Casual talk at Side Bar from Mandalay Bay Events Center, LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Assessing from his performance against Juan Diaz last night, the rugged Chelango from Distrito Federal, Mexico, Juan Manuel
Marquez, may just be chasing a gruesome punishment in the hands of Manny Pacquiao. But, boxing fans continue to demand a trilogy between these two great men of honor and fearless spirit, only to settle their madness in the ring of violence.
Marquez said, “Manny Pacquiao is my number one priority.” But, he says he wants to fight Pacquiao only at 141, 142 or 143. Sure, Pacquiao conceivably had his share of punishment as well in the hands of Marquez, even in their first encounter in 2004 and much more in 2008. But, what I foresee, if a third encounter materializes, is that the Chelago’s wish only renders a suicidal melody.
Conversely, no matter how assertive his rantings are, the end-note of which is still a discordant, premature scenario against his favor. Pacquiao is too skillfull, too intelligent and too powerful at this moment of his greatness. Marquez will just succumb to severe neurovascular shots to the head, nay, a dismal choice of his making. Even to the drawing power of millions, he still cannot imporve hi skill any better – a far cry in defying his developmental age level at this juncture – than what Pacquiao has studied all along. His performance against Diaz has become an open-book to Pacmanian world and was rather less convincing: his cadence and rythmic speed have obviously decreased. His degree of firing accuracy still dominates; he landed 288 of 672 punches thrown (43%). Marquez landed 48% of his power punches!
Yes, you could say ‘styles make fight’. But, Pacquiao is a lot quicker and too stylish than Diaz, much more
against Marquez. Now, here’s the reversal: Marquez want to fight at catch-weight, as said earlier. But, I think
full-welterweight fight at 147 pounds should be fair enough. One thing that Marquez suspects relative to the causative factor of his lackluster showing against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. late last year was his intimation that it was secondary to extra-added weight, which, he thought, has diminished his power and motor gross motor skills and has been deemed at no face value, except the metted penalty he received from Mayweather, Jr. for exceeding the agreed weigh limit of 144. You see, Juan Manuel Marquez had never fought at a weight greater than 135 pounds, except his match with Mayweather, Jr., which he weighed 142.
But, even then at this level, while it’s true that his bilateral hands still pack high-powered shots, his motor skills may have a grading of less than than the perfect score of 7, which is not enough to catch Pacquiao’s ever increasing power and debilitating combo. Obviously, he was a lot quicker three years ago.
For the fans of Marquez to say that Pacquiao is ducking him, they must be right: all because Pacquiao will even make such provocation real…yes! as real as a ‘lame duck’, if they both meet in the ring the third time.
Other boxing prophets may see a different scenario. Even though I am being hated by some of Pacquiao fans at times, this time around they might sing hallelujah. But, praises should not blur nor jeopardize my objectivity, regardless of nasty comments I receive. Fair enough: Pacquiao will surely kill Marquez, if that’s what the latter intends to frame himself at age 36.
I spoke to Marquez after the post-fight press conference and he greeted me saying, “Thank you for covering my fights and please tell Manny Pacquiao I want to fight him on November 13 or whenever.”
Marquez usually speaks Spanish in most of his interviews. But, he seemed to have mastered on what he should tell to the media when it comes to dealing questions about him and Pacquiao.
For Marquez, “Age does not matter.” He’ll fight Pacquiao to the end.
For all we must know, the blood of the Aztecs awaits. Even some of Pacquiao’s Mexican fans tell it all. But, for some unbelievers, I believe they only compell him to put Marquez to rest. No, not Marquez per se, to them. They mean, I suppose, about the great controversy as to supremacy between him and the great Maharlikan hero, to which I extrapolate the real “rest” on a Black Sabbath.
For some Chelangos, they say “Ah, huevo!”
