Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: Just Another Easy Win for Pac-Man
Fresh off a victory over Shane Mosley nearly a month ago, Manny Pacquiao is set to step into the ring once again this fall and test his abilities against the current WBA and WBO champion Juan Manuel Marquez.
The fight, set to take place on Nov. 12th, is certainly expected to entertain the crowd in Las Vegas, but there is reason to believe that Pacquiao has this fight already wrapped up before the first bell rings.
Here are a few reasons why this fight is just another easy win for the Pac-Man.
5. Weight
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Manny Pacquiao said in an interview with ESPN Deportes that he is targeting 144 or 145 pounds to weigh-in at before the bout, right on par with his normal weight.
On the other hand, Marquez has to jump two weight classes to get from lightweight to welterweight, and add nearly nine to 10 pounds of weight to matchup with Pacquiao.ย
Though he has fought in the welterweight division before, most recently against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in 2009, his record in that division does not play in his favor.ย He lost the fight against Mayweather by unanimous decision.
The fact that Marquez has to add weight will only slow him down further, and give Pacquiao an extended advantage in the speed category, an area the Filipino already carries the upper hand in.
4. Footwork
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Manny Pacquiao's footwork is the second advantage he carries over Juan Manuel Marquez.ย
As demonstrated in the video, Pac-Man's footwork is somewhat unique because he isn't forcing his opponent to chase him around the ring, rather he takes short, quick, and concise steps towards his foe, causing them to retreat and be on the defensive.
His footwork allows for him to not only counter-attack quickly but to also land fast and offensive punches and set up combinations.
3. Hand Speed and Power Comination
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Pacquiao is known for his notoriously quick hands and punches, but what separates him from the rest is the amount of power behind punch landed.
Pac-Man's hand speed is far superior to that of Marquez's, which as previously mentioned, will be slower due to his jump in weight.
According to the RingSideReport.com, "[Pacquiao] uses his jab much more consistently to set up combinations and he still relies rather heavily on getting inside to execute a power hook."
Pac-Man will utilize his solid footwork in addition to his lightning quick hands to set up numerous combinations, forcing Marquez to constantly be on the defensive.ย
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2. Previous Experience
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This fight is being dubbed as "Pacquiao vs. Marquez III".
It makes sense since this will be the third time these two clash inside the ring.
When the two first faced-off as featherweights in 2004, there was a controversial split-decision and the fight ended in a tie.ย
In 2008, when the two met again as super featherweights, Pacquiao won on split-decision, arguably due to a third-round knockdown of Marquez as the scores were nearly dead-even.
It certainly won't be a blowout on the judges' scorecards, but having fought Marquez twice already, it's safe to say that Pac-Man has the Mexican's number.
1. Confidence
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Manny Pacquiao is a confident individual, and rightfully so.ย He has won more boxing titles and accolades than most of the legends of this sport, and is arguably still in the prime of his career.
His trainer, Freddie Roach, instills and nurtures Pac-Man's confidence in their training and by refusing to believe that his fighter can be beaten.
For Manny Pacquiao, it's "been there, done that" in regards to this fight.ย He is running out of title challengers and competition.ย
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