WITH the Pacquiao vs. Margarito bout a week away, I know it?s almost a downright awful shame to allot precious column space and write about another fight.
However, I dare not ignore the sonorous beat generated by a guaranteed fight-of-the-year candidate. After all, this is Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Rafael Marquez.
And besides, this column has always been for the boxing fans?and not just for ?a? boxer?s fans.
EPIC BATTLE. This fight is a much-anticipated match-up between a young undefeated star against a certified Hall-of-Famer.
Lopez is a fearsome knockout puncher who holds the WBO featherweight belt and is currently one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the game.
Marquez is more popularly known as the other protagonist behind the Marquez vs. Vasquez epics, which netted two ?Fight-of-the-Year? and another two ?Round-of-the year? awards. Or you can just refer to him as the younger bro of Pacquiao?s arch-nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez.
This match is heaven-sent to fans who prefer scorching hot action as opposed to a chess match played out in gloves.
Another intriguing angle that almost always generates interest is the quintessential Latino ?who-is-mas macho? issue between a Mexican and a Puerto Rican fighter. Here?s how they stack-up:
RAFAEL MARQUEZ. (39-4, 35KOs) STRENGTHS: Power. Aggression. Combination punching. Stamina. Championship experience. WEAKNESSES: Can be a bit chinny. Spotty defense. BEST PERFORMANCES: TKO8 Tim Austin (2003) , KO3 Israel Vasquez (2009).
JUAN MANUEL LOPEZ (29-0, 26 KOs). STRENGTHS: Knockout power in both hands. Speed. Supremely confident. Pinpoint accuracy. Versatility. WEAKNESSES. Leaky defense and leaves self open to counters. Chin. Suspect stamina. BEST PERFORMANCES: TKO1 Daniel Ponce de Leon (2008), TKO7 Steven Luevano (2010)
MY TAKE. With a knockout average of 89 percent between them, it?s best advised to take that much needed bathroom break only between rounds.
The taller Lopez will try to establish his jab while Marquez will stalk the champion and attempt to get inside.
Expect some nasty exchanges in the second and third round with Lopez landing his powerful southpaw straight left and Marquez countering with hooks.
Lopez?s hand speed will be a crucial factor in this fight and if he boxes well, he should be able to open up cuts in Marquez? face by the middle rounds.
Marquez will have his moments and may even probably score a knockdown. But Lopez?s superior skills and versatility will have the referee waiving the fight off at the 9th round with Marquez bloodied but raring to continue the bloodbath.
IS MANNY READY? So is Manny Pacquiao undertrained and distracted coming into the Antonio Margarito fight? Roach has been interviewed and quoted as saying that this is his talented ward?s worst training camp ever.
Lately however, much needed cramming at the Wild Card Gym has thankfully rectified matters and the current pound-for-pound king is reportedly a well-oiled fighting machine again.
I think Manny may be guilty of trying to half-ass his training in the early stages, but really when you?re as good as he is, all he probably needs is just a few weeks of hard training for everything to click in place.
The problem with Margarito is that we may never truly know how good or awful a fighter he really is until fight time.
The loaded hand-wrap snafu has taken a lot of the luster off his scintillating victories over Miguel Cotto and Kermit Cintron. If you ask me, the ?Tijuana Tornado? remains to be an enigma.
And I don?t like surprises.
LAST ROUND. It?s on Charlie Mosquite of Dapa, Surigao del Norte and on Atty. Carla Juris Tanco who recently celebrated her birthday. Cheers!
