Tag: Juan Manuel Marquez

UFC on Fox 6: Why the UFC Needs to Fully Stock the Flyweight Division

Although the UFC’s flyweight division hasn’t been alive for too long, it is already being thrust front and center, as was the case this weekend when Demetrious Johnson defended his title for the first time against The Ultimate Fighter …

Although the UFC’s flyweight division hasn’t been alive for too long, it is already being thrust front and center, as was the case this weekend when Demetrious Johnson defended his title for the first time against The Ultimate Fighter 13 winner, John Dodson at UFC on Fox 6 in Chicago, Illinois.

While it was a good fight, it also shined a light on how thin the division currently is.

Dodson is probably second only to Nate Quarry in being a fighter from The Ultimate Fighter reality show who was thrust too quickly into a title fight, and while Dodson did much better than Quarry, truth be told he wasn’t ready for such a fight.

But things are always rocking at the beginning, and now that it is clear that the UFC plans on making sure the spotlight shines on all divisions, it is time to begin stocking up on fighters who can make the 125-pound limit.

There are many reasons why, but the most obvious of them all is simply that the deeper a division is, the more compelling it is, because the fans have more choices as to who they identify with and root for.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, speaks to the heart of growth for the UFC in ways we cannot quantify as of yet, because if you look at the history of combative sport, numerous smaller fighters—many coming from countries outside the United States—have managed to captivate the fans.

And when you consider that countries such as Mexico, Japan, Italy and others have seen some of their “smaller” sons turn into giants upon the world stage of boxing, it becomes clear that a diversified and stacked flyweight division could help kick open the doors to those countries and many others.

When you think about some of the bigger names in boxing over the past 50 years, it is surprising to some to learn just how many of them fought and achieved fame in the featherweight division, which is boxing’s equivalent to the flyweight class.

Men such as Juan Manuel Marquez, “Prince” Naseem Hamed, Alexis Arguello, Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao and countless others fought at the 126-pound limit and put on some incredible fights while becoming large stars in the process.

Add a few more pounds and you can find names like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Julio Cesar Chavez, Diego Corrales, Erik Morales, Oscar de la Hoya and others.

There is an untold number of MMA fighters from other countries who are waiting to be discovered and one of them could be the next Manny Pacquiao or Juan Manuel Marquez in the UFC.

But they need to know there is a place for them and the only way that will happen is if the flyweight division becomes known as a division where great fights are made by great fighters. In order for that to come to pass, the UFC is going to need to start investing heavily down south.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Chael Sonnen: Marquez Went Through Second Puberty Before Pacquiao Knockout

The old saying goes “you shouldn’t throw stones if you live in a glass house” and many would argue that’s exactly what UFC light heavyweight title contender Chael Sonnen did Wednesday night.In an appearance on the Jim Rome on Showtime show, Sonnen was …

The old saying goes “you shouldn’t throw stones if you live in a glass house” and many would argue that’s exactly what UFC light heavyweight title contender Chael Sonnen did Wednesday night.

In an appearance on the Jim Rome on Showtime show, Sonnen was asked about Juan Manuel Marquez’s astonishing knockout of Manny Pacquiao, a fighter many considered boxing’s pound-for-pound king heading into the fight. 

Sonnen, an open user of testosterone replacement therapy, accused Marquez of using performance enhancing drugs prior to his fourth bout with the “Pacman” on Dec. 8 (transcription via MMA Mania). 

“Pacquiao got hit by a guy who miraculously went through puberty a second time at 39 years old. He got hit by a guy that showed up with more power at 39 than he had in any of the previous fights. He had a 6 pack that he never had before. There’s two tests that you have, Jim. You’ve got the pee test, but you’ve also got the visual test. When you take your robe off and you get in the ring that’s your first test. And to act as if all of us didn’t go, ‘Something’s going on there.’ No, I haven’t said that (he’s on PEDs), but I sure came close, didn’t I? I know that Freddy Roach did. I know Freddy Roach said, ‘If that body’s clean, I kiss your ass.’ But you gotta understand, all substances aren’t illegal. Did he take something? Sure, he did. Did he take something illegal? Well, according to the test, no. I just know you don’t go through puberty twice and I’ll leave it at that.”

Marquez, a seven-time world champion in five different weight classes, was unquestionably in tremendous shape for the blockbuster match up. 

However, as Yahoo! Sports reported, he had no worries of failing a post-fight drug test, insisting he is, and always has been, a clean fighter. 

“As far as people thinking I am taking steroids? I would take the test. Let them take my blood. I don’t care. [I would do it] just to shut everybody up. Of course my fight tests have always been clean. I don’t know how those rumors get started.”

Unlike Marquez, Sonnen has tested positive for elevated testosterone levels in his career, back in August 2010 after his UFC 117 meeting with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. 

He was suspended for one year by the California State Athletic Commission and was fined $2,500, with a successful appeal by Sonnen and his camp reducing the suspension to six months ultimately being reversed. 

After a second loss to Silva at UFC 148 in July, Sonnen returns to the 205-pound division for the first time in over six years to take on champion Jon “Bones” Jones in April, after coaching opposite each other on “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Is Sonnen simply trying to stir the pot as usual or does he actually bring up a valid point or two here?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

[VIDEO] Juan Manuel Marquez Knocks Out Manny Pacquiao in Dramatic Fashion

While most of you reading this were busy watching the UFC last night, boxing fans throughout the country tuned in to watch Pacquiao/Marquez IV. It’s still too early to tell which sport came out on top in terms of the ratings, but regardless, boxing fans were treated to a dramatic sixth round knockout from one of its greatest active fighters. And no, Pacquiao wasn’t the fighter dishing it out.

Juan Manuel Marquez arguably defeated Manny Pacquiao during their third meeting, but came up short on the scorecards, losing a majority decision. This time around, Marquez took no chances, knocking out Pacquiao with an overhand right with only one second left in round six. Pacquiao, who has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career (although the Bradley decision was pretty absurd), has no plans to retire, although we’ll have to wait and see what this loss does to his marketability.

Video awaits after the jump.

While most of you reading this were busy watching the UFC last night, boxing fans throughout the country tuned in to watch Pacquiao/Marquez IV. It’s still too early to tell which sport came out on top in terms of the ratings, but regardless, boxing fans were treated to a dramatic sixth round knockout from one of its greatest active fighters. And no, Pacquiao wasn’t the fighter dishing it out.

Juan Manuel Marquez arguably defeated Manny Pacquiao during their third meeting, but came up short on the scorecards, losing a majority decision. This time around, Marquez took no chances, knocking out Pacquiao with an overhand right with only one second left in round six. Pacquiao, who has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career (although the Bradley decision was pretty absurd), has no plans to retire, although we’ll have to wait and see what this loss does to his marketability.

Video awaits after the jump.

So where does Pacquiao go from here? And were you more entertained by Pacquiao/Marquez IV or UFC on Fox 5? Let us know which sport you think came out on top last night.

Lorenzo Fertitta Tweets About Superfights in Wake of Manny Pacquiao Loss

The boxing world witnessed the shock of a lifetime Saturday evening as pound-for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao was knocked out cold by arch rival Juan Manuel Marquez. Although “Pac-Man” was coming off a loss to Timothy Bradley back in June, the bou…

The boxing world witnessed the shock of a lifetime Saturday evening as pound-for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao was knocked out cold by arch rival Juan Manuel Marquez. 

Although “Pac-Man” was coming off a loss to Timothy Bradley back in June, the bout was quite controversial and fans and analysts alike expected the Filipino pugilist to bounce back with a definitive win over his rival. 

UFC co-owner and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta took to Twitter to express his reaction to the epic upset: 

Prior to the June loss to Bradley, Pacquiao hadn’t lost since March 2005 and had won an incredible 15 fights in a row. He is also the first and only boxer to win titles in eight separate divisions.

This led to talk of a superfight with undefeated five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. heating up by the day, but neither side could ever come to an agreement on stipulations for the fight, including drug testing and how to split the fight purse. 

On the UFC end of things, superfights have not been any easier to come by. A matchup between welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre and middleweight title holder Anderson Silva has been discussed since 2009, but it has yet to come to fruition. 

A recent announcement by UFC President Dana White stating that GSP will likely fight Nick Diaz next further cast doubt on a GSP-Silva showdown. 

Silva stepping up and fighting UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is not anymore likely, as “The Spider” indicated that he’d want 50 percent of the UFC in order to face “Bones.” 

Will the Pacquiao loss make the UFC more diligent in setting up some superfights of their own, or is this just a knee-jerk reaction by Fertitta?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Dana White Breaks Down Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 4

This weekend may very well be the best this year has seen in combat sports. With some quality MMA on Friday night that got fans amped up for UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle, it’s one of those rare occasions when there’s possibly too much fighting to …

This weekend may very well be the best this year has seen in combat sports. With some quality MMA on Friday night that got fans amped up for UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle, it’s one of those rare occasions when there’s possibly too much fighting to digest. 

Following the UFC on Fox 5 card, which features a lightweight title fight between champion Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz, boxing has its own highly anticipated event between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. 

It’s the fourth meeting between the two boxers, with Pacquiao holding two wins over the Mexican fighter. Their last bout was a bit controversial, as many pundits felt that Marquez did more than enough to win. Tim Smith of the New York Daily News wrote that Marquez “was robbed of a decision by judges who were either blind or corrupt.”

Following the UFC on Fox 5 pre-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White spoke with attending media about the upcoming bout. White is an avid boxing fan and has publicly supported Pacquiao in the media. 

However, from the sound of it, White isn’t too confident about Pacquiao’s chances this evening.

“So you guys know I’m a huge Pacquiao fan,” White told Bleacher Report. “[The HBO series] 24/7 f*cks with your head so bad. If you look at it, it makes it seem like Pacquiao isn’t that focused. You got guys like Freddie Roach saying, ‘I used to be the boss, but I’m not the boss any more. He knows what he needs to do.’

“And then the next episode he says, ‘I shouldn’t have said that. I should be the boss.’ It just seems like there’s so much turmoil and distractions in his camp.”

There’s always distractions within a camp, but White’s comments hold a lot of truth. Pacquiao is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, and it’s very common for the ego to take over.

It is combat sports after all. 

But it may not be the actual training camp that’s causing Pacman to take control of his career. There is always a time when a fighter stops thinking about titles and instead focuses on how much money he can earn before exiting from the sport.  

“The one thing I gotta be honest about cause I always am,” said White. “The one thing that I didn’t like because I hate this stuff and I’m surprised Pacquiao said this, they were asking him about the belt. You guys see what he said? They were asking him about the belt and he goes, ‘It’s all about the paycheck.’

“And Marquez looks nasty. He’s training hardcore. He’s in great shape.”

So who is the UFC president picking for tonight’s boxing main event? The answer may come as a bit of a surprise to some. 

“I gotta go with Marquez.”

 

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes attained first hand by Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

MMA vs. Boxing: Which Sport Will Be The People’s Champ This Weekend?


(Dang, Nate, tell us how you really feel.)

By Oliver Chan

On Saturday night, the sport of boxing goes head-to-head with MMA. No, I’m not talking about another freak-show like when the horribly overpaid James Toney fought the latest guy to be called out by Steven Seagal. (“Anybody seen Randyyyyy? Ah?”) I’m talking Pacquiao/Marquez IV vs. Diaz/Henderson. While the events aren’t really going head-to-head, per se — UFC on Fox starts at 8 p.m. ET, and should be finished by the time Manny and Marquez step into the ring on the HBO pay-per-view broadcast — how viewers tune in this Saturday will speak volumes of the current state of both sports.

In one corner, you have the UFC with a stacked card, but still struggling to live up to the hype as far as ratings go. In the other corner, you have boxing, the aging champ of combat sports. While struggling to stay relevant, it is still a dominant force with two bankable stars who won’t fight each other.

It is no mistake that the UFC has put together a PPV-worthy card to be aired free to the masses. You’ve got a title fight in what is arguably the most competitive weight class in the sport. You also have two legends of MMA taking on two young up-and-comers taking on the sport by storm. Come to think of it, the Penn vs. McDonald and Rua vs. Gustafson fights are perfect analogies of what MMA is to boxing right now.


(Dang, Nate, tell us how you really feel.)

By Oliver Chan

On Saturday night, the sport of boxing goes head-to-head with MMA. No, I’m not talking about another freak-show like when the horribly overpaid James Toney fought the latest guy to be called out by Steven Seagal. (“Anybody seen Randyyyyy? Ah?”) I’m talking Pacquiao/Marquez IV vs. Diaz/Henderson. While the events aren’t really going head-to-head, per se — UFC on Fox starts at 8 p.m. ET, and should be finished by the time Manny and Marquez step into the ring on the HBO pay-per-view broadcast — how viewers tune in this Saturday will speak volumes of the current state of both sports.

In one corner, you have the UFC with a stacked card, but still struggling to live up to the hype as far as ratings go. In the other corner, you have boxing, the aging champ of combat sports. While struggling to stay relevant, it is still a dominant force with two bankable stars who won’t fight each other.

It is no mistake that the UFC has put together a PPV-worthy card to be aired free to the masses. You’ve got a title fight in what is arguably the most competitive weight class in the sport. You also have two legends of MMA taking on two young up-and-comers taking on the sport by storm. Come to think of it, the Penn vs. McDonald and Rua vs. Gustafson fights are perfect analogies of what MMA is to boxing right now.

UFC on Fox will have a head start on the Saturday prime-time schedule, but Pacquiao vs. Marquez has the advantage of being “appointment viewing.” In other words, fight fans already planning on ordering the PPV bout are more likely to start switching over from the UFC on Fox regardless of whether or not the UFC lightweight championship has been determined. On the flip side, the UFC card has something that Pacquiao/Marquez does not: drama.

Studies show that fight fans, specifically MMA fans, are drawn to the drama aspect over the violence aspect of the sport. Does the UFC on Fox card have drama? You bet your ass it does. You have one title fight in what is arguably the most competitive weight division in MMA and two bouts featuring legends of the sport taking on the rapidly rising young-blood of MMA.

Meanwhile, boxing has scrapped together a meaningless fourth match-up between Marquez and Pacquiao. The fight doesn’t even have any title implications on the line.  This fight is coming off of the huge black-eye (pun intended) on the sport of boxing in the form of the controversial Bradley/Pacquiao decision in June. Why Pacquiao’s next fight wasn’t an immediate rematch for the WBO Welterweight Title still escapes me. If it was, Pacquiao/Bradley II would have been a much better draw and stand a much better advantage over the UFC on Fox this Saturday. But alas, the gods of common sense will dictate otherwise.

Nate Diaz and Benson Henderson need to put on a great performance this Saturday.  They need to keep viewers engaged and forget about switching over to the PPV event that will overlap the UFC event, when the Pacquiao vs. Marquez supporting card begins at 9 p.m. ET.

Come Monday, it will be interesting to see how the numbers play out. Will the UFC poach some of boxing’s PPV orders? Or will we see a steep decline in TV ratings during the main-event as viewers switch over to see Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV? Will we see a changing of the guard, or will it be business as usual? To me, the biggest story on Saturday does not involve anyone fighting, but which sport will be victorious with TV viewers — the aging legend, boxing, or the rising star of combat sports, MMA?