History has a funny a way of repeating itself, from Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Alexis Arguello, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Julio César Chávez and Oscar De La Hoya.
Saturday night in the sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2) succumbed to the same fate as the other greats; greats of their respective era that felt the canvas and failed to get up.
In a collective gasp that was both euphoric and shock in the sold out MGM Grand Garden arena and fans around the world watching, all were at a loss for words. As the final seconds of round 6 came to a closing, a perfectly timed right hand by Juan Manuel Marquez (56-6-1) finally delivered a definitive victory for either man as he blasted Manny Pacquiao face first into the canvas.
While Pacquiao’s loss to Timothy Bradley last May could be considered somewhat controversial, nothing was left to argue Saturday night.
Manny Pacquiao a fighter that for over that last 9 years had dismantled Barrera, Hatton, Morales, Cotto, Margartio, Mosley, and De La Hoya. However it was Marquez whom Pacquiao could never quite finish off. Their previous 3 fights all had their own questionable outcomes and both sides agreed a fourth fight was necessary.
While Marquez, who has seemed to live in the shadows of his highly successful counter part Pacquiao, it was finally vindication. As he said on HBO 24/7″ “it was getting personal”.
If there was a fighter with an obsession, then Marquez was obsessed. While he and his team have claimed they were robbed in the previous fights, Marquez went and trained with a purpose- To beat Manny Pacquiao any way possible and that purpose was displayed Saturday night. While Pacquiao seemed to be getting into a rhythm during the fight, Marquez kept patient, even when he dropped Pacquiao in the 3rd and then subsequently got dropped himself, Marquez stayed the course.
With his face bloodied, nose assumed to be broken and the fight seeming to be favoring Pacquiao, Marquez adjusted, and then…the fight was over.
From the camera on my TV screen, the right hand and the knockout looked nothing of the such. I initially thought that Pacquiao had slipped and the round was over. It was not until Marquez was moved to the neutral corner by referee Kenny Bayliss that I realized Pacquiao was out. Paul Williams, out. With his face down and his wife Jinkee Pacquiao in total hysteria, boxing said goodbye to an era.
It the aftermath of Pacman’s loss, it seems as though his run as P4P is also over. A fighter that 3 years ago seemed invincible, the chosen one to defeat Floyd Mayweather is now mortal once again. It’s the price boxers pay to be part of the fight game, skills diminish, fighters O’s go and boxing moves on.
Just as the greats before Pacquiao all lost in less than admirable fashion, Pacquiao is no different. The greats lose and that’s fine. In a period of boxing where fights seem to be only made with fighters who are protective over their losses and pick their opponents based on knowing they won’t lose, Pacquiao and Marquez will be remembered for their willingness to disregard the records and fight because they love the sport and the fans. While a 5th fight may happen however if these two warriors end their battles at four, fans will be given 42 rounds of memories, memories that will not be fully appreciated for a few years but for the fans who remember the 4 fights they will be talked about in boxing circles for years to come.
Pacquiao admitted he did not see the punch and handled himself the way a champion should, with dignity and honor. He lost, admitted as much and he will be back. While a certain mega fight seems all but lost, it was a fight that has already lost more than its fair share of steam. If it happens, great. The two biggest names of this era finally chose to fight but 2-3 years ago fans would have happily paid 500 dollars for a nose bleed seat. Now? Well, they may be able to get 500 but that’s a tough sell and the fight is definitely not worth building an outdoor stadium in Vegas for.
As for Marquez? Well, for a 39 year old that looked like a better version of himself at 30, he just won the closest thing to a personal super bowl fight as a boxer could have. He will walk away with roughly 10 million dollars and a possible KO of the year. John Elway went out on top and it would be nice to see a boxer do the same. That’s not likely to happen. Then who? Timothy Bradley, Mayweather rematch, Brandon Rios? Miguel Cotto said it best, “it doesn’t matter, whoever pays the most” and I think that is where Marquez is at. Personally, I would like to see a Rios match up, guess we will all have to wait and see.
And then…
Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman trophy. While it was bound to happen eventually, it also shows how up and down this year has been. Manziel had a pretty good year but he won’t be a starting quarterback should he be drafted in a couple years however for a player named “Johnny Football” to win the award as a freshman when a player like Herschel Walker couldn’t get a sniff by the voters 30 plus years ago seems unfair. Guess times have changed.
Perfect shoot !!!! Nothing else and now is prove mayweather is the best!!!!and the HBO comentarist stop crying JMM isn’t in steroids he is abailable to do the tests!!!! When Paquiao acept to do it with Mayweather baaaaa when Manny tko any else every body enjoy and when he get a TKO, somebody is ilegal jajajajajaj karma stink jajajajaj
Took JMM 4 tries. Sun shines on every dogs butt one day. Pac will be remembered way after what’s his name.
@ lalo
At the Azteca Stadium in Mexico
Great right hand by Marquez , need PAC and Marquez #5 ! Hehe
Well…it was a joy to c manny for many years invinsible as he was..but like all many great fighters..father time was creeping up at least two years bac ..i will not say anything disperaging towards manny..i will not demean or put down a warriors warrior..some fighters just bring out the best of all great fighters and vice versa..marquez is no differant. There have been many trilogies …gatti..ward..ali..frazier..ali ..norton..so so many..and most..judgement calls…personally id perfer manny to call it a day..being out for two minues shud tell manny something..father time caught up to me.
.and so did mr.marquez…God bless them both…and GOD BLESS THE GLORIOUS SPORT OF BOXING!!!!..VICTOR
Juan Manuel Marquez at 39 proved he’s more than the better man. At that age only you born skills will help you get to that haight. Brawlers condition like pacquiao and margarito diminish with age. But skills like JMM stay forever and thus the outcome.
Great fighters do not get KO’d like Manny did? Paq got pulverized. Sugar Ray never happened to either of them. Ali- Floyd-Chavez not happening. Paq got smashed face first in an embarrassing manner. Paq is not great merely good. Big difference in great and good. When a pug gets KO’d like Paq went out you never ever recover from that mentally or physically.
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