On December 8, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada will be the fourth installment and hopefully ending the Manny Pacquiao/Juan Manuel Marquez saga. Since when did the sport of boxing be reminiscent of Star Wars? As trivial as it may sound, there are many perceptive boxing analyst that would very much prefer to observe both respective fighters imagine the other has a plague of some sort and journey in opposite directions to fight renewed and yet vigorous opponents. But to remain fair to the other significant boxing aficionados that are keen and even impulsively anxious to see yet the fourth and virtually warranted electrifying competition between two of the best fighters in the world; there is no doubt in my mind this fight will begin right where the third left off, no feeling out process in a bout where all boxing fans in the end will get their monies worth.
There are no conflicts that there has been nothing but Grade A fan friendly action when these two guys step inside the squared circle. In my opinion of many opinions, I truly am certain that Manny Pacquiao and Juan Marquez do not pair up well in the eyes of the judges themselves, due to the fact that in the first three fights there was basically the same defined result. It seems to always be left in the hands of the judges to decide such a close and tightly scored bout. Can you be unbiased and honestly choose the winner of each of those previous 36 hard fought rounds in which most were closer that Siamese twins?
Manny Pacquiao fighting out of General Santos City, Philippines, will be entering the ring at age 33 with a record of 54-4-2 (38 ko’s) after a very controversial loss to Timothy Bradley, whom myself in scoring the fight with no sound could only give Bradley 4 winning rounds, and that was being generous. In the other corner, Juan Manuel Marquez will be making his ring walk at the rightful age of 39, fighting out of Mexico City, Mexico, and residing in Anaheim, California, USA, with a record of 54-6-1 (39 ko’s). I totally discard any belief what so over that Marquez was robbed of a win in any of the first three bouts. I just ponder the fact that it was more-so products of being not so lucky to get the decision in fights that were decided with-in such a close margin.
This fight will be held in the Welter Weight Division in a 12 round attraction. I also have to say that to question the match making in this bout wouldn’t be erroneous or criminal at all. Let’s be devil’s advocate for a minute and say that Manny does win with a very dominant performance, yes he put a stamp on the Pacquiao/Marquez chronicle, but how much glory is it for Pacquiao to defeat a 40 year old Jr. Welter Weight for the third time. For my estimation and outlook it will more or less be just another good win. Now on the other hand it will be poles apart if Marquez so happened to totally destroy Manny, he would then be anointed a boxing emperor. I don’t even contemplate that happening, my view is a little more along the lines of another familiar, however thrilling occasion ending in yet another tight scoring bout, once again left in the hands of three judges.
I do think that Pacquiao will win another close decision with perhaps a couple flash knock downs. I really don’t think that this is an inordinate fight for Manny for the simple logic that in all honesty Manny is running out of time and it appears that Manny is watching the proverbial clock tick away while fighting an aged warrior in Marquez, that is always grueling and let’s face it, gives him problems to say the least, which in turn is extremely tiring to anyone including the legendary super-star Manny Pacquiao.
I can recall during a post-fight interview with Larry Merchant, after the stoppage of another Mexican great, Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao stated this quote “with great power comes great responsibility” and it’s definitely one of my all- time favorites, never the less not just in comic books, but in life it’s also very true. Manny does have great power, let’s just hope that his choice in taking this fight was made using responsible thinking, reason being that he most certainly will need his power during future up-coming bouts with younger, hungrier opponents, because no matter how close this fight turns out to be, Pacquiao will continue to have that huge X on his back and resume being the man to beat.