Quijano: Role reversal

NOW that Juan Manuel Marquez is reportedly thumbing down a fifth fight, what’s next for Manny?

It seemed like it was a foregone conclusion that the rivals were destined to meet for one more marvelous sequel to 2012’s Fight of the Year.

But Marquez has reportedly said there was no point in fighting Manny again.

REVERSAL. With this development, I wonder if Manny will exert the same gargantuan effort that Marquez did in order to entice him for one more duke-out.

I was ringside at the Araneta Coliseum back in April 2008 for the Gerry Peñalosa-Ratanachai Sor Vorapin fight when Marquez flew all the way to Manila just to coax (read: beg) Manny to fight him for the third time.

A month before that, Manny defeated Marquez via split decision in their second encounter, which of course was another hotly-contested verdict.

Marquez arrived in a limousine flanked by bodyguards. He made his way inside the stadium and waited patiently for Manny to arrive.

After about an hour, the Pambansang Idol entered the arena with a retinue of hangers-on with no definitive roles and Marquez gingerly made his way to Manny where they exchanged handshakes and Marquez started talking.

The cameras flashed and I couldn’t quite make out what they were talking about, but Manny looked flustered and ill at ease.

Afterwards, in the post-fight press conference, Marquez made his spiel about how he should have won the fight and why there should be a third donnybrook.

I remember being a bit turned off by his unwavering fervor, which at that time seemed to me in poor taste, but we all know that they fought two more times after that, so it must have worked.

With all that Manny has achieved outside the ring and taking into account the precarious situation his boxing career is currently in, do you foresee Manny doing a Marquez by going all the way to Mexico to coax (read: beg) for a fifth fight?

Or do you think it would be beneath him?

UFC 156. Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar battled ferociously in the main event at UFC 156 and the fight was rightfully declared Fight of the Night.

But the undercard battle between leviathans Alistair Overeem and Antonio Silva almost stole the thunder away from the featherweights.

Coming into the fight, Overreem had disrespected Silva, dismissing him as no more than a big, hapless target for his vaunted strikes.

Surprise, surprise, Silva held his own in the first round and scored with clubbing right hands.

Overeeem appeared overconfident and would often approach his opponent with a leering smirk across his face.

In the second, Overeem landed some knees and kicks but Silva appeared to take them well.

During clinches, Silva used his size and strength advantage well and this seemed to take a lot out of the muscular Overreem. By the end of the second round, he was noticeably winded.

In the third, Silva landed a clubbing right on a tiring Overeem and followed it up with several uppercuts. For good measure his oversized left hand held Overeem’s undersized head like a ball while his right hand pummeled him into unconsciousness.

When the ref stepped in to call for the denouement of the bout, Silva screamed and yelled at Overreem, clearly in retribution for the disrespect shown to him.

I had predicted to Overreem to overwhelm and surprise the lumbering giant with his superior strikes, similar to what UFC heavyweight Cain Velasquez did, but he clearly underestimated the giant Brazilian and seemed content waiting for the opportunity to land one big shot.

Serves him right.

HE SAID IT.  “I asked several people, several friends around me and they told me not to do it, that there is no point for a fifth fight. I said before the fourth fight that no matter how this fight ends, there cannot be a fifth fight,”—Juan Manuel Marquez (www.boxingscene.com)

LAST ROUND. It’s on my sis-in-law Claudine Navarro who celebrates birthday this week. Cheers!