The cocky one looks too big, too strong and too fast for the quiet one, but there have been bigger upsets than what a victory by Juan Manuel Marquez over Floyd Mayweather would be.
No less an authority than Oscar De La Hoya likes Marquez’ chances tonight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After noting that Mayweather is “the best fighter on the planet,” the Golden Boy predicted a victory for Marquez.
“I just have the feeling that Marquez is going to pull this one off,” said De La Hoya. “I saw how much he bulked up. I saw how much strength he has gained. I saw how seriously he’s taking this fight, and I’m convinced he will win this fight. He’s looking sharp, he’s looking fast, he’s looking strong.”
That could be just De La Hoya the promoter talking, or a loyal Mexican supporting his countryman. But there’s no question that Marquez is a thoroughbred, though the general boxing public didn’t notice that salient fact until his two wars with Manny Pacquiao.
In the first meeting, Marquez was knocked down three times in the first round but outboxed Pacquiao the rest of the way to salvage a draw. Pacquiao won the rematch by a single point in a fight that could have gone either way. Marquez has been clamoring for another shot at the Pacman ever since.
But Pacquiao was the same size as Marquez — they were both featherweights at the time. The problem for Marquez in the pay-per-view fight Saturday night is that he essentially will be moving up four weight divisions against an undefeated fighter who has been fighting as a welterweight for the last four years.
Marquez, the No. 2 ranked pound-for-pound fighter, has won world titles at featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight, but has fought most of his career as a featherweight (126) and has never fought above 135 pounds. And he’s fighting the man many consider the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. That’s a huge leap for Marquez.
The biggest problem facing Marquez is measured not so much in pounds as in inches. Mayweather will enjoy a five-inch reach advantage. Add that to the fact that Mayweather is an excellent counter-puncher and one of the best defensive fighters in the game and you have a very big dilemma for Marquez.
But it would be folly for anyone to underestimate Marquez, a true warrior and a skilled craftsman. If those three first-round knockdowns by Pacquiao couldn’t discourage Marquez, nothing Mayweather can offer will, either.
No one has ever convincingly beaten Marquez — all four of his losses in a 50-4-1 record have come via close decisions. As good as Mayweather is — and he is very good — this won’t be an easy fight for him. But he will prevail, it says here.
Actually, this is a can’t-lose fight for Marquez. For starters, it will be the richest pay night of his career. Plus, if he performs well, even in defeat, it could lead to that coveted third bout with Pacquiao.
And if De La Hoya is right and he pulls the upset, the demand for Pacquiao-Marquez III would go off the charts.
JOHN-JUAREZ REMATCH
There’s also a good appetizer on the Mayweather-Marquez card in a rematch between WBA lightweight champion Chris John and Rocky Juarez, who is making his fourth bid for a world title (he’s 0-2-1 so far).
The first meeting ended in a draw, though most ringside observors had John winning. John has vowed to take the rematch out of the judges’ hands. “I want to take away the responsibility from the judges,” said John. “This is the first time I have said this — I will stop Rocky Juarez.”
GODFREY, ANDRADE WIN
Two Providence fighters notched victories on opposite sides of the country.
NABF cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (20-1, 10 KOs) got more than he bargained for in a keep-busy fight in Sacramento against Michael Simms (20-12-2), but came away with a split decision victory Saturday night. Godfrey had to come back from a first-round knockdown to register a 96-93, 95-94, 94-95 win.
On the previous weekend, Olympian Demetrius “The Cape Verdean Assassin” Andrade, fighting in front of his Rhode Island fans for only the second time in his brief career, scored a sixth-round TKO over John Williams of North Carolina (3-1-1) at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I. Andrade is 6-0, with 5 KOs.
In the co-feature, Eastern Boxing Association super middleweight champion Irish Joey McCreedy of Lowell (11-3-1, 6 KOs) added the vacant New England title with a first round TKO over Eddie Caminero of Lawrence (5-3).
KESSLER, WARD KEEP SUPER SIX DATE
On a joint Showtime telecast from two different countries last weekend, WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler and 2004 U.S. Olympian Andre Ward cleared the way for their Super Six World Boxing Classic confrontation Nov. 21 in Oakland.
Kessler (42-1, 32 KOs) disposed of Gusmyr Perdomo (16-3) via a fourth round TKO in Denmark, while Ward stopped Shelby Pudwill (22-4-1) in the third round in Temecula, Ca.
Bob Hanna covers boxing for The Standard-Times. Contact him at [email protected]
