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PACQUIAO-MARQUEZ: WHO HAS THE SECOND STRIKE CAPABILITY?


PhilBoxing.com




No boxing fan doubts that, as in their first two fights, Pacquiao-Marquez III will be a bitter and bloody war.
Count on these two tough and proud warriors to unleash awesome firepower the fans waited three years to see again. Will the fans see twelve rounds of ?organized violence?, the soldier?s euphemism for war, or will the spectacular action stop in surrender?

It all depends on who has the ?second strike capability?. What? Well, just as scientists compare the relative strength of a spider?s web to the strength of steel for research purposes, comparing Pacquiao-Marquez III to nuclear warfare is not totally misplaced.

In nuclear strategy a second strike capability is a country?s assured ability to respond to a first strike with powerful retaliation. In other words, a country must survive a first strike to be able to deliver an effective counterblow.

Thanks to the inconclusive ? even controversial -outcomes of the first two fights, a second strike capability is now relevant. Despite the brilliance shown by both protagonists in their memorable encounters neither actually delivered a lethal first strike although Pacquiao came very close to doing it with four heart-stopping knockdowns. To the horror of Pacquiao fans and handlers, Marquez courageously rose from these knockdowns but never quite delivered the game-ending second strike that would have probably precluded a trilogy.

Three years after their last fight the question is: Who has stockpiled more resources to obliterate not humanity but the lingering doubts as to who is the better fighter? Going by the demeanor and pronouncements of each camp, we can expect both warriors to go ?nuclear? sooner than later. After all, both of them claim to have built up a more lethal arsenal for this weekend?s donnybrook. Pacquiao will no doubt be more menacing in his aggression - reminiscent of his dismantling of the bigger and highly experienced Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. Marquez who has shed his purely counterpunching style in favor of controlled aggression has sworn he would be a completely evolved fighter ready to shock the boxing world.

Both have a great team with different approaches and philosophies in waging ring wars. Both have the benefits of scientific training that have defined world championship boxing in recent years. Both are staking personal and national pride before a worldwide audience.

Will someone collapse when hit by a ?nuclear? first strike? Who can survive a massive first strike to deliver the counterblow with the clear and unmistakable message that there is no more tomorrow?


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Sid Bañez.


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