Where: In my study table.
Now Playing: "Midnight City" by M83.
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One of the best rivalries in the history of boxing. From Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, to Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. Now, it's Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Well, Sunday morning, November 13th, I watched the fight on PPV for their must anticipated third fight but first, I got to see the undercards before the main event. Well, I was impressed with the upsets and some dominating wins. In the first undercard, young prospect Luis Cruz who was undefeated before the fight got beaten by his much experienced opponent, Mexican challenger Juan Carlos Burgos and suffered his first loss for the young Puerto Rican. Next, the Mike Alvarado vs. Breidis Prescott fight was amazing. Prescott, who made a name for himself with his famous win against the mighty Amir Khan around 2009, was dominating the whole fight when suddenly, a re-surging Alvarado hit the Colombian with stunning upper cuts in the late rounds that the referee had to stand in between and stopped the fight. Alvarado with a come from behind victory against Prescott. Now, the last undercard was also exciting. The first fight of Timothy Bradley against one of the veterans of the sport, in the name of 40-year old Cuban Joel Casamayor, who also fought Juan Manuel Marquez for whole 12 rounds. Bradley was dominating the rounds until he knockdown the older Casamayor in Round 6 and later in Round 8, the referee seen enough the fight and gave the win for Bradley with some stunning hits to the body of aging Casamayor. He may probably retire now.
Now, the main event, Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez. Part three! Pac-Man vs. Dinamita, Boxer-puncher vs. Counter-puncher. Speed vs. Technicality. This is what this fight is about for the last seven years spanning. Before the third, I will recap what happened in the previous two fights. They first met in 2004 for Marquez WBA and WBO featherweight titles where Manny dropped Marquez three times but Marquez was resilient and won almost the rest of the rounds. "Fire against fire, down the stretch!" called by HBO commentator Jim Lampley. The decision, "DRAW." I remember, one judge admitted that he should've scored the first round 10-6 in favor of Pacquiao because three knockdowns was scored by the other two judges. The said judge was the one who scored the fight even, 113-113. That way, it could be a win for Pacquiao. In my opinion, Marquez won that fight by a single point.
The second fight happened in 2008, again, for Marquez's world title, this time, in the super featherweight division, the WBC 130 lb. belt! Marquez was aggresive and read some of Pacquiao's moves yet in round three, Manny dropped Marquez again to the canvas. Some analysts say Marquez was getting knockdown by some of his opponents it's because of the imbalance progress of his body where he can enhance his body to being freakish yet his legs are still that small, including his thighs and it can't support the huge body. He did recovered to those knockdowns easily it's because he was off balanced and not suffered some serious blow. Continuing to the recap. After the knockdown, Marquez showing the same resilient attitude like the first fight, fought like there's no tomorrow. At Round ten where Manny hit Marquez with an awkward left that almost dropped Marquez to the canvas and on the final round, the fighters continued to exchange blows. The decision, "SPLIT DECISION to Manny Pacquiao." Probably that third round knockdown proving to be the difference to the said fight.
Now, this brings me to the third fight, the trilogy. When I watched the whole fight. I felt nervous because honestly, I had huge expectations for the Pac-Man because with his weight now, he still carries his speed with him and with his speed, he builds power, that's why he was able to beat opponents larger than him but this time, I don't know what happened. I commend Marquez though and he is still the same fighter, the same Kryptonite for Manny. He easily read Manny's next moves, as they exchange throughout the fight, Marquez had more serious blows yet Manny had some too. For the first time, I saw a slow start for Manny. In the early rounds, he was measuring Marquez's capability yet Marquez, at the other hand, already knew what to do early, as Marquez connected with some wild rights to the Pac-Man's head.
In Round seven or eight, I think there's Manny had his blood underneath inside his mouth while Marquez had his head getting red due to the power punches Manny landed with the previous exchanges. In the final round, Manny again slowing down and Marquez grabbed the opportunity to somehow win the round. In my scorecards, I had Marquez winning 115-113 or seven rounds to five but when I heard Michael Buffer's voice, I felt nervous and did the "Sign of the Cross" that I wish Manny will win this and he did win via MAJORITY DECISION, 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112.
I was screaming and pumped my chest and kept saying yeah, along with 3,000 people in the Muntinlupa Sports Complex. Yes, I was happy, but not as happy with the previous results. I was not convinced yet we can't blame Marquez for being good and still the Joe Frazier of Manny. RIP to "Smokin" Joe Frazier though (1944-2011). Before the fight they offered a ten-bell count for Mr. Frazier, a sign of respect for one of the best heavyweights in the world. Now, after the fight, I felt joy but some sympathy to the die hard Mexican boxing fans but yesterday, I have a change of heart slightly when I saw the video Marquez stomped Manny's foot to the key rounds Marquez won.
I know it's natural when the fight is between the southpaw and orthodox but doing it repeatedly for six times is inexcusable. I know Tony Weeks, the referee of the trilogy, was focused from below the belt line above but I don't understand how come Freddie Roach, Manny and the rest didn't call that. I know Manny's nature was not to whine during the fight because he is a warrior and warriors don't do bitchin' but we have to call it to make sure the fight is clean. Now, I believe Manny win this convincingly now it's a Majority Decision or draw and two decisions in favor of Manny. Yes, the split decision in the second fight really described the fight itself but not this one where Marquez the more dominant one by stepping on Pacquiao's strength, by tweaking his foot a bit and stomping it so Manny can't go directly at Marquez and the dynamite can explode with power punches with those counters.
My message to Manny, you claimed this win for us but this time, let this be a wake-up call to you when you fight Marquez again for the fourth time. This is not the first time that two boxers had a fourth installment. Marquez's younger brother, Rafael Marquez fought Freddie Roach's fighter Israel Vazquez and first fight to Marquez, second and third to Vazquez and last year, they fought again for the fourth time and Marquez won. So far, Vazquez had some eye problems while Marquez suffered a loss to Japan's Toshiaki Nishioka last month and probably it may be the last fight of his career but I wanted a fifth fight that will setttle it all! For the last hurrah!
But yeah, back to Manny and Juan Manuel again. When the third fight ended, and Manny announced as winner, I was not thinking of Mayweather next, it should be Marquez again for the fourth time. Mayweather knew that Manny has a huge weakness and thanks to Marquez who is a great technical boxer and a counter-puncher like Floyd. The difference between Floyd and Juan Manuel is, Money has defense while Marquez just keep going forawrd which he slightly capitalized against him last September of 2009. I will look forward to the fourth installment and hopefully, Freddie won't overtrain Pacquiao again and Marquez will not stomp Manny's foot. Let the QUADROPOLOGY happen. Because it's so EPIC, I have to make a new word for the fourth fight.
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Time: 12:03 a.m.
Where: Still here.
Now Playing: "High and Dry" by Radiohead.
