I?m not sure where the rest of you BoxingConfidential readers are located at but in my neck of the woods, you?d think that Oscar De la Hoya was moving on up to the heavyweight division attempting to take on the now retired ?Iron? Mike Tyson.
That?s the type of buzz and energy that?s going through the air in the San Francisco Bay Area right now.
Filipinos, Mexicans and everybody in between are anticipating the rematch to Pacquiao?s and Marquez?s first bout that still has people discussing it at great lengths. The first battle between Juan Manuel and Manny took place on May 8th, 2004. It was a fight that occurred on regular HBO with over 2.2 million viewers tuning in live to see the drama-filled battle.
We?ll see this Saturday just how good of a memory that HBO subscribers and boxing fans across the states have.
America is known for being extremely short-sighted when it comes to attention span and remembering greatness. It?s a society based on the moment and the what have you done for me lately-type train of thought.
While fight fans have consistently griped about the amount of Pay-Per-View fights that took place in 2007, this rematch on Saturday is most definitely Pay-Per-View worthy. It?s a rematch that?s been four years in the making and pits two men who give it their all each time they set foot in between the ropes.
They don?t fight like heavyweights? they are the heavyweights of boxing.
They?re heavyweights in terms of their passionate fans and heavyweights in terms of bringing the pain to their past opposition.
If there was any bout that could utilize a 24/7 countdown and promise to deliver when it came to the sound of the first bell, this is the one.
Fortunately for Marquez and Pacquiao, they don?t need a 24/7 show to sell the fight.
For the knowledgeable boxing fans in the US and across the world, these two warriors that carry their respective nations on their backs, May 8, 2004 was their 24/7.
Instead of a camera following both men around for weeks upon weeks in order to produce a show to help gain notoriety for their bout, all they needed was a camera to follow them for 36 minutes as they showed the world that Mexico and the Phillippines provide an explosive combination when pitted against one another in a boxing ring.
Imagine what boxing could be if everyone fought with the same passion as these two men have and undoubtedly will this coming Saturday night.
I for one, am telling anybody and everybody to purchase this bout on Saturday night being that I have no doubt in my mind that it?ll be one to remember for quite a while. I have no reservations in doing this based on how much passion each fighter in Marquez and Pacquiao exude when between the ropes.
They don?t hold, they don?t run, and they definitely don?t hide.
The heavyweights of boxing are set to show the world why the sweet science is not about the size of the man but more about the size of the heart and the unbreakable spirit of Mexico and the Philippines.
The heavyweight division and everybody else who fights based on winning ugly rather than providing exciting fights can take notes this weekend.
End of story.
PS. This week is chugging along at a snails pace. Saturday night cannot come soon enough.
