MAYWEATHER’S TORTURE OF MARQUEZ UNLOCKED KEY TO PACQUIAO MYSTERY
By Alex P. Vidal
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 22 Sep 2009
OS ANGELES, California – Team Mayweather’s game plan was simple: take one step backward, but take two steps forward.
Step one backward means outweighing your smaller opponent by as much as 20 pounds a day before the fight and be willing to cough up a hefty fine worth $600,000, peanuts for the nine figures to be bankrolled for a 12-round tango.
And outweighed Floyd Mayweather Jr. (146 pounds) did to rattle and overran Juan Manuel Marquez (142 pounds) and escaped with a lopsided unanimous decision victory, 118-109, 120-107, 119-108, on September 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Team Marquez actually acknowledged the Mexican customer was smaller, having campaigned masterfully in the 130-lb category and came in at 142 pounds against Mayweather, who weighed 146 pounds. But any post mortem catcalls would be dismissed as sour-graping.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) only showed who’s the boss in the division he ruled with terror and fear that earned him the reputation as originally the best boxer pound-for-pound before he lapsed into a 21-month lay-off and thus yielded the honor to Manny Pacquiao.
Now that Marquez has been neutralized, all roads now lead to a possible showdown either with Pacquiao or Shane Mosley, who got an earful from Mayweather himself for interrupting the latter’s post fight press conference.
By toying with Marquez, considered as the second best boxer in the world pound for pound, Mayweather exposed something members of Team Pacquiao dread not to be discovered: boxers outside Mayweather’s division can be outshuttled by using defensive skills.
The difference between Mayweather and Pacquiao, as observed by Marquez, is that Mayweather is a 100 percent skilled defensive warrior while Pacquiao likes to brawl from opening bell until the end.
Pacquiao owns two of the five losses inflicted on Marquez’s amazing record and both wins were snatched from the jaws of defeat.
COMPARISSON
If Pacquiao were in the fighting shoes of Marquez in that fight, would Mayweather finish the fight on his stool? Or, would Pacquiao suffer Marquez’s fate? Speed, both Mayweather and Pacquiao have it. Force they both possess it. Weight will definitely tilt in favor of the black executioner.
Marquez has admitted fighting Mayweather was like fighting a Goliath. He has given credence to conventional belief that fighting in a heavier weight vis-?-vis a heavier foe is always uphill climb. Mayweather’s dominance of Marquez spoke louder than words. Of the 493 punches thrown by Mayweather, 290 of them landed on Marquez’s face. Marquez landed only 142 of the 583 punches he threw.
The message was loud and clear: there was no way for a lightweight speedster to outslick welterweight Mayweather in his own turf.
Meanwhile, after finding himself red in the face once more for predicting that Marquez would upset Mayweather, Golden Boy Promotions chief Oscar De La Hoya has pushed for a Mayweather-Mosley showdown next.
Mosley, however, must tackle first Joshua Clottey in December while De La Hoya must wait for the November 24 joust between Pacquiao and World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Miguel Cotto.
If Pacquiao rolls past Cotto, the Filipino superstar might most likely seal the Mayweather deal since Pacquiao is being backed strongly by Top Rank’s Bob Arum.
However, if Cotto hits a jackpot by trouncing Pacquiao, he might elbow out Mosley from the sweepstakes since Cotto had already beaten Mosley on points.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Pedro Taduran Defends IBF 105 Belt Against Christian Balunan Sunday
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 25 Oct 2025DAVID ALCAIDE CROWNED INAUGURAL PHILIPPINES OPEN CHAMPION
Sat, 25 Oct 2025Bryce Mills vs. James Bernadin Venue Changed: Randolph House Hotel & Convention Center Will Host Pro/Am Card in Liverpool, New York
Sat, 25 Oct 2025Parker vs. Wardley: Who Will Keep Winning Streak Alive?
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 25 Oct 2025Dante “The Inferno” Kirkman Stays Undefeated with Second-Round TKO in Southern California Debut
Sat, 25 Oct 2025Elmo Traya, Reymond Yanong, Ivan Ognayon in Action in Brico Santig's Show Today in Thailand, LIVE on TrillerTV
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 25 Oct 2025Alessio Bisutti Fights for WBF Heavyweight World Title in Highland Show October 25 in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 25 Oct 2025WEIGHTS FROM NIGHT OF KNOCKOUTS XXXVI AT MOTORCITY CASINO HOTEL TONIGHT IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT
Sat, 25 Oct 202530 people arrested in NBA gambling operation
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 25 Oct 2025GM Joey beats CM Marc in Italy World Senior Standard chess tourney to climb at 2nd place
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 25 Oct 2025RomyMac’s Ali memories
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 24 Oct 2025NBA Daily: Warriors Survive Gordon’s 50 to Beat Nuggets in Overtime 137-131
By Reylan Loberternos, Fri, 24 Oct 2025Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. wins world seniors blitz title in Italy
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 24 Oct 2025Russian athlete, first winner of 8 medals in a single Olympic Games, dies
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 24 Oct 2025DAY FOUR: SHAW DELIVERS GREATNESS TO JOIN ALCAIDE, CAPITO AND SEVASTYANOV IN STELLAR SEMI-FINAL LINEUP
Fri, 24 Oct 2025