You know it?s a special kind of fight when people are still talking about it well over a week later and that is the case with the third encounter between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.
On Saturday, November 12th, Pacquiao pulled out another razor-thin victory inside of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada but the fight didn?t play out how many expected. Despite being a heavy underdog coming in, Marquez shocked observers by getting the better of many exchanges and landing several flush, telling blows during the bout?s duration against an onrushing Pacquiao.
It certainly was a fight that sparked much debate, with countless boxing luminaries stepping forward to back Marquez, the latest two being Jorge ?Travieso? Arce and retired former-champ Ricky Hatton.
Marquez?s countryman Arce showed serious venom when dissecting the fight and its aftermath.
?I?m disappointed after the fight between Marquez and Pacquiao,? Arce said in a BoxingScene.com piece by Jhonny Gonzalez. ?It was really an outright robbery. I don?t know what Marquez has to do to win in Las Vegas. Maybe murder. But even if he kills [Pacquiao], he would still lose or get a draw. I am disappointed in the judges. Marquez should sue them for being robbed on several occasions. Advertisement
?This tarnishes boxing. It hurts the credibility of boxing. No need to kill or murder with a gun, because [the judges] kill with such decisions. If Pacquiao was honest he would take the belt and give it to Juan Manuel. After the fight was over, Marquez was celebrating but Pacquiao was sad and Roach was sad because he predicted a knockout in six rounds and nothing happened.?
Hatton knows Pacquiao very well, having unsuccessfully tried to derail his applecart in a May 2009 super fight. Then looked at as the lineal junior welterweight champion of the world, Hatton was outclassed from the get-go, dropped twice in the first round, and knocked out cold with a wicked left hand with just a second remaining in the second round.
Hatton feels that Pacquiao looked vulnerable against Marquez and went on to add that a possible dream fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who Hatton fell to via 10th round TKO in December of 2007, might not be worth the wait after all.
?I thought Manny had problems with Marquez?s style and maybe he would always have problems with that style,? Hatton revealed to Gareth A. Davies of the London Telegraph. ?On the strength of that contest and performance, it is hard to see how Manny would beat Floyd Mayweather if they actually ever meet in a ring. I know people really talk that fight up and are really excited about it happening, but I actually think it could actually be an anti-climax because it could be a wide points decision for Floyd over Manny.?
