It’s now in the news that the Marquez-Pacquiao II has been done. If things really go the way of the rematch, then this rematch will be one of the most anticipated rematches in recent years.
After their May 8, 2004 meeting, Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao have had different experiences going into their rematch. Marquez went the way of less money and loss of belt. He squared it off against Chris John of Indonesia and loss his featherweight championship belt in the process. On the other hand, Pacquiao decided to move up in weight at 130 lbs. and challenged Fahsan 3K Battery of Thailand and won by knockout.
Marquez then faced a couple more fighters, one of them was Filipino Jimrex Jaca who floored him. Marquez, however, prevailed over Jaca via knockout to make his boxing record still shining. He faced the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera, then the WBC Superfeatherweight champion, and decisioned Barrera over 12 rounds to become the new champion. His latest bout was a successful defense against Rocky Juarez.
Manny Pacquiao, for his part, faced up to the challenge of one of Mexico’s greatest, Erik “El Terrible” Morales. He fought “El Terrible” for 12 grueling and bloody rounds, his face distorted by a cut caused by a headbutt. For the first time in many years, the vaunted Manny Pacquiao was dealt a loss. His famed knockout punch didn’t bring Morales down.
He asked for a rematch and this time, Pacquiao would not be bullied again. He pummeled Morales to submission after 10 rounds and celebrated one of his sweetest victories ever. Morales, not wanting to be counted out that easily, challenged the Pacman for a 3rd meeting. Pacquiao responded and the two wrote one of the great trilogies of boxing. In the final chapter, Pacquiao shut the door completely for Morales when he finished off the Mexican in just three rounds.
Lately, Pacquiao put a period into his story with Marco Antonio Barrera. After rumors flew that Barrera’s loss to the Pacman was based more on the Mexican’s distractions than on the Filipino’s great boxing skills, they finally decided to meet another time. But the Pacman was just overpowering for the skidding Barrera.
If there’s a rematch that would equal if not surpass the magnitude of the Pacquiao-Morales II & III and the Pacquiao-Barrera II, then it’s the Pacquiao-Marquez II.
Of all the Mexican greats, Marquez is the only one who managed to survive the boxing phenom known as the Pacman. Though he was floored three times in their first meeting, Marquez rose from the canvass to register a three-way no-winner decision. His vast skills in the sweet science sent Pacquiao a message that “you can’t KEEP a great boxer down.” Yes, Pacquiao put him down but he could not keep him down. In fact, it was as though Marquez won the fight because after giving away one round, he won a majority of the next 11 rounds.
Marquez is the hardest test for Pacquiao at the moment and it is well that this rematch is finally born. A study of their developments since their first meeting will showcase an interesting battle of Level A fighters who have gone through both devastation and domination. Also, it is interesting to see how Marquez would rise against the age factor. He is now 34 years old and he seems not to be slowing down. His masterful handling of Juarez is an indication that he is another Bernard Hopkins in the making.
On Pacquiao’s part, boxing fans and experts will see how he adjusts after Marquez put to shame his title which reads, “Mexican Assasin.” He has learned his lessons from his previous top level performances and Freddie Roach has fine-tuned his previously erratic boxing skills. It’s only Marquez who survived his dominating bravado in the ring. Amidst the bright horizon of Pacquiao’s success as a boxer, there is the Marquez fight that paints a black picture, a sort of ghostly silhouette which cannot be simply ignored. A win in their rematch will dissipate that ghostly silhouette and make Pacquiao’s fame one of the most colorful in the annals of the sweet science.
I would say that if Pacquiao wins over Marquez, he should be boxing’s no.1 pound-for-pound even when Mayweather prevail over Hatton.
