THE GREAT ESCAPE
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 16 Mar 2008
It was as nail biting as their first encounter. It was also laced with controversy. Manny Pacquiao versus Juan Manuel Marquez II lived up to the hype. But it did not put an end to the debate as to who is the better fighter.
Both fighters were all smiles and confident as they entered the arena. It was Marquez however who made a statement in the opening round. He was not going down easy this time. In fact, the defining punch of the round was a right from the Mexican that caught Pacquiao napping.
Marquez had an edge in the second as his one-two combinations continued to stun Pacquiao. The tide turned in the third. Pacquiao dove in with a left that sent Marquez sprawled on his back.
Pacquiao made his statement: I can afford to make mistakes, Marquez cannot.
The Filipino tried to finish the Mexican champion in the fourth but got too left hand happy and Marquez countered beautifully. Going into the fifth and sixth Marquez? boxing skills at long range continued to confuse and defuse Pacquiao. Pacquiao may have gotten a slight edge in the seventh round but the eight round saw him bleeding and reeling especially after taking a smashing left hook to the ribs from Marquez. A lesser man would have gone down. Both fighters showed their ability to fight through blood. Mexican Machismo versus Filipino Lakas. But it was also the Mexican?s ring generalship and superior counterpunching skills that spelled the difference at this point.
It was going into rounds nine through twelve that both warriors dug in deep. It was unfortunate for Marquez that his jab was no longer as sharp and Pacquiao now had more chances getting in. These rounds were still too close to call and you could make an argument for either fighter.
I scored it 115-113 for Pacquiao but only because I gave the close rounds to him. Before the decision was announced I thought other judges would have scored it either way. One of them did. Millions out there are also thinking the same way. Pacquiao may even have thought so. It was Marquez who was celebrating before the controversial split verdict was announced. He was right when he lamented that this was a twelve round fight. One knockdown in a round does not define a fight.
Their business is still unfinished. There should be a rematch.
(My very special thanks to the Alcantara couple in Dar es Salaam for their warm Filipino hospitality and access to DSTV for this bout.)
Top photo: Juan Manuel Marquez, right, of Mexico, lands a punch to the face of Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, in the 12th round of their WBC super featherweight title match at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 15, 2008. Pacquiao won by split decision after the 12th round.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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