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Philippines, 17 Aug 2025 |
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THIS IS BOXING? By Jojo Vergara PhilBoxing.com Tue, 11 Dec 2012  I am still reeling from the effects of what I saw Sunday, images of the punch that felled Pacquiao haunted me, even in my dreams. I saw the slow motion replay again and again and I want to process why it all came to this punch. This punch that shocked the world. Marquez truly is a master boxer, one of the greatest, at par with Pacman, as his conqueror, for now his ultimate nemesis. Shame on me for thinking that Mayweather is the ultimate fight for PACMAN , he is not, he simply is a bygone conclusion, Mayweather missed the train to be part of boxing history, a sad footnote in the annals of the SHUDA, WUDA, CUDA library. Marquez said in many interviews that he prepared differently for this fight, evidently so, he looked heavier, bigger, slower even, but what he lacked in speed this time was a price to pay for the firepower he carried in his fists. He was always a great counterpuncher, but in the last three fights, the shots that he connected flush on Pacman lacked the killer edge, he just couldn?t put Pacman down. This is what he worked on, he knew he could hit Pacman but this time he carried more TNT with him. And so, the dinamita came and blew Pacman away, down and out for NOW. As I was looking back at the replay, I noticed just how deadly Marquez?s fists were, I knew from the get go that Pacquiao felt his punches, they were few but they brought pain? when the punch that floored Pacman came in round three, I saw how Marquez threw that punch with all of his might, finally doing what he never could the last three fights. That was what 4 and half months of strength and conditioning training can do to a great boxer. I viewed the 24/7 HBO series on Pacman Marquez 4 and it showed just what kind of training Marquez did. Yes it was different from the rest of his training, and it was effective. And history was made, in the fateful round 6, wherein Pacquiao would have in the score cards because of his continuous onslaught on Marquez, in the final second of the round, Marquez did what he always did, counterpunch, but this time, he brought with him the thunder, then it was over?. I was screaming my heart out since the beginning. we were watching the fight in a small caf? in davao, the place was packed of course, we all watched and cheered when Pacquiao connected at the first round, he did what he said he would do as well, he was more aggressive this time, he stalked Marquez like a lion ready to pounce, he knew he was carrying heat, and fire was in his eyes. He wanted to shut Marquez up, he wanted to show the world he is the best. This time he wants a defining fight, he was ready? he was willing, and his boxing was superb. Round by round he connected, Marquez looked slower, Pacquiao danced and bobbed and weaved. The two men indeed were at the peak of their fighting form, truly boxing at its best. Pacman strategy was pressure Marquez and knock him out, he succeeded, he backed Marquez down and bloodied his face, he showed incredible will when he got up from that thunderous punch in round three and dropped Marquez as well. Marquez strategy was simple as well, counterpunch and throw, but this time throw hard? two boxers so evenly matched, right up to their fight records, right up to their last three fights, all 36 rounds of it. In the end, what ended the fight was that single punch, admittedly I thought the round was over, after standing for almost the whole round, I sat down thinking the round was over, but the punch came?. According to the cards, Pacquiao was actually winning the fight, up until that single punch? After the fight, there were so many mixed reactions, people were saying Pacquiao is done, some people said he lost because he did not wear the rosary, that he should retire.. but I believe all of them are absolutely wrong. Pacquiao, trained, he was ready, he was in fact winning.. but the PUNCH came and ended the night. He was right, this is boxing , he got hit..thats it.. that?s all the more reason there should be a PACQUIAO-MARQUEZ 5. These two just have to fight again, they are that good. That fight could have gone either way, Paquiao knew it, even Marquez knew it, just look at his face. Bob Arum again was right when he said ?WHY NOT?? I am sure people will want to see them fight again. It was that good. Until then, Marquez can enjoy his victory, thank his trainers and coach and celebrate with his countrymen, I know for all the anguish I feel now, there is great jubilation in another corner of the globe. VICTORY , DEFEAT, it is an endless cycle, but like in boxing, you go with the flow. That is why I believe Pacman?s star has not diminished one bit, he should feel no disgrace nor dishonor, he lost to a great boxer that one night, his equal, his alter ego even. His other self, they are that good and they will forever be enshrined in the halls of boxing history as one of the greatest rivalries ever. Both men are giants, both men are heroes. The fifth fight for me will be sweet revenge? all Pacquiao needs to do is fight the way he did but with better defense. I?m sure he and Freddie Roach were surprised by how much Marquez improved his firepower, so the next time they will be ready. I don?t know how long this saga will continue, as age is catching up on both men. All I know is that is that i love boxing because of its parallels in life, where there is great learning to be made. 1. From Marquez, I learned to adapt and constantly improve, from a counterpuncher to a power puncher, he showed just how much he knew himself. Know your strengths, build on them, know your weaknesses and make them your strengths. 2. THE PUNCH ? you may be behind on the cards, in life you may be behind in your career, in your personal life, but keep at it. Wait for the right moment. In business it's like that, they come in spurts, one single act of decisiveness, one major decision can turn your business from the red to the black. In marketing it takes one great creative idea to turn that product around, for the artist it takes one surge of creativity to make that masterpiece. So just keep to it folks. Be patient and wait for the proper time, when you hit, then HIT HARD. 3. From Pacquiao I learned to say, this is boxing, ?I got hit so I will fight again..? in life, I can say; that?s life, I got hit, I will rise up and keep on punching. For me that?s an even bigger lesson, I can imagine how many of my countrymen who were knocked down by typhoon Pablo, lost their loved ones their homes. Pacquiao gave them this message, this is life.. it can be cruel and lonely, dark and desperate. But, you can rise up and keep on punching. That?s what real heroes are made of. All the more I want to see that fifth fight, when Pacquiao will be there in the middle of the ring, and he remembers the pain of that night in Las Vegas, but he got up and tried again and when this time he throws the punch, and Marquez counters, but THIS TIME, Pacman parries the shot and delivers his thunderous LEFT STRAIGHT, Marquez?s drops to the canvas, Pacman?s hand is raised. VICTORY is made sweeter like wine which is made from the bitterest of grapes. That?s one fight I want to see next year. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Jojo Vergara.  |
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