Marquez will win  

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
  


 

A WEEK from now (Oct. 13 PHL time), the United States’ Timothy Bradley Jr. and Mexico’s icon Juan Manuel Marquez ‘s most-touted world boxing mega bucks fight will take center stage. They will square off for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title belt in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two, both conquerors of our very own Manny Pacquiao, are considered by the world boxing virtuosos as the best in welterweight division in this era. The undefeated Bradley, 30, nicknamed “Desert Storm” carding a stellar record of 30-0 with 12 knockouts, could have made more money if he had agreed to have a rematch with Pacquiao but opted to fight the aging Marquez instead probably to prove once and for all that he’s the best in the division. He’s at the peak of his career ‘ika nga.

But while the four-time division champion Marquez, considered the greatest Mexican boxer today and now the most popular pugilist in Mexico already turned 40 last August 23, his fights against Cebuano Jimrex Jaca, Roger Mayweather, Cuban Casamayor and especially his four encounters against Pacquiao, made him gain more experience and learned to adjust to his opponents’ game plans with accurate timing and punches i.e., knocking out Paquiao cold in the sixth round in December last year). A smart and very cautious fighter, he knows when to reserve his strikes with various angles aside from being an exemplary counter-puncher. I also describe him as a late-bloomer professional fighter – he gets better as he gets older. If he wins his bout against Bradley, he will be the first Mexican-born hombre to win in five different weight classes, outclassing his compatriots the legends Oscar De La Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. You could say I’m biased for Marquez, being his friend and because of my Mexican lineage but that’s my view of him.

And in case Marquez wins, there’s no stopping a Pacquiao-Marquez fifth meeting if Pacquiao wins his battle with another Mexican warrior Brandon Rios on November 24 in Macao, China. Pacquiao’s rematch against Bradley is also in the offing if Bradley is successful against Marquez. And if Bradley easily handles Marquez on Oct. 13 through a knockout victory, it could end up the best in 2013, but that may not happen. It could be the other way around. Bradley is not used to fighting an excellent counter-puncher and that’s what Marquez is. The style of Bradley is really suited for Marquez. If Marquez doesn’t feel the ‘father time’ yet, then I have no doubt that Marquez will win via knockout or in a convincing decision. Let’s wait and see.

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My heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Kelly Sespeñe for propelling the Lingayen 3×3 basketball boys and girls teams as champions in the Batang Pinoy Pangasinan leg last September 28 and 29 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center. The Lingayen teams will represent Pangasinan in the coming Batang Pinoy National Games in Bacolod City on November 19-23. Mabuhay po kayo and bring home the gold medal again like what you did last year in Iloilo City. Pangasinan is mighty proud of you.  
                                                

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My apologies to LNU Dukes head coach Angel Gumarang for saying in last’s week issue that UPang Flames was the Region 1 champions in the 2011 PRISAA Games. According to Gumarang, Flames beat the Dukes in the PRISAA-UCAAP Collegiate Basketball Championship Pangasinan-Dagupan leg but the Flames were dethroned on technicality. The Dukes fought for the Region 1 title but unfortunately lost the match to the La Union College of Nursing and Sciences (LUCNAS). However, after finding out (with evidence) that LUCNAS fielded an ineligible player named Renbert Bayo, Gumarang protested the match and eventually got the nod of the PRISAA Region 1 board to officially represent our region in the 2012 PRISAA National Collegiate Games in Cebu City. They, however, did not reach the semis. This year, the vastly improved Dukes won the silver medal still under the Gumarang’s tutelage, surpassing the bronze medal feat of the UL Golden Tigers in PRISAA National Collegiate Games.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And God said to Noah: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it.” GENESIS 9: 6-7

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