Pacquiao Vs. Marquez 3rd Fight: Post Fight Opinions and Views

This is one of those fights where it has not even started and everyone knows all too well who won. On the first place, consider the money split- 20+ to 8 million. One does not need to be a mathematical genius to know that regardless of the result of the fight whoever has the twenty million share is the lopsided winner. Let us face it, sweet science is simply bitter pill without the money. I am not saying that those who are saying this one and that carries the hope of millions of their respective countrymen and others, are hypocrites. At some point they are right, fighters fight for honor and country. But the boxing scene with all those giant promotional outfits was made tooooo commercialized to the point that even with money considerations sweet science had become sour and bitter.

Now consider the following views:

Reactions to the fight. I cannot believe this. I mean, no one seems to believe that Manny won this fight. So the three experienced professionals tasked to judge it are irrelevant. Is that so?

Goals met? Team Pacquiao’s goal is obvious and Roach voiced it out months ago. It was to silence Marquez. So the expected result would be a lot more explosive and conclusive than this one or the other two. The judges should have needed no sweat.

Marquez’s on the other hand, should be no different- to defeat Pacquiao. He needed to prove that time had not yet passed him and that he still have the capacity to defeat Pacquiao and that he indeed defeated Pacquiao twice before this fight. He needed to prove it is not all for the money, pride etc. Those are public perceptions ranged against “El Dinamita”.

Whose goal is met? Judging from the reactions, Team Pacquiao seems to have fallen short. There was nothing explosive or conclusive in what they have accomplished. In fact, they have buried themselves deeper in the mud. But they have won, and that’s just it PERIOD.

Marquez’s camp on the other hand had also fallen short. They have lost in the scorecards albeit draw in one. They were lacking in volume too, “thrown” and especially the “landed”. Fortunately for them, the failure of the other side is their success. The lack of explosive contact and the inconclusive finished, say KO, vindicated them. At this point, they can continue to their hearts content their previous claims as for the first two fights. And on this fight, Marquez have the sympathy of the boxing audience. Because judging again from the “reactions”, the boxing audience is expecting for oozing blood, thumping knockdowns and facial reconstructions.

Observations. Team Pacquiao looks stagnant. They have not added any tactical strategy. The speed and power are obviously still present, some of his arsenal of attacks were still there but barely used; but new ones nil. I can only surmise that the left uppers Manny was trying in the middle rounds were improvisations on command but unpracticed. The left straight followed by a quick forward- side step, a benchmark Pacquiao attack that frustrated the “Baby faced Assassin” and others, was only visible in the later rounds but uncommitted. I cannot say it if they have tried to forego trademark attacks in favor of new ones since there was nothing new displayed.

The same can be said of the Marquez’s side. He was born a counterpuncher, and that did not change much for this fight. In fact, he had gotten Manny mostly in the right face, same area as before (although he was having a good time with his body shots this time which makes everyone remember that scary moment of Manny with Margarito). Manny escapes to the left and Marquez’s skillful counterpunching was nailing the tail- right side. He went to initiate in the 4th- 6th with good results but he went back to his counterpunching mostly the rest of the fight.

The reactions are really unbelievable. What has this Pacquiao mania turned us all into? Boxing is not all knockouts, bruised faces and megabucks. It should be a display of skill, training, hardwork, discipline and honor. I liked it that it was said of one that “he carried the hopes of millions”. I take it to mean that because Manny, for example, is the exemplar of “rags to riches” life that we can all have the hope that hardwork and discipline really pay handsomely and generously. But behold, some cannot even accept victory. It should have been these; it should have been that… They came to watched looking for blood?

Future. Manny should retire. It is not his fault. His following had gone out of control, not anymore drawing inspiration but gone bloodthirsty. His recent success is downplayed by them. This Pacquiao mania is not anymore looking to build- up others but destroys them. He should retire for the sake of many.


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