Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez engaged in another epic fight on Saturday evening, with another controversial decision. Pacquiao edged Marquez via Majority Decision, with scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112. ProBoxing-Fans.com had the fight scored a Draw, 114-114.
We learned and we saw a lot on Saturday night between Pacquiao and Marquez. Here are 10 important quickfire takeaways from the Pacquiao-Marquez III results, and what it means for them, the sport, and yes, some guy named Floyd Mayweather.
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- Marquez Deserves an Apology: The majority of people polled on this fight, myself included, expected Pacquiao to be dominant in this fight. Many were calling for an early knockout win, and Marquez was going off as a huge underdog, at +550 or more. But he was neck-and-neck with Pacquiao once again, pushing the pound for pound king in a way that nobody else has been able to. Simply put, Marquez deserves an apology from fans, analysts and everyone else who counted him out.
- The Boxing Machine, at its Worst?: With the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight looming on the horizon, speculation began immediately after the decision was rendered that Pacquiao got the nod in order to protect that fight and the hundreds of millions of dollars it would generate. It’s unlikely that the judges made any decisions based on that, however, it’s only human nature, to award close rounds to the big star and the guy expected to win because of the mindset you bring with you going into a contest. It’s an ongoing problem with judging in the sport of boxing and it’s something that has come back to hurt Marquez yet again.
- Pacquiao Irked by Boos: As Pacquiao was interviewed in the ring by Max Kellerman after the fight, the Mexican contingent of fans in the arena were loudly booing and jeering him. Pacquiao was visibly shaken by it. He couldn’t cope with fans being unhappy with him and his performance, and the fact that he got the win. Juxtapose this with Mayweather, who thrives on the anger of fans and uses it for his own benefit. Pacquiao needs that fan approval, and always wants to be the “good guy”, and this decision makes him an unsavory character to some, a far cry for them from the lovable Filipino underdog whom boxing fans fell in love with a decade ago.
- Pacquiao Off his Game Despite Peak Condition?: All throughout the buildup to the fight, we heard everyone in Pacquiao’s camp talking about how Pacquiao was in the best condition possible, and he was having the best training camp of his life, sharper than ever. But in the ring on Saturday night, he looked off his game. Marquez certainly deserves credit for that, and in the post-fight presser, Roach said Pacquiao was dealing with cramps. However, it’s a larger concern for Pacquiao and his team to come off a training camp where everything was great, only to under-perform in the ring. That’s typically a sign of a fighter beginning the downward slope of his career.
- Pacquiao & Roach Wanted the Knockout: Remember, both Pacquiao and Roach wanted the knockout. That was their goal, they wanted an emphatic, statement win, that would remove all doubt once and for all and close the show on this chapter of Manny’s career. It didn’t come close to happening, and instead, it was Marquez who had Pacquiao staggering more than the other way around.
- Triangle Theories Don’t Work, But…: Triangle theories don’t really apply in boxing, but comparing recent performances is what fans love to do more than anything else. So it is that we see Mayweather whitewash Marquez, shutting him out over 12 rounds, and then are left with the image of Pacquiao in another heated, life or death encounter with the same guy. In a what have you done for me lately world, this has to affect the way many view and compare Mayweather and Pacquiao.
- We’ll Hear from Mayweather Soon: Mayweather stole some buzz from Pacquiao-Marquez III last week by talking of his intentions to make the biggest fight possible next May. Now, it will only be a matter of time before we hear from Mayweather again. He should be at center stage, dissing Pacquiao’s performance, and trying to get the mega-fight finally put together. We’ll see what he has to say in short order.
- But Will we Hear from Top Rank?: Now, whether or not we hear from Bob Arum and Top Rank is another thing entirely. They might have a change of heart about putting Pacquiao in with Mayweather now. In fact, after the fight, Arum was talking about setting up a fourth fight with Marquez next May. Since when does the promoter of the guy who won 2 of 3 fights in a trilogy call for a fourth fight? Hmm…
- Pacquiao & Boxing Win the Night versus UFC: Saturday night wasn’t just about Pacquiao vs. Marquez, it was also about Pacquiao vs. the UFC. By all accounts, Pacquiao and boxing won the night. The UFC title fight ended in 60 seconds, while Pacquiao and Marquez delivered another thrilling performance. Don’t think Pacquiao had more people buzzing? Check out the top 10 Google searches last night.
- Marquez Talking Retirement: Marquez was talking about retiring from the sport after last night’s fight. That’s likely just the emotions getting to him, as he feels he’s been robbed again and there’s nothing he can do to beat this guy. Still, it’s interesting to see him consider that possibility, and it also raises the issue of his legacy, which has only been enhanced by this performance despite not getting the win. If he sticks around for another year or two and notches a few more wins, perhaps against some young guns at junior welterweight, Marquez would not only clearly place ahead of Barrera and Morales on Mexican all-time lists (he already should), there could be an argument made for even more than that. Don’t retire yet, Dinamita, you still have too much to offer!
