Boxing is just boxing. Two fighters put on gloves and punch each other. However, there are some select moments when boxing is so much more than just boxing. Such is the case for the fourth battle between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. They will step up to the ring to renew their rivalry on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time), and what’s at stake is more than just a win because this one is more than just a fight.
Marquez believes Pacquiao took everything away from him. In their series, Marquez has a draw and two losses to show for. “He feels that he has been wronged all this time,” said Marquez’s trainer. If Marquez managed to win two or three of the fights against Pacquiao as he claims he did, he would have been the one who was catapulted into superstardom. Maybe he would have gotten all those juicy matches against the likes of Oscar de la Hoya and Miguel Cotto. Maybe he would now be the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
The losses to Pacquiao did not only stain Marquez’s record. Those losses have cost him a lot both financially and in terms of legacy.
For Pacquiao, it’s hard to accept that a lot of people still think Marquez is better than him. He won twice but people still feel that he needs to prove himself against Marquez. The eight-division world champion is in a weird situation. He needs a dominant unanimous decision win or a knockout for this fight to be considered a success from this end. For Marquez, he only needs a win, no matter how he gets it.
Sometimes boxing fights transcend boxing and this is one of those rare times. The rivalry between the Philippines and Mexico has been on fire as of late. The results have been pretty even, so Pacquiao and Marquez will ultimately decide which country will be the winner.
This fight is different because it feels like what’s at stake is more than just one win. The fighter who wins the match wins the rivalry. That’s why they’re doing it again. That’s why another epic battle should be expected tomorrow.
Will Marquez finally get the win he’s been dreaming about for the past decade or will Pacquiao prove once and for all that he is the better fighter? All the questions that have lingered throughout this tremendous rivalry will all be answered tomorrow. - AMD, GMA News
source: gmanetwork.com
