Dud of a fight
Last Sunday was probably one of the biggest fight days Filipino boxing fans anticipated. Why, it’s no less than Pacquiao-Marquez III to treat everyone. Ah yes, the run-up to the fight was pretty impressive. The targets were the personal vendettas of each boxer. Marquez claiming he beat pacquiao twice, and Pacman saying his manhood was tarnished by Marquez’s claims. It would be an all-out war come fight night, right? Wrong.
To be blunt with everyone, I did not enjoy a single second of the fight. Heck, I eventually switched to the Cain Velasquez-Junior Dos Santos heavyweight title match over at UFC, which ended in spectacular fashion thanks to Dos Santos. The Pacman-Dinamita trilogy? Ho-hum, what a sleeper. The expected fireworks weren’t there. Neither fighter was smoking out of the gate. Yes, they have to be safe, cautious and whatnot since a lucky punch can end it abruptly, just ask Ricky Hatton. As far as saying you can’t blame the fighters for the sleeper, it was evident somehow that the fight would end up with both standing on their feet with no one kissing the canvas.
To our Filipino champion’s credit, he did try to make Marquez engage toe-to-toe with him. Marquez, knowing fully well that his moniker was surely packed in those fists tried his best to avoid it. One reason he wasn’t able to connect to Marquez cleanly was that the Mexican was stepping on his toes to throw him off. I dare you to watch the fight again and tell me I’m wrong because I was sure my four eyes clearly saw Marquez stopping Pacquiao by stepping on his toes. However, Pacman surely got exposed once again by this Dinamita. He looked sluggish at times and was not his pak-pak-oom! Self. Due to overtraining or due to Jinky Pacquiao’s, ahem, shenanigans is a question unanswered, though Freddie Roach said that it is due to overtraining.
Senyor Dinamita, on the other hand, was palpable. Apart from his “veteran moves” of stepping on Manny’s toes, he was really working it. The timing was just solid, the hits calculated and the tactics, succinct. If the fight were judged solely on who is the total aggressor and who totally worked for it, hands down Marquez is the winner. He did his part while Pacman seemed to just coast along, which is a shame. The uppercuts, counterhooks, you name it, Dinamita marked Pacman pretty bad. But alas, I believe he is going to be wearing a new shirt nowadays saying how he beat Pac thrice. Now, why did he lose eventually? Just one reason. He coasted as the latter rounds played out. Knowing he was well-ahead on points, he relaxed and let the Pacman furiously rally towards the end denying him of conquest once again. So you can’t blame the judge who gave it 115-113. That was about as fair as you can get since you slacked off towards the end Dinamita. As the Filipinos say, you are a “banerang kapos.” A real-life gold-turned-to-stone situation. You had it in the bag but your coach wanted you to just coast since he was so sure of victory.
You guys getting sleepy? I am deeply sorry about that. There was just nothing of note to say about the match apart from being a sleeper. You guys want a fourth fight? I’m not so sure about that, but I just hope it won’t be a sleeper. Because, compubox or no, and the sad truth is, Marquez totally outhustled, outwitted and outworked Pacquiao this time around. Robbed indeed.
