Pacquiao A Cut Above Marquez This Time Around

The last post I gave you ten reasons why Manny Pacquiao (46-3-2, 35 KOs) would defeat Juan Manuel Marquez (48-4-1, 35 KOs). In this post, I will give you two reasons why he did. Before I do, I must say that any fight including a Marquez brother (Rafael being the other) or Manny Pacquiao is likely to be a candidate for the fight of the year. Last night’s back-and-forth action was not surprising. The fact that the rematch between these two warriors somehow  exceeded their 2004 fight is the shocker. Hats off to both men for making my $49.95 pay-per-view investment worthwhile.

The Two Reasons Why Manny Pacquiao Defeated Juan Manuel Marquez

ROUND THREE.   Marquez is the aggressor for most of the round and is probably winning it. Marquez throws a right hand and misses.  Pacquiao lunges forward with a pawing right jab-hook and follows with a short, vicious left hand.  Down goes Marquez in a heap.  At the time, I was thinking the fight would end right there.  Little did I know that the fight would go the distance and this knockdown would decide the outcome of the match.  What a difference one round makes. 

PACQUIAO’S CUTMAN.  After the violent exchanges and accidental headbutts that both men endured over the first two-thirds of the fight, both had to deal with serious cuts over their right eyes.  I guess that neither fighter had an advantage then? Wrong!  Pac-Man’s corner worked magic in halting the flow of blood after round eight, while Marquez was a bloody mess for most of the fight.  Blood loss and decision losses often go hand in hand.

I usually close with a "what’s next for each fighter" summary. After this one, I will not. Let’s simply let the fight marinate, appreciate Juan Manuel Marquez’s heart in coming back valiantly from a vicious knockdown (again), and tip our hats to Manny Pacquiao. To paraphrase the Greatest, Muhammad Ali, Pac-Man is a bad, bad man.