There's been an ongoing, carbon copy, series of events that has taken place in every Manny Pacquiao fight since he fought Oscar De La Hoya.
That procession has included Pacquiao's opponents appearing very intent on upsetting the eight-time world champion and vowing to train like never before. Pacquiao's opponents have been brash, confident and aggressive..... well until they actually stepped into the ring.
Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley all spoke at length about using their natural size advantages and power to overwhelm the Filipino star and then proceeded to duck, dodge, run and sometimes crash to the ground once they stepped inside the ring.
I can't guarantee the outcome, but I can tell you this: Pacquiao's next opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez, won't do any of those things. In fact, Marquez has the boxing intelligence, style and heart needed to beat Manny Pacquiao.
Here's three reasons Juan Manual Marquez can beat Manny Pacquiao.
3. Age Ain't Nothin but a Number
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A future hall of famer, many have pointed to Marquez's age, 37, as a reason why he wont be able to keep pace with the 32-year-old Pacquiao.
Well in the sport of boxing 40 seems to be the new 30 as both boxing geezers Bernard Hopkins,46, and Vitali Klitschko, 40 in July, find themselves near the top of the pound for pound rankings.
Just two weeks ago we saw the 46-year-old Hopkins dominate 28-year-old Jean Pascal for the WBC Light Heavyweight title. Hopkins seems to be in line for a 175-pound showdown with Chad Dawson.
Owner of the WBC Heavyweight crown, Vitali Klitschko has dominated his opponents and is scheduled to fight Tomaskz Adamek in August.
Compared to Hopkins and Klitschko, Marquez is just a baby and winning impressively his past two fights, Marquez hasn't shown his age at all.
2.Marquez's Intelligence
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The sport of boxing is just as much of a thinking man's game as Chess (although I can't see Bobby Fischer lacing up a pair of gloves).
Juan Manuel Marquez doesn't posses great power, speed or agilility, but he does posses one of the greatest minds the sport has ever seen.
Fight after fight Marquez's opponents have spoken about his ability to neutralize his opponents' game plan and adjust throughout fights.
Manny Pacquiao should be the first in line to talk about the great intelligence and in fight adujustment making, that makes Marquez so special.
In each of their prior two meeting Pacquiao was able to attain early success, knocking Marquez down three times in the first fight and once early in the second, but was later neatralized as Marquez was able to effectivily adjust during the fight and take away Pacquiao's strengths.
If Marquez is able to defeat Pacquiao, it wont be because of superior strength, quickness or technique, rather it will come from a superior game plan and boxing intelligence.
1. He's Done It Before
OK, maybe not officially, but in my book Juan Manuel Marquez sports a 2-0 record over Manny Pacquiao.
Yes, Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round of their opening fight, but Marquez precedeed to dominate each and every round with his superior boxing intelligence and counter punching. The fight ended in a draw, but I saw it as a victory for Marquez.
In their second bout, once again, the occurrence of an early knock down saved Pacquiao as Marquez seemed to win the majority of the rounds.
Now, the fact that I believe Marquez won two fights, that were more then three years ago, doesn't mean I believe he will beat Pacquiao come November 5th. What it does mean is that Marquez has a style and skill set that has given Pacquiao major problems in the past.
Should be a great fight.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif -- Don't hold your breath for that Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather megafight. As far as Top Rank CEO Bob Arum is concerned it's never happening.
"That fight will never, ever happen," Arum said. "Ever, ever happen because of Mayweather.
"When Mayweather talks about how he hates Top Rank he's talking bulls---. What Mayweather hates is Manny's right hand. Mayweather has no chin and Manny will knock him out. Pacquiao and Mayweather is a three or four-round fight. Period. And who knows that best? Mayweather. The one thing Mayweather has had throughout his career is he knows boxing. He understands boxing and Mayweather can not compete with Manny. It's the right hand of Manny that is preventing that fight from happening. If Manny agreed just to jab with the right hand the fight would be made in 30 seconds."
Pacquiao's promoter made the comments before Pacquiao's media day workout leading up to his Nov. 12 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.
"Once Manny demonstrated that fearsome right hand there was no chance ever that the fight would happen," Arum said. "None. Don't kid yourself. I know Mayweather, everything else is bulls---."
When Pacquaio was asked about the megafight he smiled, shrugged his shoulders and answered the same way he normally does.
"I don't know," he said. "Maybe the promoters can not afford him. I think that's the reason. The promoters cannot afford him. What he's asking is hard."
Arum also said Mayweather tarnished boxing and cheated the fans with the way he beat Victor Ortiz last month.
"Mayweather demonstrated a complete lack of sportsmanship and the public that paid for that was cheated," Arum said. "I don't care about the baloney about protect yourself at all times and its a legal shot. That's not the issue. The fighter has the obligation to entertain the public and hitting this kid with two cheap shots really put a damper on boxing. For me, f--- the legacy, he cheated the public."
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said Pacquiao will only fight for two more years and four to five more fights before retiring and focusing on his political career and believes it is important for Pacquiao's legacy that he fight Mayweather.
"I think it would be good for boxing and good for the world if that fight happened," Roach said. "If that doesn't happen there will always be a question mark why they didn't fight each other. If Floyd ends up undefeated but didn't fight Manny Pacquiao it's going to haunt him for the rest of his life, but I don't think he thinks logically. It's always something with him. Only he knows why he won't take this fight."
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