by John Wight: The chorus of boos at the end when Pacquaio saluted the crowd as victor said it all. In the pantheon of disgraceful decisions in the history of boxing this one will go down as one of the most notorious.
Juan Manuel Marquez, at the age of 38, has just seen his best performance in the ring to comprehensively out box, out think, out work, and out hustle Manny Pacquiao over 12 rounds stolen from him by three judges who have brought shame to the sport.
At the final bell Manny lowered and shook his head while Marquez rightly raised his arms in victory. A stunned crowd in the auditorium along with the fans watching at home had just witnessed an outstanding upset along with the end of a run of victories that had seen Manny Pacquiao accorded the status of invincible. Ten minutes later the roles were reversed: Marquez had his head lowered and Pacquiao had his his arms raised aloft.
Even Pacquaio’s training partner and friend, Amir Khan, who was commentating ringside, could not deny the glaring evidence of a Marquez victory.
The theory in boxing that every fighter, no matter how great, will in his career come up against an opponent who has his number was proved tonight. Pacquaio had no answer to Marquez’s backhand and supreme counter-punching. The way the Mexican warrior continually changed the distance, utilizing the kind of footwork and reflexes normally reserved for fighters in their prime, succeeded in frustrating his opponent’s attempts to apply pressure. Pacquaio missed so often and caught right hand after right hand as he came in that by the middle rounds he was out of ideas. The Pacman’s much vaunted speed was nullified as Marquez moved in and out or range continually, drawing Pacquaio’s shots and then coming back with sharp, accurate combinations, studiously avoiding his opponent’s left hand by continually moving to his left. It was an historic performance. It should have resulted in a unanimous decision in favour of Juan Manuel Marquez. Instead he lost and so did the sport of boxing.
In other fights on the card:
Jose Benavidez Jr. UD 6 Samuel Santana
Dennis Laurente TKO 7 Ayi Bruce
Juan Carlos Burgos MD 10 Luis Cruz
Mike Alvarado TKO 10 Breidis Prescott
Timothy Bradley TKO 8 Joel Casamayor