This Saturday Manny Pacquiao 53-3-2 (38 KO) and Juan Manuel Marquez 53-5-1 (39 KO) will square off for the third time to finish their bitter rivalry. The first two fights are highly entertaining and highly controversial. Their styles mesh to perfection. Pacquiao?s hard charging aggression vs. Marquez?s technical boxing and counter punching abilities. During each of the first two fights they traded incredible power shots being kept alive only by great chins and a desire to be victorious. The first ended in a draw and the second was awarded to Pacquiao by narrow split decision.
Each fight has nearly four years in between. They first met at featherweight in 2004, again at junior lightweight in 2008, and now will meet at welterweight (catch weight of 144lbs) in late 2011. Both proud men want to settle the score once and for all and show who is the better man in this rivalry.
Before the fight Saturday night we take a look back at the first two bouts. In the first installment we looked at the first bout and will now check out the second fight in 2008 at junior lightweight. I will be on the email all week checking for comments from readers where I am sure there will be plenty to argue about in my opinions below. Or feel free to light up the comments below or the Boxing Tribune?s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/theboxing.tribune. Nothing like some barbershop arguing before a big fight. Now lets? get into the rematch.
While the crowd was at a fever pitch for the (mostly for Marquez chanting his last name and Mexico-Mexico) the fighters were more cautious in this second meeting. Round one was far more tactical than anything in the first bout with only one good power punch (a big right) landed from Marquez with Manny landing a few grazing shots. Feeling that any round should be earned in this difficult rematch I score round one even (I should note all three judges and Harold Lederman of HBO gave it to Pacquiao).
