Marquez-Pacquiao 2

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

UNTIL now, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s second convincing triumph against his bitter-adversary, Mexican boxing idol Marco Antonio Barrera, is still the talk of the town. And the fresh question is who will be the next opponent   of the Filipino boxing icon and when and where it would  be held.

There are three stars lined up for Pacquiao to fight in the super featherweight division (130-lb). One is the flambouyant and undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) champ Edwin Valero, a Venezuelan. The other two are Mexican knockout artists, namely World Boxing Organization (WBO) titlist Joan Guzman and World Boxing Council (WBC) king Juan Manuel Marquez.

Marquez is the only Mexican boxer who Pacquiao was not able to defeat as held on to a draw during their first and only encounter in 2004.

I did not pay much attention to the second Pacquiao-Barrera battle held two Sundays ago because I firmly believed that Pacquiao would surely score another convincing victory. He had nothing to prove against Barrera. He already knocked out the guy during their first meeting, a very clear superiority for Pacman, knocking down the Chicano boxer first in the seventh round and eventually finishing him off in the eleventh.

Latest reports also say that the prizefighter from General   Santos City is contemplating on climbing up the lightweight division (135-lb) and probably to clash with reigning WBC lightweight titleholder Mexican David Diaz. If successful, then he will face WBA, WBO and IBF (International Boxing Federation) lightweight titlist Juan Diaz, another Mexican, for the unification bout.

Of course, it will be another blockbuster match.

But my question is, what about a second Marquez-Pacquiao title bout, which the people are yearning for long.  That draw verdict should be solved because the two heroes did not hurdle humps.

They have to prove who is who in lightweight boxing.

But I guess Golden Boy Promotions top honcho Oscar dela Hoya, Top Rank Promotions czar Bob Arum and the Pacquiao camp are not too keen about it because I guess of some hidden agenda.

If we will recall their 2004 confrontation, Pacquiao knocked down Marquez thrice in the very first round but Pacquiao unfortunately was not able to finish him off, much more in the succeeding rounds.

The shaken Marquez instead skillfully recovered, pulled up more points in the following rounds to forge a draw in the end.

If not for those three knockdowns, Marquez should have been the clear winner.

Filipinos said Pacquiao won that monumental battle basing it largely on those three knockdowns, but, obviously, the Chicanos are counter-saying their man was the clear victor despite those three floorings because he landed more telling blows in the remaining eleven rounds.

In   that fight, I believe if the opponent of Pacquiao was not Marquez, say like Erik Morales, Barrera or Jorge Solis, Pacquiao would have finished the brawl after scoring knockdowns like those he delivered to Marquez.

What I mean is Marquez is not Morales, Barrera or Solis. Marquez can take the hardest punch of Pacquiao. He had already proven it.

Marquez is Marquez, very durable and nothing else.  

Pacquiao, now 28 years old, is at the peak of his career while Marquez is reaching 35 years of age and nearing the twilight time of his career.

Many are saying the dilly-dallying of the Pacquiao camp to fight Marquez anew is a deep ploy to beat Marquez. Meaning when Marquez gets older, no doubt he will eventually lose his punching power, speed, stamina and reflexes while Pacman is still at the prime of his career.   

But to me, if these two boxing legends fight next year-and not in 2009 or 2010-I pick Marquez to win by slight edge.

It’s not because I’m half Mexican, not because I met him personally three times last year at McAllen, Texas, but because I like his style, especially his patented one-two-three-four-five combination punches. That’s one of a kind.

The guy is so humble, and that’s why I like him most.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/
Readers may reach columnist at biking.jess@yahoo.com . For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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