All I?ve got
All I?ve got
All I?ve got are these photographs
All I?ve got is
All I?ve got is?
Is nothing without you
Rihanna
He is surely a 1st ballod Hall of Fame fighter and one of the greatest Mexican fighters of all-time, but whether this is fair or not, Juan Manuel Marquez will forever be known for his legendary duals with Manny Pacquiao.
I started to write a complimentary piece on Brandon Rios and the presumption of what would happen were he to face Richard Abril again. I think the version of Brandon we?re all about to see would edge Abril in a rematch, while still having problems with his movement. But then I thought about it- it doesn?t matter. Like, who cares? It doesn?t even warrant comparison to the historic theatre between Pacquiao and Marquez, and Rios himself can only really be a story if he beats Pacquiao.
Something he will not do.
PACQUIAO VS. MARQUEZ ?V?: TOTAL RECALL
Somewhere along the line during their 1st fight, particularly after the 1st round that opened his tumultuous saga with Pacquiao (which I thought he won), Marquez was able to summon ?total recall? of Pacquiao?s aggressive nature. He bravely decided to stand in the eye of Pacquiao?s storm and apply vision to do what he does best.
Wait.
He need only apply his all-world counterpunching ability in measured spots, knowing that the Filipino daredevil would take continuous chances to destroy him (like he did in part II, a bout I thought Pacquiao won). To do this requires above average speed and technique, an uncommon precision and toughness, extreme will and sharp reflexes, and the guts of a Mexican drug lord.
And most recently, depending on whom you ask; a greasy friend and government rat named ?Memo? Heredia and his questionable power pellets rinsed down by a cup of piss.
THE SAGA OF PACQUIAO VS. MARQUEZ V.
Were episode [V] to take place between these two, it would probably happen in late spring or fall of 2014, and Marquez would?ve lost fractions of at least a few of these qualities (and hopefully a few others ?alleged?).
The guess here is that Pacquiao would be roughly the same physically, and will not be gun shy in a few weeks against Rios. It?s just counter to his nature. He?d be no different against Marquez as he was the last time out. Marquez, for his part, was not noticeably different against Bradley; rather, it was Bradley who produced a result different from the one I expected. Juan Manuel wanted to bounce to the rhythm of Rock n? Roll- and I was fairly certain Tim would oblige.
He didn?t- he was all about Country music.
The result was an affair that left a lot to be desired, in an utterly ?un-rewindable? fight. It was almost like that meal at a fancy restaurant where you both kinda look at each other and go:
?It was a?ight, but we aint comin back here again.?
THE EPIC HISTORY
You would almost feel inclined to say that after Pacquiao vs. Marquez III. While Tim was content to survive his way to a boring ?boxing? victory over Marquez, which did nothing to boost his value coming off a thriller with Ruslan Provodnikov, Pacquiao could never fight this way, though owning obvious advantages in both hand and foot speed.
The 3rd stanza between Pacquiao and Marquez featured a Pacquiao at the apex of international fame and with a fully complete set of skills. Though he?d become a technically skilled masterpiece, he was also very complacent and torn emotionally. His congressional and promotional extracurricular activities also included extra-marital affairs, and his 2011 campaign featured a highly skilled ?plodder?. Because he was so refined, and because Marquez knew him so well, the fight was a yawn by their standards.
Our first glimpse of Pacquiao in 2012 saw a somewhat disinterested and distracted fighter against Timothy Bradley. His infamous stance against Gay Mariage on the eve of that fight famously marred things for him politically and socially. He was a little lost in many ways. There was however, a marked difference between that fighter and the one who showed up last December. He was full of fire and reckless anger. The result of that night has lead to endless speculation about what we?ll see ? or not see- against Rios in China a few weeks from now.
But when you combine his ?loss in victory? over Marquez in November 2011, his ?win in defeat? against Bradley in June 2012, and his shocking one-punch freefall against Marquez in December 2012, I think it adds up to a Pacquiao we?ve not seen since December 2008 against De La Hoya on November 23rd against Rios. One that is entirely focused and hell-bent on retribution and atonement.
Plus, things have changed in his favor since last year. He?s now comfortable in his congressional seat and in his balance of power with boxing. His marriage appears rock solid, with a 5th child on the way. Alex Ariza is in the corner of Rios and he does not have to come across the world to train and be distracted by an American media and audience. That is what?s going to destroy Rios, and that?s what would stare Marquez in the face were they to fight again.
THE OUTCOME OF PACQUIAO VS. MARQUEZ V. AND WHY
I believe Juan Manuel wanted a title before facing Pacquiao again to throw salt on the wound he inflicted in the 6th round of part [IV]. He denied a rematch – though he was granted three of them- and did so because of pride and ego. Pacquiao would come into the ring with even more contempt for Marquez than he did the last time, but with control, while Marquez would be in somewhat of a ?bracing for something? mode.
Because it was actually he who took the most damage in their 4th fight while having endured another camp in his distance loss to Bradley, Marquez?s ability to avoid the brunt of a highly motivated and vengeful Pacquiao attack would be slim. All of his 40-plus years would really show up, and he?d turn into cannon fodder against a 2014 version of Pacquiao. He would still be subject to Marquez?s lethal straight right and pockets of his advanced ring intelligence, but Pacquiao?s will and determination would get him beyond it, as he unloaded a torrent of punishment on his arch-nemesis. I believe the fight would pick up from where it left off before the credits starting rolling in round 6. Pacquiao would win just about every exchange, dial up nasty combinations with maximum speed, and pretty much beat the hell out of Marquez.
Bloodied, battered, and beaten in almost every conceivable way while losing every round, Juan Manuel Marquez would answer the bell for the 5th round but not hear the bell to end it.
In an electrifying display of cold-blooded wrath, Manny Pacquiao would conclusively dismantle and completely dismiss Juan Manuel Marquez by 5th round knockout to end their saga.
