Juan Manuel Marquez Can Blame Judge for His Pacquiao-itus

WBA Super World Lightweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez has the heart of a champion.

He has placed his titles and frankly his life on the line each of the 57 times he has entered the ring.

Marquez has been in the squared circle with Juan Diaz (twice), Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marco Antonio Barrera, Joel Casamayor, and Rocky Juarez. However, few if any of the above named fighters have tested Marquez like the B.W.A.A. Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao.

Their two bouts have been so closely contested, it has led Marquez to an unhealthy obsession with fighting Manny.

However, I don’t believe the obsession stems from anything the two fighters may have done in those bouts, but rather an observer. The observer I refer to is Burt Clements, the judge responsible for the scoring error in their 2004 encounter.

Burt Clements scored the first round of the fight 10-7 for Pacquiao.

Manny dominated Marquez in the first round which would normally lead to a 10-9 scoring, but Pacquiao put Juan Manuel on the canvas three times.

A point should be deducted for each of the three knockdowns in addition to the point deduction for ring generalship, aggressiveness, and controlling the action.

That would make it a 10-6 round in favor of Pacquiao which Judge Burt Clements later conceded too: "It used to be that a three-knockdown round was 10-7," Clements told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I take full responsibility. Had I been aware, I would have scored it 10-6."

If the scoring error had never occurred, judge Clements would have the bout 113-112 in favor of Pacquiao, making him the winner by majority decision.

Certainly, to my knowledge, there has never been a rubber match granted when one of the fighters has lost two of the previous bouts.

This scoring error caused Marquez to believe he could beat Pacquiao.

While training for his second bout with Pacquiao, Marquez told a reporter, “The fight is very interesting. I do not feel I have to prove anything because I feel like I won the first fight, even though they declared it a draw."

"But this time, I want to make a new history. I know the same thing won't happen as it did on May 8, 2004, as there will be no doubt as to who won this one."

As history dictates, Pacquiao won the second bout by majority decision.

Quite simply, Marquez has Pacquiao-itus and is suffering from symptoms of this bout.

He has been bolstered with hope and optimism based on this error from Burt Clements, and really has no basis for a third match.

Marquez needs to pursue other opponents he can defeat instead of those whom he barely loses to.