SULAIMAN HAS NO PROBLEM WITH PACQUIAO'S SPLIT DECISION
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 18 Mar 2008
WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman says that while the rematch between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Mexico?s Juan Manuel Marquez was a ?very close, very competitive, very tough and very rough fight? he had no problem in accepting the judges split decision that enabled Pacquiao to win the WBC super featherweight title on Sunday.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard from his home in Mexico City, the WBC president said that every time Marquez connected with well-prepared counter-punches ?Manny came back because he has the heart of a lion. He pressured Marquez but not in his usual open and frontal way. It was a very intelligent performance by both fighters."r came with a big heart and pressured Marquez but not in the usual open and frontal way.?
Sulaiman said ?to be honest with you the fight was so close that it was very difficult for the judges to score. However, I would say that Pacquiao came back very determined and with a big heart at the end of the fight and that?s how he got what he got.?
The WBC president a longtime friend of the Philippines said ? we are proud of this championship because Marquez ? made it very difficult for Pacquiao. It was so close and Pacquiao did everything, everything to win the fight. As a boxing man it was so difficult and both men didn?t deserve to lose.?
Sulaiman said fight fans would have to wait and see what happens next especially since Pacquiao is reportedly committed to move up to lightweight and fight WBC champion David Diaz. However, the WBC president stressed that ?one more fight (between Pacquiao and Marquez) is definitely what the people of the world want.?
Sulaiman conceded it would be ?hard to agree? on a third fight even though Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer made a $6 million offer to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who handles Pacquiao for one more fight. Sulaiman suggested that after one more fight for both Pacquiao and Marquez ?there should be a rematch. It would be my recommendation as a boxing fan after listening to people talking that Marquez did not deserve to lose neither did Pacquiao.?
If there?s any consolation for Marquez it?s the fact that the WBC president assured him he will be ranked No.1 despite the loss because it ?will be unfair? if he is not given the recognition after such a close fight. Sulaiman emphasized that ?without any question he (Marquez) will fight for the title? which will happen should Pacquiao decide to relinquish the 130 pound crown and remain at 135 pounds.
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach in an interview with journalist Dennis Principe on his Sports Talk morning show over dzSR Sports Radio said it was ?a very good, very close fight and the knockdown (in round three) was the difference. I thought Manny won the fight by one point. Manny landed the bigger shots and Marquez came back in the middle rounds but in the end of the fight Manny finished well.? Roach noted that HBO panelists Larry Merchant, Jim Lampley and Emmanuel Steward all had Pacquiao the winner as well as several well-known boxing writers on popular boxing internet sites.
Roach said that when Marquez was dropped in round three ?Manny knocked him down so hard I didn?t really think he would get up because of the way he went down. It was a great shot. If Manny jumped on him a little harder we would have had him. Marquez is a very durable guy. He showed a lot of heart to get up like that. In their first fight Marquez went down three times in the first round but in this fight, the way he went down, I thought he was out.?
Roach agreed with Pacquiao that Marquez fought a better fight in the rematch. Roach noted he was ?more aggressive, threw more punches and he made some nice adjustments.?
Responding to criticism from the Marquez camp about the decision and an apparent division even among Filipinos, Roach said ?let?s not talk about bad decisions. Talk about what a great fight it was. Either boy could have won the fight . If we lost by one point I wouldn?t complain. Both fighters wanted it and fights like this are great for boxing.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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