The focus of the boxing world will be on the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this Saturday night as Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez resume their heated and contentious rivalry. The first time they squared off was way back in May 2004 and they fought to a disputed draw. During their March 2008 rematch, Pacquiao won a split decision that is still debated to this day. I had the privilege of being at both fights and will be ringside again this weekend. I?m proud to say that I will have been at all three Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales conflicts and now, this one. At times, this gig ain?t so bad.
Here are some random thoughts on what I?ve seen…
– While Pacquiao has the win and a draw in this series, you can make a strong argument that it?s Marquez who has won the majority of the rounds they have boxed thus far. The great equalizer has been the four knockdowns scored by the ?Pac-Man.? Folks ask me all the time how I scored the first two bouts. I had Marquez winning the first fight and Pacquiao winning the rematch. I thought after the three knockdowns scored by Pacquiao in the first round that Marquez won the large majority of rounds back in 2004. In the rematch, I thought Pacquiao beat Marquez by a few points.
But if you ask 100 fans how they scored the first two chapters of Pacquiao-Marquez, you?ll get a wide variance of answers.
