Along about the fourth or fifth round of Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez III, I began to think about the ramifications, if any, this wicked bout would have on the March 15 rematch between Rafa?s brother, Juan Manuel Marquez and Megamanny Pacquiao.
At this point in the triology fight, which now seems destined to move on to a possible concluding Chapter Four in November or later, I was cogitating that a glorious victory by Rafa might be mental rocket fuel for Juan Ma as he attempts to derail the Pacman Express.
You know, the Juan Ma camp, which is essentially the same personnel as the Raf Ma camp, would take the younger brother?s (Raf is 32 while JM is age 34) magnificent victory over ?Magnifico? and use it in daily conversation as a mood-enhancer and motivator for Juan Ma as he puts the finishing touches on his training for the coming war with the Pinoy idol and proclaimed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ?National Fist.?
But the Raf Ma Express went off the tracks in dramatic fashion. Busy Izzy survived a knockdown, Busy Izzy was cut around both eyes and his nose looked like it might be broken or on the way to being broken. Raf Ma continued to box expertly and hit Biz Iz with every punch in the book.
Yet, like a runaway locomotive hurtling down the tracks at top speed, Vazquez just kept coming foreward with, as Mike Tyson used to say, with bad intentions. Very bad intentions.
To put in (Howard) Cosellian terms , it was the ebb and the flo, the shifting tide as Vazquez, although battered beyond belief, began to win rounds with his thunderous blows and began to stun Raf Ma repeatedly.
By the 10th round, I turned to the guys I watched this third installment of a seemingly never-ending fistic war with and said I thought my tally was closer than white on rice, closer than a collar on a dog, closer than ham on a country hog. I said my card was likely to end up six rounds to six, a draw, if Rafa lost the final two rounds. I also predicted, in my Everlast Einstein mode, that his constant aggression would earn Biz Iz a split decision victory.
I couldn?t have known, as the fight went to the wire, that the referee would mistakenly take a penalty point from Raf Ma for hitting low (the punch was on the waistline, yes, but above trunk level) or that Raf Ma would suffer a knockdown and nearly get KO?d in the final frame.
What?s done is done, though, and Raf Ma went home richer in money but deeply bitter about the outcome.
Raf Ma used the old ?look at the other guy?s face? routine in expressing his disbelief about losing and now being down in the series 2-1 to Israel.
Now I could write and theorize that the sour grapes in the Marquez camp will become inspirational, turn into mental rocket fuel that could help push Juan Manuel to victory over Pacman.
I could juke and jive and talk about how Juan Manuel will pick up the bloodied family banner and, recharged by brother?s loss, go out and thump Manny.
I could but I won?t. Boxing is an individual sport and the win one for the Gipper tripe you hear about in football locker rooms has no place in a boxer’s dressing room. Rafa’s loss could bring some small measure of inspiration to Juan Ma but, if he needs that at this point given his past history with Pacman, then it won’t be any kind of serious factor.
I hate to say it but I will. Rafael?s loss may be stuck in his craw but it will have zero effect on Juan Manuel and how he performs in Vegas March 15.
Zero. Nada. Nil. Big goose egg.
Different fight, different fighters. Now if Juan Manuel was fighting Israel Vazquez?s brother, that would be a different vendetta.
But he?s not. And it won’t.
