Juan Manuel Marquez deserves a third fight with Manny Pacquiao. Period.
And so do the fans?
Last Saturday, in a rematch of their 2009 Fight of the Year, Juan Manuel Marquez took apart the lackluster former unified champion Juan Diaz.
As Juan Diaz?s brief career of promise faded with a third defeat in five bouts, Marquez?s sure-fire Hall of Fame career still beams brightly.
Another win, another defense another dismantling. Business as usual.
Let?s be honest, the repeat peerless performances of one of the best operators in the lighter divisions surely warrants a third chance at Manny Pacquiao.
Detractors, claim that there is no point. The first fight was scored a draw (dubiously in some circles) while the second, a split decision in favor of Pacquiao was equally disputed.
But here is something that cannot be disputed ? both fights entertained fans worldwide like few others have this past decade, and isn?t that what it is all about?
The proposed fight with Antonio Margarito is a historic one.
While the shadow of Margarito?s shattered reputation will always loom large, it is nevertheless an opportunity for Pacquiao to win a belt in a record extending eighth division. But is this the fight that fans truly want? Will it provide the same slugging as any match with Marquez would produce? Margarito was a shell against Mosley (after his illegal wraps had been removed), while his come back fight was a slow, plodding laborious affair.
Marquez, meanwhile goes from strength to strength. Apart from the blip of a defeat to Floyd Mayweather, which was understandably taken for a career high payday he has looked majestic ever since. Few can dispute that technically there are few who surpass this Mexican brawler.
But let?s get one thing straight. I do not for one minute believe that Marquez would beat Pacquiao a third time round. Pacquiao is bigger, stronger and a far more polished product since their last encounter. Marquez, would be an overwhelming underdog.
But what is wrong with this? Margarito is not expected to beat the Pac-man either, and most would not want to see a rematch with Miguel Cotto, who was dismantled and left mangled.
Styles make fights, and apart from a proposed and much ill-fated match-up with Floyd Mayweather, few fights for Manny Pacquiao can claim to be more enticing to the general public.
There is enough debate about the outcome of the previous two bouts that there would be significant enough interest from the general public. That is difficult to argue with.
Of course there are road blocks along the way to make such a bout. Manny may not want the fight. He might understandably prefer to fight for the prestige of an eighth divisional title. Perhaps more importantly Top Rank (Pacquiao?s representatives) and Golden Boy (Marquez?s) are at each others throats, with relations between the two camps at an all time low. Accusations of lies have been flung in either direction.
But let?s hope common sense wins and at some point these two true warriors of the ring face each other one final time. Both know they bring the best out of each other, even though we may all be certain of who would triumph third time round.
Marquez I?m sure will beg to differ.
