Marquez mars Manny’s day

By Al S. Mendoza

MANNY Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez recently showed the other side of their lives.

Pacquiao is humble, Marquez rude.

Interviewed on TV by ABS-CBN on April 6 during the “Invasion:  The Philippines vs The World” boxing card at the Araneta Coliseum, both fighters dished off contrasting personalities.

Marquez unleashed gutter behavior when he told Pacquiao during the interview by Dyan Castillejo: “You should immediately give me a rematch because you know that you lost the last time we met (March 16).”

At first, I thought Marquez was joking.  It turned out he was serious as he kept berating Pacquiao – almost putting Pacman to humiliation as the interview was being aired nationwide as part of the fight card featuring Gerry Penalosa, Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, AJ “Bazooka” Banal and Ciso “Terrible Kid” Morales, among others.

“The Mexican people, all the people believe I won the fight, so you should give me a rematch,” Marquez kept saying.

Pacquiao kept his cool.

“In every fight, there is a loser and a winner,” said Pacquiao. “I was lucky that day that’s why I won.”

Wow! And I thought Pacquiao was incapable of sportsmanship and world-class humility when hit with a below-the-belt shot.

I tip my hat off to that incredible Pacman counter-punch.

But seemingly, Marquez has gone ballistic that day.

“I want a rematch because I won the fight,” insisted Marquez.

“Anytime, I will fight you again when the time comes,” said Pacquiao, smiling sweetly, humbly.

To this, Marquez made a gesture, waving to his bodyguards and saying, “OK, get the contract now.  Manny and I will sign for the rematch. C’mon, get it now!”

Of course, there was no contract for signing.

It was all for show, a Marquez show.

Marquez was like a raging bull, ramming his way into Pacquiao’s defenses.

Marquez was successful to some extent, even cornering Pacquiao to the ropes.

But like the matador that he was, Pacquiao calmly extricated himself out of the pits.

“OK, thank you and welcome to the Philippines,” Pacquiao told Marquez, shaking his hand.

In the end, it had a cordial, if not pleasant goodbye, but the Marquez showboating didn’t sit well with several bigwigs in boxing.

“That was an uncalled for action by Marquez,” said Freddie Roach, the American trainer of Pacquiao. “Any decent man would never have done that.”

“I think Marquez was way out of line,” said Tony Aldeguer, owner of the ALA Stable in Cebu that handles Boom Boom and Bazooka (I had predicted knockout victories for the two in TV interviews and, modesty aside, I was proven right). “He’s just a visitor and he abused the Filipino hospitality.”

“Marquez just did a foul blow,” said Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao’s fights. “He owes Pacquiao a million apologies.”

I heard Marquez will do a beer commercial here to duplicate the one done a while back by Erik Morales.

I say that should be scrapped and Marquez should be sent home immediately.

That’s the least we can do to someone showing disrespect for Pacquiao, who is no less a treasured gem and a priceless part of our national patrimony.

(Readers may reach columnist at also147@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/general-admission/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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