contested bouts with Marquez which declaration of winners could have both gone either way.
The Pacquiao-Marquez odd is 8-1 in favor of Pacman and that makes it look like impossible for Marquez to beat Pacquiao. But taking into account the style of Juan Manuel Marquez coupled with his resiliency and pugilist heart, 8-1 is an odd that can be overturned in the actual fight. And this could be the matchup that may tell us again why styles make fights.
Pacquiao easily beat David Diaz but that doesn’t make Marquez a better fighter than Diaz. The same is the case with Oscar De la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley. Unlike these boxers, Marquez simply has “the style” to counter Pacquiao’s speed and rugged sleek attacks whatever the game plan may be for the rival camps. And that’s the bottomline..
Marquez doesn’t supposedly need a miracle to pull one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. Though if the fight was made much earlier, the trilogy could have been perceived as highly interesting. But three years thence since their second encounter plus the fight would be on a catch weight of 144 lbs. instead of the ideal 140 lbs., the odd’s wide gap can be perceived justified. And Marquez winning the fight on November 12 can likewise be reasonably perceived as a big big upset.
And that’s how a potentially very exciting matchup can be so dull and boring: For that’s how a boxing matchup is made these days: the Arum-Roach or Arum-Konz way.
Thin line difference between doing a thing nearly right and exactly right is the same seemingly unimportant line that people usually ignore but leads them to one of only two inescapable destinations with heaven and hell of a gap and difference.
Faux or triumph.
renimvalenzuela@yahoo.com
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