Manny Pacquiao may be facing a dilemma in his fight on Nov. 12 against Juan Manuel Marquez. The majority of so-called boxing experts opine that the younger, stronger and harder-hitting Pinoy Idol will bruise and batter the 38 year old Mexican countrerpuncher in their third and presumably final bout. I’m in agreement that Rounds 25 through 36, if the MGM Grand Garden Arena bout goes the limit, will be tough for the cosmetically-enhanced Marquez to endure. Yes, we know “Mexican pride” may keep Juan Ma on his feet and off the floor for 36 long minutes but, on the other hands, his next knockdown at Pacman’s hands will be his fifth one. The key question I now put to you, the boxing jury, is this: With Leonard Ellerbe chirping brightly that his charge, Floyd Mayweather Jr., finally does want to fight the dangerous Pacquiao on May 5, 2012, should Megamanny avoid stopping or knocking out Marquez nine nights hence? Should Pacman “carry” Marquez and just be content to take a one-sided definitive decision over JMM? Carrying opponents for one reason or another is part and parcel of ring history. No one was better at refusing to stop a foe than the nonpareil Sugar Ray Robinson. Oldtime fight scribe Barney Nagler once wrote sarcastically that Robinson “is the greatest carrier since Mother Dionne.” The reference was to the Canadian mother who bore quintuplets. If Pacquiao stops or KOs Marquez, something Mayweather did not come close to doing, will he scare the already skittish Mayweather away and kill a May 5 Dream Fight? It’s an ethical dilemma of sorts for Manny and trainer Freddie Roach will certainly push his protege to take Marquez out of his misery whenever possible. But, if Marquez doesn’t stand up for 12 rounds, does Mayweather disappear again?
