?You?re only as good as your last fight? is a commonly used phrase in boxing. ?Overrated? and ?exposed? are also key words boxing pundits love to throw around. They shape the way pound-for-pound lists are formed and mold public opinion of specific fighters. Right now, fight fans are writing off Manny Pacquiao based on his performance against Juan Manuel Marquez in their third controversial fight last weekend.
Everyone needs to relax.
Earlier last week, I wrote an article dealing with Pacquiao and whether his performance against Marquez would be the final evaluation of how his style has changed. Even after a poor performance on Saturday night, it seemed clear that there indeed had been a change in style. His footwork was much better in the third fight and the ?Pac-Man? also approached the fight in a different manner than the first two.
Still, most underestimated Marquez. He was able to time Pacquiao?s newfound footwork and negate his offense, reinforcing the fact that he is at Pacquiao?s level and is indeed his true rival. Even with Marquez?s great performance, most now see Pacquiao in a different light.
?Has Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao lost its luster?? seems to be the question everyone is asking now. There have been reports Pacquiao will seek a fourth fight with Marquez to try and redeem himself instead of pursuing the fight everyone wants to see. Pacquiao will look to regain his title of ?the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.?
Why does it matter?
Pacquiao-Marquez IV will always be on the table. It may not be fair to Marquez, who definitely deserves another fight against Pacquiao but the time to make Mayweather-Pacquiao is now. It?s the fight people have wanted to see for the last two years and it seems like Mayweather is ready to step up to the plate. Instead of Pacquiao trying to retain his mythical pound-for-pound title, he should fight Mayweather to decide who the best fighter in the sport is.
For years, fans have been too caught up with the pound-for-pound myth. When World Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez and bantamweight king Nonito Donaire both won mediocre fights against opponents who were reluctant to throw punches, the boxing media deemed that it was Pacquiao and Mayweather- and then everybody else.
So what?
Do the fights people want to see suddenly disappear because key fighters struggle in their wins? Not most of the time. People are still craving for Pacquiao-Mayweather. Martinez against either would be an excellent fight even though he got hit more in his last defense against Darren Barker. Excellent fights are excellent fights and the order on a pound-for-pound list doesn?t matter.
