A Plea for Passion
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 09 Dec 2007
Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez II. Unfinished business, much anticipated rematch, fighting for pride. Whatever you may call this fight, it won?t get any better than this. Two boxers in their prime, the top two in their division facing each other four years after their dramatic first encounter.
It is not just the contrasting styles or the debatable draw, it is a chance to make history. Pacquiao will be going after a world title belt in a division once ruled by the legendary Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde. Their status as the top two 130 lb. fighters in the Ring magazine ratings puts the winner in line for a prestigious world title belt from the Bible of boxing.
Pacquiao?s performance in his last two bouts has also added an intriguing dimension to this fight. He has been noticeably on boxer-puncher mode instead of the usual whirlwind fan-friendly style that we are used to. Is this really a case of Freddie Roach finally succeeding in tempering the Pacman?s aggressive inclinations for a more disciplined offense or is this something else? He has won, but in a manner that is relatively tame. There are those who have lamented that they miss the old Pacquiao. Is it just me or did I see a raging inferno slowly extinguish itself during the rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera? Millions of Filipinos will not agree with me but I believe the Barrera of 1996 would have beaten Pacquiao that night.
There are boxers who do modify their styles because age and wear and tear caught up with them. Even Barrera did that. Muhammad Ali used the rope a dope more often when he could not float like a butterfly for fifteen rounds anymore. Even Arturo Gatti tried the boxer-puncher bit to extend his career. But, we are still witnessing a Pacquiao that has not even reached thirty years old yet.
Would it be really wise to play a chess match against Marquez? The enduring image of their first fight is the moment of near-carnage in the first round. That moment will have to be duplicated, even multiplied for Pacquiao to beat Marquez. A change of styles will have to take a back seat. A repeat of rounds three through twelve of that fight would mean disappointment for 80 million Filipinos.
Marquez does have bragging rights in Mexico. He remains the only elite 130 lb. boxer in his country who can truly say Pacquiao did not beat him. Would this be enough to ignite a fire inside the Pacman again? Only the old Pacquiao can beat Marquez. Anything else will come up short.
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