This week the press tour for Mayweather-Marquez began and I can tell you that I am not too excited. It seems to me like there is too much pomp and circumstance for something that many of us see as a for long conclusion.
Juan Manuel Marquez has turned into quite possible the best Mexican fighter of his generation and that is a lot to say when it that distinguished class you have Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera, two three time
divisional champs.
But as the 32-year-old Morales and the 35-year-old Barrera try to regain a glory that they just might not have, Marquez, 35, has reached the zenith of his career by destroying two worthy adversaries in Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor in a weight class that neither one of his above mentioned contemporaries have made a blip on the radar in.
Although I would love to believe that JM Marquez has enough boxing IQ and technical skill to overthrow the pound for pound king in exile off his throne, unfortunately he does not. He might have the smarts in the ring and even enough counterpunching savvy to make a dent in the armor of the five divisional champion Mayweather Jr., but he doesn’t possess the God given ability and superior physical attributes that “Money” flaunts at the boxing world.
Marquez has recently stated that he and his legendary trainer Nacho Beristain are studying the controversial first loss of Jose Luis Castillo to Mayweather Jr. back in ’02. But what the Mexico City native is that at that time, Mayweather Jr. was the one going up in weight and Castillo was the natural lightweight. Now, Marquez will be battling eight pounds over the highest weight class he has ever gained and against a fighter who has been fighting in the junior welterweight/welterweight division for the last five years.
Not everybody is a Pacquaio.
At the time of the Castillo-Mayweather Jr. title bout in 2002, Castillo was known as the toughest customer in the lightweight division, a typical come forward Mexican Macho who like his mentor, JC Chavez, took thee punches to give one left hook to the body.
Marquez has never been that type of fighter. Marquez is perhaps that best Beristain pupil of the effective counterpunching style that the Mexican trainer has ever developed. Although lately Marquez has been a tad more aggressiveness in his style which he utilized against his last seven opponents, all wins except a controversial split decision loss to Pacquaio, his aggression in no way compares to the all pressure style of the prime Castillo.
Marquez originally began his career as super bantamweight and as he has climbed the divisional ladder and put more weight on the scale, his chin has not hardened as much as the rest of him has. In his draw against Pacquaio in the featherweight division, he was dropped three times in the first round and again in the super featherweight division in their rematch. Although Pacquiao is a very hard hitter, just ask Ricky Hatton, Marquez was visibly hurt by Juan Diaz early on in their lightweight bout in February. Diaz is not known as a power puncher and might be the softest hitter of the elite 135 pounders.
We all know what Mayweather brings to the table.
Power, speed, defense, technical skills and a ring savvy matched by a few.
Marquez sure has a his job cut out for him.
Let’s just hope that all the pomp and circumstance displayed during this media tour doesn’t resemble a funeral procession (not literally) come July 18th….
That’s called wishful thinking, its not going too happen.
Manuel Marquez is not an easy opponent for Mayweather. He’s the best in Mexico and holds 3 world belts in the world. Who will win in the mega block buster fight. 🙂
Now what makes u think JMM can knock out PBF?? Speed? PBF is faster! Power? How can u connect w/a power shot if u can’t hit tha target?? Floyd is just gonna deflect majority of the Power punches w/his IMPECCABLE defense! Like I said I don’t see anyone getting ko’d, I believe it’s gonna go 2 decision in PBF’s favor. Well, we all can have our assumptions but it’s not gonna make a difference come fight night! The fists r gonna have 2 do the talking..Await the outcome!!
Floyd said in that press conference that he would never choose money of friends I “”Quote””. ”Hell no”. You need to watch it
Edgar did you watch the press conference with Marquez and Floyd.
JAIME MARQUEZ……Well said what is Leon talking about. But Im sorry I’m going to have to disagree with you on Marquez knocking out Mayweather. Its just not going too happen. Too much wish full thinking. Mayweather is one of the best defensive fighter in the world if not, history in my eyes. Marquez is going to have a hard time finding him and he is going get frustrated too the point where Mayweaher can have his way with him.
Hey Jon temple……Get your fact straight. Mayfeather is not working with Don king he never was,,,,where did you get that one from? That’s false. What are you really talking about. You shouldn’t type so long in your blogs. You might just end up making up more things that are not true. Get your facts straight before you type.
Mr. Leon just because you write about boxing doesnt make you an expert.
In your case its pretty obvious. Thats why they actually have the fights.
Mayweather is more a dancer than a fighter. The only problem I see for
Marquez is he most likely wont get a decision in Vegas. But Marquez is
a fighter and he can knock Mayweather out. It might be harder for Mayweather to come down to 143 than for Marquez to move up. Either way
it sure is good they still fight instead of listening to you experts. HA HA
Just a comment on the comment about Castillo and Mayfeather. It truly is a waste to mention Castillo, a fighter who stopped being a fighter years ago. How many times in a row has Castillo mist making weight, and not be a pound ot two either.
Castillo in his prime (which wasn’t very long), was a very good lightweight, certainly not a great lightweight. If the judges heads weren’t up thei butt, they would have seen that Stevie Johnson won both fights with Castillo, especially the second one. I have seen it where the fighters who throw wide punches seem to get more attention of the judges than the ones who are throwing short, effective, straight punches inside. Both decisions were bad and he shouldn’t have been awared the lightweight championship.
I still want to see Mayfeather fight Marquez at 130 pounds.
Let us not forget, that besides the weight fiasco in the Mayfeather, Marquez fight, judges and referees are appointed and paid by the promoter, Don King. You know that Marquez would have to knock out Mayfeather to win this fight. I also think you will see the referee look to stop any in fighting that might go on, to help the much lighter and heavier Mayfeather.
The only thing positive about this fight at welterweight is that I am happy that a great fighter like Marquez will get a good payday. At least I assume he will. He deserves it.
Jon
An excellent article !!
Lets not feed off of the hype.
I also love to watch Juan Manuel Marquez as well as his brother fight. As I have said before, if you look up “boxer/puncher” in the dictionary, you should see a picture of Juan Manuel Marquez.
His technique is so beautiful to watch as he can throw every punch there is, with perfect footwork and balance.
In the Diaz fight, where he made that great comeback to destroy Diaz, after he knocked down Diaz, the first think Marquez did was textbook. He didn’t just charge Diaz, throwing punches wildly, but gave himself room and went to the body with “painful” body blows, that got Diaz to put drop his hands as he finished him with a combination from t he body to the head. Absolutely textbook and not seen done.
I would love to see Mayfeather fight Marquez at 125 or 130. I would be going to Vegas to bet on that one. But at over 140, Ugh, it might be a setup for Mayfeather.
I guess that “money” Mayfeather, doesn’t have enough money to pay his taxes. Truthfully, it would be more appropriate for Mayfeather to fight somene in his weight class like Paul Williams, but Mayfeather and King don’t have the courage to go to that one.
Yes, I agree totally that fighters like Juan Manuel Marquez, ended that stereotype of the Mexican “macho” fighters, who seemed to like to lead with their face and would get beat up badly, even in wins. It sure is a lot different now with some of the best trainers in the business creating some of the best fighters in the business in Mexico.
It is very important to remember that “Mayfeather” and is attempting to do what he always does, try not to fight someone who can physically compete with him.
Juan Manuel Marquez has fought most of his career at 125. That is his weight class. He moved up to 129/130 only recently and fought only three times in 2007, when he fought and beat Barrera and Rocky Juarez as well as lost in his second fight with Manny Pacquiao in a controversial decision.
In his first fight with Manny Pacquiao, was as his normal weight of 125, as he beat Manny in a decision for the featherweight title.
Then in last 2008 he fought for the first time as a lightweight, at 135 and scored a TKO against Joel Casamayor, then in February fought for the second time at 135 to win the lightweight title from Diaz, in the masterpiece.
NOW Mayfeather is getting great Juan Manuel to move way up to over welterweight, 147 (although I heard that they make a deal at 143), for the Mayfeather fight.
A typically cowardly act by Mayfeather, his seedy father and uncle of his and the seediest of them all, Don King.
That kind of move of weight for the 35 year old Marquez will make it very difficult. It is true that Marquez is a superior boxer adn a WAY superior person to Mayfeather, but in this generation, there is only one Manny Pacquiao, who somehow is able to add that extra weight and have it look as if it is his natural weight and have even more power at the higher weight.
Manny Pacquiao is just a absolutely remarkable athlete who combines that with a true fighters heart, dedication and hard work. As Teddy Atlas says, he thinks that Manny Pacquiao still can improve more as a fighter, that he is still on the upswing. Speaking of technique, isn’t Manny Pacquiao an absolute joy to watch with his movement, footwork, head movement, speed, punching power, combinations, counter punching, ability to adopt during a fight, he has it all and takes all comers.
I cannot think of any fighter, who is a veteran fighter, of Pacquiao’s age, who in eight weeks of training, totally changed to a total two handed fighter and changed allow his right also to become a power punch. Remarkable. Anyone in a million years think that Pacquiao could score a one punch knockdown of Hatton with a right hook ??
Then he set him up for the most perfect, spectacular, totally on balance
left hook that put Hatton out for good.
I started to be concerned for Hatton’s health, which was the most important thing, since he was out for so long, but he is okay. It rarely is those kind of knockouts that get fighters severely hurt, it seems that it is from the constant drubbing of fighters who have more heart than common sense or ability, who get stopped in later rounds and lose a one sided decision, and for several fights.
Question, how come that their are so few decent fighters fron light-heavyweight and above and so many outstanding fighters from welterweight and below. It looks like the lower you go in weight class, the better the fighters are.
I remember a bunch of outstanding light-heavyweights, 20 years ago. IF anyone sees the Hollyfield fights at light-heavyweight and crusierweight, the different is amazing as compared to the current fighters in that division.
Another question: I don’t know about you, but I feel embarrassed and insulted by seeing so many heavyweights come into the ring, with bodies that are meant for a barstool, not an athletic contest. I mean, these fights can lead to multi-million dollar paydays !!
Last Question: Does it seem to you that Wladimir Klitschko has become more mechanical and tentative and shows less fighting heart since he started being trained by Emanual Stewart. That and his competition, when he fights is ridiculously bad. Now this 250 giant is going to fight a cruiserweight for the title ?? Why doesn’t he pick on someone his own size.
Really the last question: In my Wladimir Klitschko is not only underserving of the heavyweight title, but isn’t the best fighter in his family !! I really think that Vitali Klitschko is the superior fighter. Vitali seems to have a true fighters mentality and heart and has fought better competition than Wladimir. He also has a chin and is not the mechanical man. I would be sure that he would knock out Wladimir if they fought. Vitali is a fighter, while Wladimir is more of an athlete who a remarkable body, who is without a fighters heart and mentality.
I think of the great fight Vitali had with Lennox Lewis that I thought he could havwe won, if Vitali’s face wasn’t a bloody mess.
Then he totally destroyed Sam Peters, a fighter whose power is not as great as it is hyped up to be, yet he knocked down Wladimir three times in his contraversial win. That was the last time that Wladimir took any chances with an opponent.
Jon
I find it HILARIOUS how everyone says that the figh between Floyd and Castillo was CONTROVERSIAL! But nobody seems 2 mention the rematch Floyd had w/Castillo when PBF demonstrated quick footwork and utilized speedy combinations to win ANOTHER unanimous decision! With that fight Floyd proved that since ppl thought he deserved 2 lose the 1st fight he would silence those that underestimated his ability to stop Castillo. People tend to forget to mention that though, so those who TRULY believe Castillo won the 1st fight just analyze the rematch and see how Floyd outmatched him!
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