Okay, so today I wanna talk about something that’s been bugging me for a while now – the Pacquiao vs. Marquez fights. You know, those four epic battles between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez? Yeah, those ones. I’ve been digging into them, and boy, do I have some thoughts.
First off, I started by watching all four fights again. I know, I know, I’m a glutton for punishment. But I wanted to refresh my memory, see if anything jumped out at me this time around. And let me tell you, it did.
The first fight, way back in 2004, I remembered it being a draw. But watching it again, I realized how much of a war it was. I mean, Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round! But Marquez, that guy’s a warrior. He got back up and fought like hell. By the end, it was so close. The judges scored it a draw, and honestly, I can see why.
- Fight 1: May 8, 2004 – Draw
Then came the second fight in 2008. This one was even closer than the first. It was just back and forth, both guys landing bombs. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. In the end, Pacquiao won by split decision, but it felt like it could have gone either way. Even HBO polled a bunch of boxing experts after, and they were all over the place. 46% for Marquez, 42% said draw, and only 12% for Pacquiao. Wild, right?
- Fight 2: March 15, 2008 – Pacquiao by Split Decision
The third fight, now that was controversial. 2011, they met again. And again, it was a war. But this time, it felt like Marquez outboxed Pacquiao. He was landing the cleaner shots, controlling the pace. But the judges, they saw it differently. They gave it to Pacquiao by majority decision. I remember everyone was going nuts, saying Marquez got robbed. And honestly, watching it again, I kinda agree.
- Fight 3: November 12, 2011 – Pacquiao by Majority Decision
And then, the fourth fight. Oh boy, the fourth fight. December 8, 2012. This was the one that ended it all. The one that left no doubt. They went at it again, trading blows, both guys getting knocked down. And then, in the sixth round, BAM! Marquez landed that perfect counter right hand. Pacquiao went down face first, out cold. It was over. Marquez finally got his definitive win.
- Fight 4: December 8, 2012 – Marquez by KO
My Final Thoughts
So, after watching all these fights again, what did I learn? Well, first off, these two guys are legends. They gave us some of the best fights ever. Second, boxing judging is…complicated, to say the least. And third, Juan Manuel Marquez might be one of the most underrated fighters of all time. He finally got his win, but it feels like he should have had at least one more.
Anyway, that’s my rant about Pacquiao vs. Marquez. What do you guys think? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!
