(Pacquiao vs. Marquez I, 5/8/04. Videos via HBOSports, props to BloodyElbow for the tip.)
In the lead-up to this weekend’s historic fourth meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, HBO Sports was kind enough to upload all three of their previous fights to its YouTube channel. That’s 36 rounds (and two-and-a-half hours) of some of the highest-level boxing that the sport has seen in the last ten years. Though each fight was decided on a razor-thin margin, Marquez has been unable to get his hand raised so far. Will the fourth time be a charm? And can this latest fight match up to the legendary history of the Pacquaio vs. Marquez rivalry?
Fights 2 and 3 are after the jump…
(Pacquiao vs. Marquez I, 5/8/04. Videos via HBOSports, props to BloodyElbow for the tip.)
In the lead-up to this weekend’s historic fourth meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, HBO Sports was kind enough to upload all three of their previous fights to its YouTube channel. That’s 36 rounds (and two-and-a-half hours) of some of the highest-level boxing that the sport has seen in the last ten years. Though each fight was decided on a razor-thin margin, Marquez has been unable to get his hand raised so far. Will the fourth time be a charm? And can this latest fight match up to the legendary history of the Pacquaio vs. Marquez rivalry?
Recently we brought you episode one of HBO’s “24/7: Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV” documentary series. The third episode premiers Saturday night so it’s a perfect time for you to catch up and see episode two (above) if you haven’t already.
Other than the elusive white whale of a fight between PacMan and Floyd Mayweather Jr, a fourth fight between the Phillipine’s Pacquiao and Mexico’s Marquez is pretty much the only meaningful pound-for-pound match up in boxing right now. In the latest episode of “24/7” we once again get uncomfortably close to Pacquiao and his wife Jinky’s embattled marriage and see up close and personal how the Marquez family has come up in the world.
We also get more from the two fighters’ trainers, Freddie Roach for Pacquiao and Ignacio Beristain for Marquez, two of the best and most famous in the sport. There’s Pacquiao dancing Gangman Style and filing for re-election for his congressional post in between Bible meetings, and Marquez starting his Mexico City training camp off early to fight off old age.
Check out Episode Two and then tune in to HBO Saturday night at 9:30EST for the third installment. If you miss that, we’ll have it published on CP later as well because we have to do everything for you guys.
Recently we brought you episode one of HBO’s “24/7: Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV” documentary series. The third episode premiers Saturday night so it’s a perfect time for you to catch up and see episode two (above) if you haven’t already.
Other than the elusive white whale of a fight between PacMan and Floyd Mayweather Jr, a fourth fight between the Phillipine’s Pacquiao and Mexico’s Marquez is pretty much the only meaningful pound-for-pound match up in boxing right now. In the latest episode of “24/7″ we once again get uncomfortably close to Pacquiao and his wife Jinky’s embattled marriage and see up close and personal how the Marquez family has come up in the world.
We also get more from the two fighters’ trainers, Freddie Roach for Pacquiao and Ignacio Beristain for Marquez, two of the best and most famous in the sport. There’s Pacquiao dancing Gangman Style and filing for re-election for his congressional post in between Bible meetings, and Marquez starting his Mexico City training camp off early to fight off old age.
Check out Episode Two and then tune in to HBO Saturday night at 9:30EST for the third installment. If you miss that, we’ll have it published on CP later as well because we have to do everything for you guys.
Here in the Potato Nation we don’t take time to discuss boxing all too often. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t bring you HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at the next chapter of a rivalry that is already one of boxing’s greatest of all time.
On December 8th, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will fight one another for the fourth time in eight years. And no, this isn’t one of those boxing promoter scams where the same decrepit guys get rolled out in wheelchairs to fight one another, over and again, long after interest has died in the match up. Pacquiao and Marquez fill two of the top three pound-for-pound spots in boxing, in this writer’s opinion, and their first three fights have left fans clamoring for a fourth.
As episode 1 of this 24/7 documentary mini-series shows with footage and round-by-round analysis from the fighters, coaches and even a judge, all three fights were extremely close and could have gone one of three ways — a win for either man or a draw, as the first one did in May 2004. Since then, Pacquiao has gotten the nods, with a split-decision in 2008 and a majority decision last year.
Here in the Potato Nation we don’t take time to discuss boxing all too often. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t bring you HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at the next chapter of a rivalry that is already one of boxing’s greatest of all time.
On December 8th, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will fight one another for the fourth time in eight years. And no, this isn’t one of those boxing promoter scams where the same decrepit guys get rolled out in wheelchairs to fight one another, over and again, long after interest has died in the match up. Pacquiao and Marquez fill two of the top three pound-for-pound spots in boxing, in this writer’s opinion, and their first three fights have left fans clamoring for a fourth.
As episode 1 of this 24/7 documentary mini-series shows with footage and round-by-round analysis from the fighters, coaches and even a judge, all three fights were extremely close and could have gone one of three ways — a win for either man or a draw, as the first one did in May 2004. Since then, Pacquiao has gotten the nods, with a split-decision in 2008 and a majority decision last year.
Does Marquez, nearing 40, still have what it takes to push Pacquiao as much or more than we’ve seen anyone do in the past eight years or so? Will Pacquiao finally be able to finish Marquez — as he is, uncharacteristically, saying he will this time — and has Pac’s controversial loss to Timothy Bradley given him extra motivation to put on a brilliant performance in his return?
Only fight night will reveal the answers to those questions. For now, we’re having a lot of fun watching the lead-up.
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida’s counter-striking acumen will be tested against the nonpareil talent of light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones this coming Saturday night in UFC 140. (Comparing our top combatants with those of …
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida’s counter-striking acumen will be tested against the nonpareil talent of light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones this coming Saturday night in UFC 140. (Comparing our top combatants with those of boxing is a sacrilege to some MMA hardcore fans and purists, so I offer my insincere apologies.)
Machida the challenger is considered as one of the best—if not the best—counter-strikers in MMA today, just like, well, boxing’s current world lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez. Also going in his favor is his much-publicised training camp under the Freddie Roach of MMA: Crane-Kick Aikido (patent pending) Master Steven Seagal.
Marquez is most famous for his effective counter-punching through Manny Pacquiao’s fistic whirlwinds in their historic boxing trilogy. The first resulted in a draw, the second and third engagements both decision losses to Pacquiao (regardless of what Marquez and a number of boxing aficionados consistently felt and still feel to the contrary).
The champion Jones, on the other hand, exudes the indomitability of arguably boxing’s No.1 pound-for-pound (again) Floyd Mayweather, Jr. And like Floyd’s versus Marquez, Jones enjoys the advantage in height and reach.
The only major difference—aside from these athletes’ respective combative sports and skill sets—is that Jones lets his fighting do most of the talking. It’s also a no-brainer on who’s class and who’s crass.
In comparing Machida and Jones, both fighters have extraordinary fighter’s instinct and timing. Both are consummately methodical in mincing their opponents.
They also share an eerie similarity in “fight face.” Sporting a countenance defined by a cold, unblinking stare that forebodes inevitable destruction of their unlucky prey.
Well, if looks alone could win fights, then expect a draw on this Saturday’s main event.
The questions lingering heavily in the minds of UFC fans.
Can Machida counter Jones’s unpredictable striking offense and efficiently land his own bombs?
Will The Dragon’s respectable takedown defense suffice to intercept Bones’s wrestling projectiles?
Does Machida have another surprise attack up his sleeve? Courtesy of Señor Risen-from-Half-Past-Dead?
And the winner is…
Unfortunately for Machida, Jones will see and thwart what Rashad Evans and Randy Couture didn’t see coming.
Catching up with the Jones is an exercise in futility. He’ll be the one to catch Machida again and again till the stoppage.
Worst for Machida is that the youthful champion not only posseses the skill akin to Mayweather—he’s also shown the KO power of a Pacquiao.
And for the unbigoted amongst us who cared to watch and see who prevailed on 09-19-09, we know who between Marquez and Mayweather had more reason to party till the wee hours of the 10th.
Juan Manuel Márquez punches the face of boxing, figuratively and literally. Props: Fox News Latino
With all of the hype surrounding last night’s UFC on Fox, a quick finish in Velasquez vs. Dos Santos was far from ideal. As we’ve mentioned, it left fans, many of whom first time viewers, with an anticlimactic feeling. Immediately following the UFC’s debut on Fox was the main event of that other combat sport’s event from last night: A welterweight title fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao.
Even though Manny Pacquiao is arguably the best boxer alive, many people felt that the 10-1 underdog Juan Manuel Marquez won their first two meetings. An exciting fight between Marquez and Pacquiao could have given boxing some much needed publicity after Dos Santos quickly knocked out Velasquez, and possibly have kept casual fans from jumping over to mixed martial arts. Frankly, the only truly damning result for the sport would be for the fight to end in a controversial decision that gets the crowd thinking that the fight was fixed.
If you’ve followed boxing at all over the past few decades, you already know where this is going.
Juan Manuel Márquez punches the face of boxing, figuratively and literally. Props: Fox News Latino
With all of the hype surrounding last night’s UFC on Fox, a quick finish in Velasquez vs. Dos Santos was far from ideal. As we’ve mentioned, it left fans, many of whom first time viewers, with an anticlimactic feeling. Immediately following the UFC’s debut on Fox was the main event of that other combat sport’s event from last night: A welterweight title fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao.
Even though Manny Pacquiao is arguably the best boxer alive, many people felt that the 10-1 underdog Juan Manuel Marquez won their first two meetings. An exciting fight between Marquez and Pacquiao could have given boxing some much needed publicity after Dos Santos quickly knocked out Velasquez, and possibly have kept casual fans from jumping over to mixed martial arts. Frankly, the only truly damning result for the sport would be for the fight to end in a controversial decision that gets the crowd thinking that the fight was fixed.
If you’ve followed boxing at all over the past few decades, you already know where this is going.
Marquez lived up to his reputation as a dangerous counter-puncher, causing Manny Pacquiao to look lost throughout the fight. When the fight was over, Pacquiao returned to his corner with his head down, as if he were ashamed of his performance. However, two of the three judges saw the fight in favor of Manny Pacquiao, while the third judge saw the fight as a draw. The fans in attendance booed the decision as they showered the ring with cans and bottles.
Perhaps Marquez summed it up best with this quote: “It’s hard when you’re fighting your rival and the three judges, too”. Yes, biased judging is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to problems with professional boxing. But once again, the sport had a golden opportunity with last night’s anticlimactic finish for the UFC’s debut on Fox, and failed to capitalize. After watching the fans react to last night’s decision, it was pretty clear that even the most diehard boxing fans are getting fed up with the current state of their sport.
It begs the question: How many more times can they be teased with Mayweather vs. Pacquiao before they embrace their inner homosexual skinhead?
Filed under: MMA BoxingIn an action-packed fight that lived up to the billing, Manny Pacquiao beat Juan Manuel Marquez by majority decision on Saturday night in Las Vegas, the third time these two boxers have battled for 12 rounds and fought a fight th…
In an action-packed fight that lived up to the billing, Manny Pacquiao beat Juan Manuel Marquez by majority decision on Saturday night in Las Vegas, the third time these two boxers have battled for 12 rounds and fought a fight that easily could have gone either way.
One judge scored it a draw, 114-114, while one judge scored it for Pacquiao 115-113, and one scored it for Pacquiao 116-112. There will be some complaints — Marquez and his corner were furious after the fight — but this was too close a call for either fighter to have been confident he won. These boxers are essentially equals, but Pacquiao managed, for the second time against Marquez, to do just enough to win in the judges’ eyes.
“The fans of Marquez, of course they’re not happy,” Pacquiao said as the pro-Marquez crowd booed him after the fight. “But my fans are very happy because it’s clear I won the fight. … It’s very clear I won the fight.”
This was the third fight between these two great boxers, and the third time that it was a closely matched, exciting affair. Their first bout, in 2004, ended in a draw. Their second fight, in 2008, was a split decision win for Pacquiao. And now Pacquiao has a majority decision win as well.
This time there were no knockdowns and no points in the fight in which either man even looked like he was in any real trouble. Instead, it was just 12 rounds of close, competitive, exciting boxing. Pacquiao was the more active boxer, while Marquez tended to land with a little more authority when he did land, but neither fighter could say he definitively deserved the victory.
But that didn’t stop Marquez from saying afterward that he had been robbed.
“It’s the second robbery of the fights we’ve had, and I think this one was even more clear than the first,” Marquez said afterward. “It’s hard when you’re fighting against a rival and you’re fighting against three judges also.”
But no matter what Marquez thought, two judges went for Pacquiao, who improved his record to 54-3-2. Marquez falls to 53-6-1.
Pacquiao said he’d love to have a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. — the fight that every boxing fan wants to see — but that he’d also be willing to step into the ring with Marquez a fourth time.
“Any time, any time,” Pacquiao said. “Let’s get it on, make the fight happen. Let’s give the people a good fight.”
Giving the people a good fight is what Pacquiao and Marquez have now done three times.
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida’s counter-striking acumen will be tested against the nonpareil talent of light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones this coming Saturday night in 
In an action-packed fight that lived up to the billing, Manny Pacquiao beat Juan Manuel Marquez by majority decision on Saturday night in Las Vegas, the third time these two boxers have battled for 12 rounds and fought a fight that easily could have gone either way.