My viewpoints on Marquez:
I admire those fighters that came up the hard road; the type of warriors that would fight anybody and accept any challenge, all for the sake of proceeding to the next level of the fight game. Boxing’s history is full of legendary fighters that have risen to the top of the sports food chain by fighting the best of the best, in order to see who the best really is. One fighter that comes to mind in more recent times that seems to fit this description, is Mexican warrior Juan Manuel Marquez. He didn’t take the easy road to get to his current position and now that he solidified his status as one of the elite fighters of this era, he still hasn’t shown any sign of backing off. Shopping for punching bags? Try KarateDepot.com
Instead, he remains persistent in his quest for boxing history, digesting a steady diet of top level fighters to square off against. His fights against Pacquiao, Barrera, Casamayor and Diaz have combined to prove that he continuously chooses the top available opponents to be dancing partners with. His next opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr is yet another statement that he is willing to fight anyone on the planet. But will this bout be too much for him? Will ‘Money Mayweather’ be simply too slick, too quick and too defensively smart for the courageous ‘Dinamita’?
The remarkable talent of adapting to any situation that arises within the square ring is something that Marquez certainly possesses. He has proven in the Pacquiao and Diaz fights that he has the ability to change game plans during the bout, after working out what his opponent’s motives and movements are. His counter punching ability is second to none and his chin, heart, combination punching and determination are up there with the best of the best. He has all the tools and the desire to topple over any opponent in the world. No fighter out there is realistically in a rush to fight him. After experiencing a frustrating time trying to lure Manny Pacquiao in for a trilogy, Juan Manuel Marquez has chosen a different path to get to the very top; a path that this writer believes will lead him to deep and dangerous waters when he faces his next opponent, Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather.
My viewpoints on Mayweather:
Mayweather is no regular top level fighter. Love him or hate him, his talent speaks for itself. He has never been beaten in the ring and although I do personally think he got lucky against Jose Luis Castillo in their first bout, he certainly erased that memory with a one way beat down in the rematch.
Mayweather is bigger, faster, stronger, and defensively smarter. He doesn’t fight for the crowd, but rather the win, which is why he is dangerous as he never gets influenced from outside forces. He is not concerned at all with a disappointed fan, but rather with what another win would do for his record. I think it’s fair to say that his safety first approach inside and outside the ring exposes this. Although he is probably more talented than any fighter out there today, he still hasn’t fought all the challenges that the public have demanded; from Margarito and Cotto, to the ever dangerous ‘Sugar man’ Shane Mosley. He has focused on keeping his record perfect by choosing perfect opponents to pick apart, as his 0 loss tally is what still puts bum’s on seats, not his style.
My prediction:
I think size and speed in this bout will be a factor. Although I believe Juan Manuel Marquez will put up a gallant effort against Floyd Jr., I do not believe he will be able to conquer the mountain named Mayweather. As previously stated, Floyd does not fight for the crowd, so you know that he is going to wait until it’s safe for him to fire shots. Marquez will have to take the role as the initiator of action in order to get something happening in the ring. Floyd is likely to time him coming in with counters of his own and then use his movement to find safer areas where he can plan his next movements.
This is going to be one hell of a technical fight as two of the smartest fighters on the planet are going to have the ultimate game of chess inside the ring. Only one can win though and my thoughts go with Mayweather. Although I would love to see Marquez pull off an upset and continue his evolution as a fighter, I think the buck stops here. The nearly two year layoff in my eyes will probably have very little effect on Mayweather, similar to that of Kostya Tszyu when he fought the Sharmba Mitchell rematch. I expect a good boxing match with a few heated exchanges in the later rounds that will provide for moments of entertainment. May the best man win and may the best man get to fight the winner of the Pacquiao vs Cotto fight.
