THE year 1999, particularly the month of September, was forgettable for People’s Champion Manny Pacquiao and WBA and IBF featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez. The month of May 2004 could become their most memorable.
Coincidences and similarities abound much in between Pacquiao and Marquez’s boxing records and a closer look would confirm that their coming May 8 duel at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada is truly a match made in heaven, and with so many things at stake, has the potential to become “Fight of the Year”.
After losing the WBC flyweight crown to Thai Medgoen Singsurat on Sept. 17, 1999, Pacquiao would climb three notches in weight (from 112 to 122, then 126 pounds) and remain unbeaten in 13 consecutive fights.
Marquez, on the other hand, lost a questionable unanimous decision to Freddie Norwood on Sept. 11 of that same year in his first bid at a world title, and yes, he has also amassed 13 straight victories going into the championship fight.
Win No. 14 promises to become the first step towards bigger things in the future for both Pacquiao and Marquez, who both see victories going their way, vowing not to go home empty-handed.
As fate would have it, Pacquiao would become International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight champion, a title he would later relinquish when he fought and won in 11 magnificent rounds against then “People’s Champion” and acknowledged featherweight king Marco Antonio Barrera last year.
Pacquiao, who would later inherit Barrera’s throne and become one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, actually has a technical draw in between those 13 fights, a sixth round decision against the dirtiest fighter he has faced so far-Agapito Sanchez.
Statistically, Pacquiao has a more formidable record despite his 38-2-1 (30 KOs) slate, compared to Marquez’s 42-2-0 (33 KOs).
13 fights going into the May 8 encounter, Pacquiao has an impressive record of 12 knockouts and a technical draw while Marquez has 12 KOs and a 12-round unanimous points decision win. Pacquiao has fought 12 12-round bouts while he went to battle in a lone 10-round non-title bout in March last year.
Majority of Marquez’s last 13 fights included nine “minor” 10-round fights against virtual unknowns, supporting the statement made by Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach that Marquez is not a popular fighter in the US and even in his hometown in Mexico. Marquez’s publicist, Ricardo Jimenez, admits that Marquez is more popular in the US than in Mexico.
Marquez, who has fought only four 12-round bouts in his last 13, could be what Roach termed as a “more dangerous” fighter, “fresher” than Barrera because he has taken less punishment and beating in the past.
That could change abruptly because the razor-sharp Pacquiao has been averaging 4.76 rounds per fight in his last 13, and 4.25 rounds as a super-bantam. He has finished his last 13 fights in only 62 rounds while Marquez took the route in 90 rounds.
Marquez snatched the IBF crown on February 1, 2003 at the expense of the ageing Manuel Medina, who lost twice against former Filipino champion Luisito Espinosa. The 30-year-old Marquez also annexed the WBA diadem by overwhelming Derrick Gainer, who lost in a technical decision after a clash of heads in the seventh canto. Other 12-round opponents worthy of mention include Robbie Peden and Roque Cassiani.
In his last 13 fights, Marquez averaged 6.9 rounds per match, nine rounds in his four 12-round bouts, and six rounds in his nine 10-rounders. Marquez also scored a first round knockout victory (56 seconds) over an unknown fighter who could be as drunk as his name-Johnny Walker.
Pacquiao, in comparison, has two first-round knockout wins.
Between Pacquiao and Marquez, journeyman Filipino Reynante Jamili is the only common denominator. Pacquiao was the first one who shook the lights out of Jamili, winning in only two rounds in 1999 while Marquez did it in three rounds in the year 2000. Marquez is also conqueror of another Filipino, Baby Lorona, who was put to sleep in only two rounds.
Marquez, still 100 percent against the two Filipino opponents, could take the tag “Filipino Assassin” if he beats Pacquiao and would get close to become undisputed champion.
Pacquiao, who has clipped two Mexicans, including the previously unbeaten Emmanuel Lucero, (he also knocked out Columbian Jorge Eliecer Julio in two), has been half-jokingly called the “Mexican Assassin” by Roach recently.
