The Olympic torch is lit. The Games have begun. Audacious as boxing promoters usually are with others? time and money, no one wants to go up against the juggernaut in Beijing. So we have down time. But, I ask you, can anything ever be ?down? in a sport whose flagship division shines so bright?
Like every other person who loves women?s Olympic handball — is it supposed to be basketball, lacrosse or water polo? — I?ve been thinking a lot about the heavyweight division this week. After Wladimir Klitschko?s thriller with Tony Thompson and John Ruiz?s recent vow to clinch less than Nikolay Valuev, it?s a great time to celebrate boxing?s greatest division.
OK, just kidding.
Someone else can cover the brave giants who now call out cruiserweight David Haye. I?d rather consider a question of pending legacy. That of the Brothers Marquez.
A couple of years ago, Juan Manuel Marquez and his younger brother Rafael reemerged from the wilderness. As the official story went, their trainer Nacho Beristain, though a tremendous sculptor of champions, wasn?t much of a matchmaker or accountant.
Once Beristain shared his promotional duties with others, though, Juan Manuel and Rafael got the big fights they deserved. And didn?t squander them. Rafael beat Israel Vazquez to become the WBC super bantamweight champion. Juan Manuel decisioned Marco Antonio Barrera to become the WBC super featherweight champion. Turned out, the brothers were better than advertised.
But since then, they?ve collectively gone 1-3.
Historic battles. Questionable decisions. The best brother combo in history. I know, I know. Still, the record is, as they say, what it is.
Since making Vazquez quit 17 months ago, Rafael has been one half of the best boxing trilogy in 30 years. Last August, referee intervention in his rematch with Vazquez brought a TKO loss. And in March a mixture of fatigue and Vazquez?s indomitable spirit brought a pivotal knockdown in the 12th round of the rubber match. All told, Rafael won more of their 25 rounds. But Vazquez won more of their fights.
Juan Manuel, meanwhile, supplied the family?s one victory of the last 16 months when he went to Tucson, Ariz. and dominated Rocky Juarez in November. However meaningful the fight was to Arizona fans — very meaningful, thank you — it really didn?t do much to elevate Juan Manuel?s place in the sport.
Then came his fight with Manny Pacquiao.
There?s a good chance, and a loose consensus, that Juan Manuel decisioned Pacquiao in March. I had it 115-113 for him, and ?114-113 Marquez? seemed the uniform media line at ringside. The official judges, though, gave the nod to Pacquiao. The difference? Juan Manuel?s trip to the blue mat in Round 3.
But one round does not a decision make! So went the post-fight lament from the Marquez corner. Just like in his first fight with Pacquiao, just like in his brother?s third fight with Vazquez, but for a single round — a mere 1/12 of the match — Juan Manuel had beaten the best fighter in the world.
Rafael?s argument has been stronger. After both his losses to Vazquez, he took refs to task. Despite his wobbling backwards and semi-defenseless state in the second fight with Vazquez, Rafael was furious referee Guadalupe Garcia stopped it. Despite flying backwards and being kept out of Jack Nicholson?s lap only by the ropes in his third fight with Vazquez, Rafael was offended when referee Pat Russell ruled him knocked-down.
Both times Rafael offered variations on this: So long as I am conscious, you must let me continue.
Yes and no. If a fighter enters the ring saying he will die in pursuit of victory, he can justifiably criticize a knockout ruling that comes while he is still conscious. But as fans, see, we cannot ask a fighter to give his life in the ring.
And this raises an important question: Rafael, as an entertainer, do you have a right to ask us to watch you die for a world title?
Right. We can return to that some other time. After all, reading this was supposed to be more fun than watching women?s Olympic handball.
Writing of things that are less fun than they should be, let?s pause to acknowledge the Marquez brothers? manager Jaime Quintana. For all the heat Nacho Beristain takes about Juan Manuel and Rafael?s career paths, Quintana doesn?t seem to take enough. He?s kind of surly before fights and worse after them.
An example? While ostensibly translating Rafael?s comment about the ropes holding him up in the closing seconds of Vazquez-Marquez III, Quintana went on a rules riff in March.
?The ropes held him up?? he asked incredulously. ?Then next time we?ll fight without ropes!?
Much quieter, but occasionally no more likable, is Beristain. There are a variety of Beristains: The avuncular boxing professor, the jefe of Mexico City prizefighting, and the embittered guy who showed up after the Pacquiao fight.
It?s probably fair to say the Brothers Marquez would be where they are without Quintana. But there?s just no saying the same about Beristain. With their chins being what they are, Juan Manuel and Rafael would not be superstars without Beristain?s emphasis on proper balance, head movement and right crosses. That is, if the Marquez brothers had done nothing but trade left hooks to the body with other Mexican kids, they?d never have made it out of Distrito Federal.
All that brings us to what?s next for the brothers. Rafael?s plans remain tentative — as he recovers from what Vazquez did to him. But Juan Manuel is set to move up five pounds to face lightweight champ Joel Casamayor on September 13.
How will that go? I have no idea.
In Las Vegas last month an aficionado convinced me Juan Manuel was a lock. In Tucson a couple of weeks ago a fellow writer convinced me that was inane. Fortunately, I have a month to pick a winner.
