JMM AND PBF: MASTERS OF THE WAITING GAME
By Reylan Loberternos
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 29 May 2009
Tungod, Inabanga, Bohol ? Two of arguably the world?s smartest and most patient pugilists (not necessarily the best) set their sights at each other, as the come-backing ?Pretty Boy? Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (39-0-0, 25 KOs) of the United States tests his mettle against hardnosed Mexican Juan Manuel ?Dinamita? Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) at the MGM Grand Hotel, in Las Vegas, Nevada on the 18th of July.
Most boxing scribes and pundits expect Marquez to initiate the fight and come forward. Former junior welterweight champ Paulie ?The Magic Man? Malignaggi from Brooklyn, New York even predicted the same approach. This, however, is a big mistake, should Marquez deviate from his tried and tested counterpunching strategy, which, in layman?s term, basically means ?waiting?. Speed, size, and effective reach are integral aspects that he doesn?t have an advantage of. If Marquez opts to fight aggressively, he consequently diminishes his most potent weapon ? his nearly impenetrable defense. The extremely fast, accurate-punching, and undefeated Mayweather is the guy he should least have his guard down on.
Marquez cannot impose his power on Mayweather as much as he definitely cannot outmaneuver and outpace his exceptionally speedy and superbly conditioned opponent. The best he can do to at least make this fight interesting is to do just exactly what he has been doing throughout his boxing career. Marquez should let Mayweather come to him and wait for the slightest openings. He wouldn?t stand a chance if he tries to make Mayweather play the ?matador?s role?. He needs to be patient, enormously patient, at that.
If one of these two fighters needs to abandon his counterpunching style to make this showdown fan-friendly and exciting, it should be the undefeated American. Mayweather, being the bigger guy, ought to play the bully?s role in this classic match-up between two great counterpunchers. It is him and certainly not Marquez that should claim the responsibility of making this face-off into an exciting fight that fans would love to see. If this scrap turns out to be a drag ? a boring waiting game, much of the criticism should fall on Floyd.
A mediocre performance even in victory would cost Mayweather a major bargaining drawback when he and his management goes to the negotiating table in a potential blockbuster bout with six-time world titlist, four-division lineal champ, and pound-for-pound best fighter of this era Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) of the Philippines later this year.
Meanwhile, nobody should count Marquez out. He has a decent chance at a major upset and earn a third encounter with his Filipino arch-nemesis. Floyd is undefeated, but previous bouts against Jose Luis Castillo, Zab Judah, and Oscar de la Hoya have also shown his vulnerable side.
The Mexican master boxer has less to lose in this showdown than Floyd would if he looks past Marquez. The pressure is on Floyd to score a dominant victory. Anything less would only be very disappointing for him and an approval for the huge underdog in Marquez.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Reylan Loberternos.
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