By Don Donatello
At 26 years old, Manny Pacquiao faced Juan Manuel Marquez in their first encounter on May 8th of 2004. At the time, Marquez was a seasoned pro at the age of 31. Pacquiao was a one handed greenhorn that packed dynamite in his left hand. Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round. They fought to a controversial draw. One judge awarded Pacquiao only one round after the 1st round, judge Guy Jutras. Suspiciously, a second experienced judge, Burt Clements, wrongly gave Pacquiao only a 10-7 for the first round instead of the correct score of a 10-6 round like the other two judges gave. Clements later admitted that he made a mistake on his scoring of the first round. A correct score by Burt Clements of the first round would have given Pacquiao the win over Marquez.
In their second fight four years later, Pacquiao was 9 months away from his 30th birthday. According to Freddie Roach, Manny was already struggling to make weight at 130 pounds. Pacquiao’s second fight against Marquez on March of 2008 was his last at 130 pounds. Pacquiao won a close and controversial split decision. Marquez insisted that he won both fights against Pacquiao. He even went as far as saying he was the one robbed on both fight. Marquez eclipsed his previous rant by wearing a T-shirt that read, “Marquez Beat Pacquiao Twice,” after beating Michael Katsidis of Australia via 9th round TKO on November 27 of last year, 2010. The fight was at the Lightweight division, Marquez came in at 134 pounds and Katsidis at 135.
In their first fight, Marquez had the edge in experience over Pacquiao. In their second fight, the two fought at Marquez’s natural weight at the time of 130 pounds. Pacquiao’s great talent overcame Marquez’s advantages and fought him to a draw and a split decision win.
In their upcoming third fight this November 12th, Pacquiao will be the one with the advantage. This time Marquez and Pacquiao will be fighting at the weight where it is more natural for Pacquiao.
Marquez is a good fighter, but he is just a tad below at the elite level of fighters. Even though Marquez had advantages and possessed a style that is inherently difficult for Pacquiao, he could not manage a win. With those advantages now in the favor of Pacquiao, the fight will show what an elite fighter should do when having the advantage.
On November 12 this year, Floyd Mayweather will once again watch Manny Pacquiao destroy Mayweather’s former foe, Juan Manuel Marquez. On September 19, 2009, Floyd fought and beat Marquez by unanimous decision on his first fight back from a short self determined retirement. Floyd’s previous fight before Marquez was a 10th round TKO of Ricky Hatton on December of 2008.
As boxing fans remember, the fight between Floyd and Marquez was contracted at a catch weight of 144 pounds. Looking for an advantage to ensure a win, Floyd paid the penalty of 300K per each pound over 144 pounds in the tune of 600K for coming in two pounds over. Marquez weighed in at 142 pounds, Mayweather weighed in at 146 pounds. By fight time, Floyd looked to be around 15 pounds bigger than Marquez. Floyd refused HBO’s request to be weighed right before the fight.
Pacquiao has never weighed more than 148 pounds at fight time in any of his fights. He will certainly not follow Mayweather’s indignity of paying a penalty just to come in with a weight advantage against Marquez. Floyd feels he needed to have an advantage against the much smaller Lightweight champion Marquez in order to succeed. This same man said he wants all his fight on a “level playing field.” Also, the same man who proudly said that he comes from a “family of hustlers,” no doubt could be a code name in what the Mayweather family has been link to; namely drug dealers, drug addicts, liars, cheaters, wife beater, felon, tax cheats, and fugitive from the law.
Floyd Mayweather will probably admit to himself in silence how smart he is for avoiding a fight against Manny Pacquiao. He will witness the total destruction of his former foe which he defeated by unanimous decision. His confidence to beat Pacquiao will be greatly shaken and he will once again be reminded why Pacquiao is the Fighter of the Decade.
Unlike the dirty and immoral tactic of breaching the contracted weight from Mayweather, Pacquiao will honor the contract and adhere to the limit of 144 pounds for the fight against Marquez. Floyd will witness Pacquiao’s superiority over him by beating a mutual foe in a much more impressive performance, again. In the aftermath of Marquez/Pacquiao III, Floyd’s will reach into his bag of excuses and give reason why Pacquiao significantly outperformed him against a mutual foe.
Since Marquez has been on a winning streak, Mayweather can not sell Marquez’s decline as the reason for Pacquiao’s beat down over Marquez. I expect Mayweather will play the “Marquez is older now” card. I expect the Mayweathers will be watching the fight with their jaws drop and in disbelief. They will huddle together and start a campaign of excuses to save Mayweather’s declining stature, especially after bailing his way out of a fight that was beginning to get contentious by hitting Ortiz with a cheap shot to win.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the new Jerry Quarry. Without Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, Jerry Quarry would have a very good career. But Quarry is just unlucky that he came around at the same time as Ali and Frazier. Without Pacquiao, Mayweather would have been the Fighter of the Decade from 2000 to 2010, best fighter of his era, has multiple corporate endorsements, the most revered man in boxing, and the darling of America. But Pacquiao took all that away from Floyd Mayweather.
Floyd could justify himself and invalidate Pacquiao’s claim to best fighter of the era by simply beating Pacquiao. But Floyd will not fight Pacquiao for one simple reason. He knows he can’t beat Pacquiao, it’s as simple as that. Floyd will fight Pacquiao later, not right now. Pacquiao is just too strong for Mayweather right now.
Will Bob Arum spank Mayweather and find a way to make the fight happen? Yes, Bob always gets his way in the end. Arum outlasted Don King, he out maneuvered Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar, and he will wait for Mayweather to lose his millions. The only question is the timeline for Mayweather to lose his money. Law suits, lawyer’s fee, gambling debt, and foolish spending will expedite Mayweather’s acceptance to fight Pacquiao. Floyd, you can pay up now, or pay later! Your best card to play is sooner and not later.
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