It wasn’t size. It wasn’t weight. It was simply age.
At 36, Juan Manuel Marquez simply couldn’t pull the trigger like he had previously in his two fights with Manny Pacquiao or even other more recent fights.
Exactly like Roy Jones, Jr. beating a champion heavyweight at 34, than controversially beating Antonio Tarver in their first bout at age 35, Jones gets knocked out in two rounds by Tarver at 36. After the next knockout by Glenn Johnson, Jones hasn’t fought anyone with a pulse since.
At 33 1/2, most world – class fighters start to fade and only good management and matchmaking keeps them winning with the illusion to the public and media of still being the best.
It wasn’t strategy Saturday night. Marquez couldn’t beat Mayweather with a baseball and you, HBO announcers, the media, your knowledgeable friends all know this.
Marquez has nothing to be ashamed of by his performance. He took calculated shots at Mayweather with a still very dangerous right hand, but it wasn’t to be on this night.
Marquez still beats many of the top 10 at 130, 135 and 140, but simply not the very best.
I’m not saying Marquez wins at a younger age, but it certainly would have been competitive. He’s a great, Hall of Fame- worthy fighter. He had a good run!
