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Monday, March 15, 2004
Pacquiao vs Marquez: Battle of KO artists
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
WHAT do you expect when two hard-punching boxers with a combine record of 63 knockout victories mix it up atop the ring in a blockbuster fight?
If you know you're boxing, it is going to be war. Such is the description of the coming bout between Filipino gladiator Manny Pacquiao and Mexican hombre Juan Manuel Marquez for the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title on May 8 at a still an undisclosed venue.
Pacquiao, the consensus people's world feather champ, and Marquez, the two-title holder, will carry into the ring impressive records and boxing analysts this early predict a knockout win for either of the two.
Marquez, 30, holds the more excellent record of 42 wins, two losses with 33 KO's.
But Pacquiao's numbers are within such range: 38 wins, two losses, one draw with 30 of his triumphs not lasting the distance.
Pacquiao's last win--an 11th round demolition of Marco Antonio Barrera--was the most stunning performance ever by the Filipino.
The feat earned Pacquiao fame and fortune and he was awarded a championship belt by Ring Magazine, acknowledged as the bible of boxing, just recently.
For a while, it looked like the keenly-awaited fight would never materialized after Marquez had asked for a big paycheck.
Latest reports, however, indicated that Marguez, called "Dinamita", is fighting Pacquiao after all and that negotiations are already sealed.
The Pacquiao-Marquez bout finally became official Saturday after the Mexican signed the contract.
Pacquiao played billiards here in Davao City Saturday, but had to abandon his crucial match to be in Manila for a date with HBO people, who will film his training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Paranaque.
Murad Muahmmad, Pacquiao's US-based promoter, is also coming over for a short visit, according to reports.
Pacquiao, Muahmmad, his business manager Rod Nazario and Lito Mondejar will then fly to Los Angeles on March 19 for the start of the Filipino's serious training at the hands of famed trainer Freddie Roach.
(March 15, 2004 issue)
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