HAS MANNY Pacquiao reached his full potential? Or are the oddsmakers just have the same opinion that Juan Manuel Marquez has the style and capability to beat the Filipino southpaw?
Pacquiao remains the favorite going into his March 15 rematch with Marquez in Las Vegas although figures being posted over at sportsbook.com, an on-line gaming station, are not as lopsided as before.
Several weeks ago, Pacquiao opened as the ?140 favorite, while Marquez was +110, meaning a $ 140 wager on Pacquiao would only win $ 100, while a bet of $ 100 on Marquez would have a return of $ 110.
The numbers, however, are expected to change when the fight nears.
When Pacquiao and Marquez fought in May 2004, Pacquiao was the overwhelming ?170 favorite, while Marquez was +150.
Pacquiao was fresh then from scoring a devastating knockout win over Marco Antonio Barrera and ringsiders thought the Filipino southpaw would walk right through Marquez as if the Mexican didn?t exist.
They initially thought they were right as Pacquiao sent Marquez down three times in the first round.
But Marquez dug deep into his bagful of tricks and recovered miraculously en route to a 12-round split draw, a result that did not sit well with his camp.
While Pacquiao was truly awesome in the first three minutes, the complexion of the bout changed drastically beginning the second round with Marquez fighting as though he was not on the verge of being stopped in the opening canto.
But Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach insists that Pacquiao was still a onearmed fighter then.
When they meet again, he will have to deal with Pacquiao?s brutal hands.
“Manny has still a lot to show, while Marquez has reached his peak,” said Roach in a recent interview.
