There’s been a lot of talk coming out of Los Angeles from Team Pacquiao talking about knockouts. Freddie Roach has been saying it as well, but perhaps the knockout will come from Marquez? All of the previous 3 fights between these two warriors have been close ones. Marquez in many opinions should have been awarded a win in at least one of the fights, perhaps 2 of them. He’s been close in every fight.
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Time will soon tell if Manny has lost a step, or if his lack of killer instinct in his last few fights was just mental. He seems to be having a great camp thus far, but reports out of JMM camp say that he is as well. Marquez is just as hungry for this knockout as Manny is, if not hungrier. He feels like he was robbed a few times in previous fights, and he wants a signature convincing win this time.
The question is, can he? Marquez is a very smart fighter with pin point counter punching accuracy. His timing is great, and his will to win is obvious. If Pacquiao comes into this fight swinging for the fences, he may make a mistake. Marquez will be looking for those mistakes. Pacquiao can be hit, we know this much. His defense isn’t great, although it has gotten better over the years. Marquez will be looking for that perfect punch.
When I spoke with Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum a few days ago, he said that what’s going to make this fight interesting is the fact that both guys want to knockout out the other. He’s probably right. Pacquiao feels a little bit of pressure from his fans to show up with that killer instinct that he once had. Marquez is sick of getting the short end of the stick when it comes to the decisions. He wants to take the decision out of the judges hands.
Again, the big question is whether or not Marquez has the power to actually knockout Manny Pacquiao. He’s a very smart fighter, and I think he can do it but it would have to be a perfectly placed counter punch. Another question is whether or not Pacquiao will provide Marquez with any mistakes to seize upon. Roach will surely have Manny ready physically, but will he have him ready mentally? These are all question that we will soon find out.
