For much of his 19-year professional career Juan Manuel Marquez had waged war against shadows. One of them was his own style, for his technical brilliance and ring savvy required a sharper eye and a more willing mindset than many fans were ready to bestow at the time. Add to that all the other issues that threatened to swallow him whole:
* In his pro debut, Marquez was disqualified in the first round for a butt-induced cut after a ringside physician ? who Marquez later discovered had a piece of his opponent Javier Duran ? recommended the stoppage.
* His inability to drag then-WBO featherweight titlist Naseem Hamed into the ring, even as a mandatory challenger for more than two years;
* His stumble against Freddie Norwood in his first world title shot, a fight in which he was favored to win;
* His less-than-scintillating performance in beating Orlando Salido on the Bernard Hopkins-Oscar de la Hoya pay-per-view undercard;
* His manager’s refusal to accept a $750,000 payday for a Manny Pacquiao rematch only to lose his belt to Chris John in Indonesia for $30,000;
* His losing battle to the more dynamic Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera for the hearts of Mexican fans.
Any one of these would have crushed a lesser fighter, but Marquez shrugged it all off and proceeded to make history. After the disappointing win over Salido, Marquez adopted a more fan-friendly style and ripped off victories against a gauntlet of high-quality opponents, picking up belts at 130 and 135 along the way. Along with the Klitschkos, Juan Manuel and his brother Rafael comprise the most successful brother act the sport has even known.
Marquez also was the oldest man ever to defend a lightweight title and if you believe his fans he owns three victories over Manny Pacquiao. His only decisive loss in the last six years came against Floyd Mayweather Jr., a very excusable defeat given Mayweather’s otherworldly boxing talents as well as “Money’s” refusal to scale the contracted weight of 144.
On Saturday, Marquez continues his chase toward a fourth divisional crown when he faces the 30-1 (13) Serhiy Fedchenko before his adoring fans in Mexico City. The fact that his fans can be described as “adoring” is a testament to the success Marquez earned during his inspirational late-career run, a run whose finish line is located in Canastota, New York. The reasons why will be detailed in the following paragraphs, which will chronicle one writer’s opinion of his 10 best performances.
10. February 1, 2003 ? KO 7 Manuel Medina, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
If there was a fighter who could rival Marquez for intelligence and ring craft, it was Medina. Engaging in his 18th world title fight, Medina was one of only 10 active fighters at that time to boast at least 60 professional wins. The 72-fight veteran was a four-time featherweight titleholder that employed a funky, long-armed volume attack with in-and-out movement that short-circuited most opponents’ timing. Would Marquez fall prey to Medina’s wiles or would he ensnare the cutie in his own traps?
Medina began the fight as he always did; with movement, light jabs and one-twos while Marquez earned an edge with hooks, crosses and body shots. That edge turned into a canyon in the second as a smashing hook-cross-uppercut drove Medina to the floor for an eight count. Only Medina’s cageyness and still-lively legs allowed him to survive the next two-and-a-half minutes, a span which saw Marquez nail him with right crosses and uppercuts with both hands.
Medina turned uncharacteristically aggressive in the third, and his stop-and-pop tactics paid off with a nice right-left-right to the jaw in the fourth. But Marquez’s TNT resurfaced soon after as two heavy rights stunned Medina, and by the fifth every power connect moved Medina noticeably.
Medina mounted a mini-charge at the start of the seventh to plant the seeds toward what he hoped would be a late-round run but Marquez cut him short with a final few sticks of dynamite. A strong hook to the face decked Medina a minute in, and although he arose at two the veteran’s right eye had slammed shut, prompting ringside physician Dr. Margaret Goodman to call an instant halt. 9. March 15, 2008 ? L 12 Manny Pacquiao II, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
In the four years that elapsed since their epic draw, Pacquiao exploded to the top of the pound-for-pound charts while Marquez re-lit what looked like a flickering star. The most important victories in Pacquiao’s 7-1 (5) record since the first fight came at the expense of Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, the latter of whom inflicted Pacquiao’s only loss but was stopped in two subsequent fights. Meanwhile, Marquez, 6-1 (2) since fight one, endured the Chris John debacle but rebuilt his reputation through a series of exciting wins, the most vital of which also came against Barrera two fights earlier.
Each man had to suspect their efforts would eventually lead to this rematch, which appropriately was dubbed “Unfinished Business.” Pacquiao was installed a strong 2-to-1 favorite but most of the ringside reporters believed Marquez had the savvy to derail the Filipino juggernaut.
After they traded the first two rounds, Pacquiao struck a decisive blow with 21 seconds remaining in the third when a left cross floored Marquez. Up until that point the third appeared to be Marquez’s, but the judges were forced to reassess their votes; would they give Pacquiao a full-blown 10-8 or would they recognize Marquez’s work over the first two-and-a-half minutes and grant a Pacquiao a 10-9 edge?
The tit-for-tat trading continued round after round, making the judges’ task exceedingly difficult. Marquez appeared to capture the fifth and sixth with excellent long-range boxing while Pacquiao took the seventh with a last-minute firefight that produced a butt-induced cut over Marquez’s right eye. Marquez enjoyed his best round in the eighth as a right to the eye worsened an existing cut and his slicing blows ripped through Pacquiao’s defense.
Pacquiao returned the favor in the ninth by opening a second cut over Marquez’s right eye, one that eventually became a horrific spectacle. A thunderbolt left cross staggered Marquez early in the 10th but Marquez’s counters wreaked havoc on Pacquiao’s rapidly swelling right eye. Marquez tightened matters considerably by winning the final two rounds.
For the second consecutive fight Marquez’s late surge resulted in a moral victory, but nothing more. Duane Ford saw Pacquiao a 115-112 victor while Jerry Roth favored Marquez by the same score. Tom Miller’s 114-113 card for Pacquiao reflected the tightness of the contest, but it did not salve the wounds of Marquez’s fans who believed he had done enough to prevail.
8. November 12, 2011 ? L 12 Manny Pacquiao III, MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Moments after Marquez signed to fight Pacquiao for the third time, the declarations of his doom were almost universal. There were solid reasons to feel disaster was about to strike the marvelous Mexican. First, Marquez was 38 years old, a Methuselah-like age for a lightweight, much less one who was adding even more poundage. Second, the last time Marquez weighed 142 pounds he was badly outclassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr., who looked like he could knock out Marquez at the moment of his choice. Finally, Pacquiao, boxing’s pound-for-pound king for several years, was in the process of zooming up the ranks of all-time legends.
Since beating Marquez in their 2008 rematch, Pacquiao not only defeated, but dominated, a gauntlet of naturally bigger men to collect three more divisional crowns, bringing his total to a mind-boggling eight. Comparisons to Henry Armstrong were freely tossed about ? and the fact that they weren’t universally scorned was a testament to how much Pacquiao had enhanced his legacy. Thus, Pacquiao was installed as a prohibitive 9-to-1 favorite and many respected experts predicted the Filipino would steamroll Marquez within six rounds.
Once the opening bell sounded, Marquez proved the veracity of another boxing truism ? “styles make fights.”
Unlike the Mayweather fight, Marquez looked strong at the weight and his tools were sharpened to the finest edge possible for a man nearing his 40s. Meanwhile, Pacquiao didn’t look like the fighter who torched David Diaz, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Antonio Margarito. That’s because Marquez was fast enough to keep up with the quicker Filipino and possessed enough counter-punching skill and command of distance to keep Pacquiao respectful.
When the action heated up, Pacquiao landed harder and better but when the pace slowed Marquez was the master. Ascertaining the winner of each round was like using an electron microscope to thread atoms, but most dispassionate observers believed the fight was even ? or close to it ? after 10 rounds.
Between rounds 10 and 11, Beristain told Marquez he had sewn up the fight while Roach implored Pacquiao to finish strong. Both fighters acted accordingly; the combination of Pacquiao’s hustle and Marquez’s caution swung the pendulum ? and the decision ? Pacquiao’s way. While Robert Hoyle saw the fight even, Dave Moretti (115-113) and Glenn Trowbridge (116-112) scored for Pacquiao.
The reactions were stark and volatile. Marquez, who was exultant after the final bell, was crushed. Pacquiao, who was pensive and prayerful, was relieved. Fans and media alike were as divided as they had been when Sugar Ray Leonard dethroned Marvelous Marvin Hagler a generation earlier, and like that fight neither side will ever budge from their positions.
7. September 13, 2008 ? KO 11 Joel Casamayor, MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Thirsting for a third fight with Manny Pacquiao, who had dethroned WBC lightweight titlist David Diaz three months earlier, Marquez moved up to 135 and took on Casamayor, the lineal titlist courtesy of his rubber match win over Diego Corrales two years earlier.
Each was the other’s equal in terms of experience and craftiness. Knowing this, Casamayor tried to shake Marquez’s composure by provoking confrontations at the fight week press conference and weigh-in. He also wore a black sombrero ? a definite no-no for a Cuban fighter during Mexican Independence Weekend. While Marquez gave as good as he got verbally, he never allowed Casamayor’s antics to affect his confidence.
The first four rounds featured steady but not spectacular action that prove nightmarish for the judges. A Marquez right opened a small cut over Casamayor’s right eye in the fourth and several strong rights in the fifth deepened the gash plus created a scrape on the Cuban’s nose. By the sixth, Marquez was beginning and ending most of the skirmishes and his heavier single shots started to break down his rival piece by piece. Not only that, Marquez was doing a good job of avoiding Casamayor’s counters as well as the shaved head that produced countless head-butt cuts.
With the fight even on two scorecards entering the 10th, Marquez finally solved the Casamayor puzzle in the 11th. With 35 seconds remaining Marquez ignited an exchange that ended with a right that caught Casamayor pulling out. The Cuban crashed to the canvas for a three-count but when the action resumed it was clear that Casamayor was far more hurt than he let on. Marquez smartly avoided Casamayor’s attempts to clinch by pivoting away and punching furiously with both hands. A straight right to the point of the jaw dumped Casamayor for the second ? and ultimately final ? time. With just five seconds remaining in the 11th Marquez gained recognition as the best lightweight in the world, and made a strong case for a third go-round with “The Pac Man.”
6. November 25, 2006 ? KO 9 Jimrex Jaca, Dodge Arena, Hidalgo, Texas
Eager to capitalize on the momentum he generated from his thrilling stoppage of Terdsak Jandaeng ? and with his eye firmly on a second fight with Manny Pacquiao ? Marquez agreed to fight Jaca, a Filipino southpaw like the “Pac Man” that also had height and counter-punching skills. At 23, Jaca was 10 years younger but was already a seven year pro that knew the hardships of fighting for $1 per round during his earliest days.
Showing unusual boldness, the cerebral Marquez ? who in a previous career had worked as an accountant for the Mexican government ? proclaimed he was gunning for the knockout, ostensibly to prove a point to Pacquiao. But it was Jaca that pressed the fight early on, landing several jabs and attempting a fair share of crosses. When Jaca launched an attack at the two-minute mark, Marquez spun him into the ropes and unloaded an even more robust assault. What looked on paper like a dull match between counter-punchers had turned into a genuine firefight.
Jaca continued to pressure in the second and sneaked in a left uppercut at the midway point. Also, his hand speed appeared to make Marquez’s a step slow by comparison. But Marquez got in enough punches to open a small cut over Jaca’s left eye and he capped the round with an excellent flurry.
As Jaca’s adrenaline ebbed, Marquez’s skill and experience took hold in the form of repeated rights to the face. An accidental butt opened a vertical cut on Marquez’s forehead in the fifth, which added an element of drama to the proceedings. Fearing a stoppage, Marquez opened up with a two-fisted assault but by round’s end his face was covered in crimson. Though Jaca fought with admirable resolve and determination Marquez gradually pulled away in rounds seven and eight.
A second butt widened Marquez’s cut in the eighth, prompting an examination by the ringside physician. When referee Laurence Cole stopped the action a minute later to order a second look by the doctor, he curiously informed Marquez “you’re ahead on the scorecards” while attempting to cover his HBO wireless microphone with his hand. To Marquez’s credit he chose to fight on, and with 24 seconds remaining in the ninth he ended the fight with a five-punch combination capped by a crunching hook to the jaw. A dazed Jaca could only look on blankly as Cole counted him out.
5. March 17, 2007 ? W 12 Marco Antonio Barrera, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
Two-and-a-half years after his tepid pay-per-view audition against Salido, Marquez secured a second chance to create a first impression. Marquez couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to change the dynamic of his career because (1) he was fighting someone who had a greater hold on the fan base he so dearly wanted; and (2) a victory would reverse the succession of frustrations, disappointments and missed opportunities that marked his career to date. Barrera opened as a 7-to-5 favorite but a rush of late Marquez money drove the odds down to even money.
To the crowd’s delight both men started quickly and proved that their styles mixed wonderfully. The second and third rounds saw Barrera use his faster hands to beat Marquez to the punch, but Marquez warmed up in rounds four through six, opening a slice over Barrera’s left eye.
The seventh was action-packed but also marred by controversy. Marquez dominated the round with power flurries that forced Barrera to retreat on unsteady legs but in the final three seconds Barrera fired an overhand right that should’ve been scored a knockdown. Referee Jay Nady incorrectly waved off the fall but justifiably docked Barrera one point for striking Marquez while he was down.
The passions continued to overflow in the eighth and the damage to both mounted. Barrera’s left eye cut widened while both of Marquez’s eyes were puffy. Marquez edged the 10th and 11th, though he picked up a dangerous-looking cut over the right eye in the process.
The pulsating give-and-take that marked the first round was also prevalent in the last and when the final bell sounded most believed a close decision was in store. They were wrong: Doug Tucker saw a 118-109 fight while Patricia Morse-Jarman and Paul Smith turned in 116-111 scorecards for Marquez, who not only added his third title but also cemented his place in Mexican boxing lore.
4. November 27, 2010 ? KO 9 Michael Katsidis, MGM Grand, Las Vegas
At age 37, Marquez was the oldest man to defend a lightweight title and he looked to extend his mark against a tough-as-titanium Australian who was fighting for something beyond himself.
Forty days earlier Katsidis’ older brother Stathi, an accomplished jockey, was found dead in his home. Reviving memories of Buster Douglas’ tribute for his recently deceased mother by beating Mike Tyson, Katisidis declared that he and the spirit of his sibling would fight together in order to dethrone Marquez. Being seven years younger, Katsidis had the chronology and style to reveal the truth about whether Marquez had slowed a step, as was suggested after his rematch victory over Juan Diaz four months earlier.
Both men landed solid, clean punches from long range in the first round but Katsidis closed the gap in round two and bulled Marquez toward the ropes. The champion countered smartly and sharply, landing more punches against Katsidis (48) than any other fighter tracked by CompuBox to that point.
With Marquez seemingly in cruise control, Katsidis’ short hook shockingly dropped Marquez 47 seconds into the third. Fueled by ambition and inspiration, Katsidis tore into Marquez but the supremely conditioned champion quickly regained his bearings and nailed the challenger with crisp counters. The result was a thrilling exhibition of violence, passion and resourcefulness and by the end of the round Marquez had regained control.
Katsidis imposed phone-booth warfare in the fifth and sixth but Marquez answered with supreme ring science. He backed up just enough to establish punching room, then pelted Katsidis with exquisite counters, especially to the body. The seventh was a stupendous action round as Katsidis unloaded 119 punches, landing 38 while Marquez topped him with 44 connects, 55 percent overall accuracy and 61 percent power precision. The physical and emotional demands continued to mount in the eighth, and it was inevitable that one man had to crack under the pressure.
That man proved to be Katsidis, for after Marquez landed a 14-punch volley the energy and vitality that propelled him to this point suddenly drained from him. His mouth hung open, his hands dropped to his sides and he no longer fired back with the same gusto. Seeing this, Marquez pushed all of his chips to the center of the table and dared Katsidis to do the same. When referee Kenny Bayless recognized Katsidis had no more to give, he stepped in and halted the proceedings at the 2:14 mark. It was a most humane stoppage to a fight that had, to this point, been waged at a most inhuman pace.
3. August 5, 2006 ? KO 7 Terdsak Jandaeng (a.k.a. Terdsak Kokietgym), MontBleu Resort & Casino, Stateline, Nevada
Moments after his younger brother Rafael silenced Silence Mabuza in their nine-round rematch, Marquez launched his effort to reshape his image following the embarrassing but disputed loss to Chris John five months earlier. This bout between the number-two Marquez and the top-rated Jandaeng was for the vacant interim WBO featherweight belt because titlist Scott Harrison was forced to cancel a May defense following an arrest in a nightclub incident and a subsequent stay in an alcohol rehab clinic. At the time Harrison was scheduled to meet the winner of this fight next.
In Jandaeng (24-1, 15 KOs), Marquez faced a rugged southpaw with swagger uncustomary to Thais. The man nicknamed “Pit Bull” described the soon-to-be 33-year-old Marquez as “old” and “sloppy” and declared that Joan Guzman, the only man to defeat Jandaeng to this point, was superior to Marquez, who he promised to knock out.
The usually slow-starting Marquez bolted from the blocks. He pumped precise jabs, fired accurate lead rights and unleashed several multi-punch salvos that frequently reached the target. Though Jandaeng landed several strong left crosses, Marquez’s attack curbed his usual aggression.
A wicked left uppercut wobbled Jandaeng late in round two, precipitating an explosively pinpoint assault to every legal spot. A searing left uppercut caused Jandaeng to fall on his face with 12 seconds remaining, but the courageous Thai struggled to his feet by nine. Only the bell saved him from further punishment.
Marquez continued his brilliant assault in the third, shredding Jandaeng’s defenses with right-left-rights. Adding to his problems was a point penalty for low blows. Still, Jandaeng connected with his share of left crosses that raised a swelling under Marquez’s left eye and by the fourth he had recovered enough to engage Marquez in several heavy exchanges.
The fifth was a strong Marquez round as he pounded Jandaeng with combinations. The sixth saw Marquez shift back into boxing mode, spearing Jandaeng with long straight blows. That all changed with 53 seconds remaining when Marquez landed a lightning-quick right uppercut-overhand right that dropped Jandaeng for a seven count. Once Jandaeng arose Marquez coldly dissected his foe and by round’s end blood poured from Jandaeng’s nose and mouth.
A minute into the seventh Marquez began his final assault with a 10-punch eruption that forced Jandaeng to totter back. Marquez then ended the fight with a beautifully delivered combination: A right to the body, a right uppercut to the jaw, a hook to the liver and a final left uppercut that prompted referee Jay Nady to intervene at the 1:13 mark.
This performance was an epiphany for Marquez, for he finally achieved the balance between fistic discipline and box-office magnetism. If he continued to apply it, he would finally secure himself the lucrative future he felt his talents and hard work deserved.
2. May 8, 2004 ? D 12 Manny Pacquiao I, MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Six months after his seven round technical decision win over Derrick Gainer to pick up the vacant WBA featherweight title and become the owner of two belts, Marquez risked them against the hottest fighter in boxing. Manny Pacquiao had just destroyed Marco Antonio Barrera in 11 rounds to vault him into the pound-for-pound conversation and let it be known that should he beat Marquez that a showdown with Erik Morales was next. This ambitious, dynamic and potentially foolish plan was dubbed “the featherweight triple crown” by HBO’s Larry Merchant.
Pacquiao looked well on his way to completing the second leg in short order by scoring three knockdowns in the final half of round one, an attack that left Marquez dazed, flustered and bleeding heavily from the nose. After Marquez steadied himself in the second round, he and trainer Nacho Beristain found the formula to deal with the Filipino typhoon: He maintained optimum punching range, changed angles and shot straight punches through Pacquiao’s guard as he rushed in.
Marquez gradually chipped away at Pacquiao’s mathematical mountain in rounds three through six and by the seventh he had drawn nearly even. The blood that gushed from Marquez’s nose had slowed to a trickle from one nostril and his meaty rights persuaded the Mexicans in the MGM Grand to start believing again. Pacquiao salvaged the seventh with a second-half surge that swelled Marquez’s upper lip and the pair continued to trade rounds and momentum as they neared the home stretch.
That Marquez could make a fight of it after his nightmarish first round was nothing short of miraculous, and the Mexican star had one more mighty act in store. Despite the pain, blood and breathing difficulties he suffered throughout his most demanding hour, Marquez managed to put together a final rally in the final six minutes to create a monumental drama as everyone awaited the verdict.
The decision reflected just how difficult a fight this was to score. John Stewart saw Pacquiao a 115-110 winner while Guy Jutras saw Marquez ahead by the same margin. The deciding judge, Burt Clements, saw it 113-113, allowing Marquez to keep both belts. Had Clements given Pacquiao a 10-6 round like the other judges instead of the 10-7 he bestowed, Pacquiao would have captured a split decision. As it was, Marquez had put together a comeback for the ages against the toughest opponent possible ? a phenomenal achievement that should supercede the final result.
1. February 28, 2009 ? KO 9 Juan Diaz I, Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Five months after taking out Casamayor, the 35-year-old Marquez moved on to a completely different kind of challenge in Diaz. While Casamayor was crafty and cool, the 25-year-old “Baby Bull” brought heat like no other lightweight in the world. Plus, in his last outing against Michael Katsidis, Diaz proved he had also developed intellectual dexterity as he out-boxed and out-foxed the gritty Australian en route to a split decision that should have been unanimous. When one combined Diaz’s youth, energy and expanding skill set with the fact that the fight was staged in Diaz’s hometown of Houston, Marquez faced a daunting set of problems that would have unhinged other fighters. That Marquez would conquer them as splendidly as he did is the reason this fight is rated as his greatest performance.
Diaz exerted tremendous pressure from the opening bell, forcing Marquez to fight harder and longer than most 16-year veterans in their mid-30s ever could. But Marquez met the challenge head-on and the thrilling exchanges had the Houston crowd howling in delight. Marquez, who fired between 45 and 55 punches per round in ideal conditions, unloaded more than 90 punches in three of the first four rounds while Diaz fired 104, 98,79 and 86 in the same span.
Slowly, but certainly, Marquez adjusted to his environment. Knowing he couldn’t slow the pace, he relied on intelligent punch selection, superior timing and heavier hands to compensate. He also was far more accurate, especially with uppercuts that consistently split Diaz’s guard. Still, the pace was torrid and Marquez had to access every resource to keep from wilting under the pressure.
In round five, an accidental butt opened a cut over Marquez’s right eye and the Mexican returned the favor with a slicing left uppercut in the eighth. Diaz, who didn’t react well to blood in losing his only fight to Nate Campbell, took far fewer risks while Marquez elevated his attack. A wicked left uppercut to the jaw bobbled Diaz’s legs in the final minute, the first time Diaz showed signs of cracking.
Diaz’s sense of urgency kicked in at the start of the ninth as he ratcheted up his attack another notch. Marquez answered the surge as only a great champion could. With 52 seconds remaining a right uppercut to the chin stopped Diaz in his tracks, and Marquez followed with a right to the ear, a one-two to the jaw, a left uppercut to the chest and a final chopping right to send Diaz falling face-first into the ropes. Once Diaz arose at four Marquez applied an extraordinary coup-de-grace: In just five seconds Marquez landed eight punches capped by a scorching right uppercut that left Diaz flat on his back. Referee Rafael Ramos instantly waved off the fight, ending a most magnificent symphony of violence.
***
It is a testament to Marquez’s worth that most of the fights listed here took place in the second half of his career against his best opponents. Though his story is not yet finished, Marquez will already be remembered as one of the best all-around fighters Mexico ? or any country for that matter ? has ever produced.
