1. MANNY PACQUIAO was looking to rip the IBF and WBA featherweight titles from the grasp of Juan Manuel Marquez, and with it the accolade of winning world titles in a third different weight class. Marquez, five years the elder, came into the fight having won his last 13 since a defeat to Freddy Norwood in his first world title bid. ?Pac-Man? notched a career-best win in his previous outing after dispatching Marco Antonio Barrera in the 11th round.
2. FREDDIE ROACH said the Filipino had trained harder for Marquez than he had for Barerra in Texas. Pacquiao, the betting favourite, predicted an early knockout but there were many in the American press who believed the Mexican could spring a surprise on the Bob Arum and Murad Muhammad co-promotion bill. More than 7,000 packed into the MGM Grand on Cinco de Mayo weekend a holiday popular with Hispanics.
3. ?DINAMITA? was caught cold and was dropped three times in the first three minutes. The round from hell began when Marquez was put down but quickly jumped up at the count of three. The second shortly afterwards also came courtesy of a Pacquiao straight left, but again Marquez rose to his feet. In the minimal time between knockdowns the champion tried to fire back to dissuade his irrepressible opponent.
4. THE third knockdown of the round was heavier, and had the Filipino fans (and journalists) at ringside jumping for joy. Marquez got his arm caught in the ropes and Pacquiao stood over him to let another shot go. The toiling Mexican climbed to his feet again and battled through the few seconds remaining to the bell.
5. PACQUIAO buzzed around the bloodied Mexican, looking to overwhelm him with fast hands and constant movement but Marquez settled into his cool, methodical style with his left hand elevated, his right a little lower, waiting patiently for openings. Marquez?s power shots were doing enough to stop ?Pac-Man? launching another frenzied assault.
6. THE champion picked his shots wonderfully as Pacquiao lost momentum through the middle rounds. Juan Manuel was able to counter with pinpoint accuracy as Pacquiao struggled to find his range and score consistently. Marquez took the initiative in the 10th, backing Pacquiao up to limit the Filipino’s effectiveness. The sessions were close but the chants of ?Me-hico, Me-hico? indicated the resurgence of the champion.
7. THE crowd were upstanding as the fighters came out for the final round. Freddie Roach told his charge that they ?need this round badly?. Pacquiao opened with a hard left and Marquez shot back with a right. Pacquiao emptied the tank but it was Marquez who was more efficient over the three minutes.
8. BOTH fighters threw their hands up, claiming the win. Two judges scored it 115-110, one in favour of Marquez and the other siding with Pacquiao whilst the third had it 113-113. The judge who had it a draw, Bert Clements, admitted erroneously scoring the opening round 10-7 for Pacquiao which bereft Manny of the victory.
9. MIGUEL COTTO dispensed with the prospect tag and earned his stripes by out-boxing and out-punching Lovemore Ndou on the Las Vegas undercard. Cotto switched from going forward firing combinations to head and body to boxing brilliantly on the move and back foot.
10. ?PAC-MAN? and ?Dinamita? have since met another three times to date, all producing brilliant contests. Pacquiao claimed a controversial split decision win over his favourite dance partner in a rematch at super-feather in 2008. The pair met again in 2011 at a catchweight of 144lbs but the result was again less than clear-cut: Pacquiao claimed a majority decision to retain his WBO welterweight crown. But the fourth did produce a clear victor after a JMM right crunched onto the face of Pacquiao, leaving the unprecedented series at 2-1-1 in favour of Pacquiao. But had Pacquiao finished what he started in that opening round in 2004, such an unforgettable rivalry would not have occurred.
