TRILOGIES in boxing infrequently occur, but once completed end up as a good piece of theater.
Such was the case when Erik Morales dealt Manny Pacquiao a rare loss in their first meeting.
Pacquiao?s knockout of Morales in the rematch was a case study on how to incisively bounce back from a loss and Pacman?s abbreviated win in the finale punctuated the excitement his smash hit entailed.
A trifecta in the last quarter of the year has been finalized with Pacquiao in the stellar role against his staunch stalker Juan Manuel Marquez, while the incoming month marks a reappearance of Floyd Mayweather Jr. from a year and a half lay-off.
Enter Oscar de la Hoya, waving a formula for his ward Victor Ortiz to beat Floyd Jr. in his defense of his World Boxing Council crown, while Marquez?s chief trainer Nacho Berestain said they now have the recipe to turn the tables in their continuing bid to unseat Pacquiao for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title.
Ortiz dubbed Vicious Victor after relieving Andre Berto of his diadem goes first against Mayweather on Sept. 17 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, while Marquez shoots for Pacquiao?s welterweight title on Nov. 12 at the same venue.
This is Floyd?s latest foray from a voluntary storage since punishing Shane Mosley, and Manny?s first outing after his so-so beating of the veteran Pomona star.
Sort of showstoppers prior to a Mayweather-Pacquiao 2012 decisive test?
Losers are barred from the big dance, if you ask.
The Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown has been on the back-burner for quite a time and their followers want an assurance the programmed duel will take place after commitments to Ortiz and Marquez are met.
It is a most attractive match I agree and so do the promoters, who are offering no bets and taking none the event won?t get done.
No one in the business, at least the fans I polled, expect the planned scrap to be deferred much longer.
