Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: Why Pacquiao Should Have No Problem

As the rubber match between pound-for-pound great Manny Pacquiao and his long time foe Juan Manuel Marquez approaches, much of the talk surrounding the highly anticipated fight is about whether Marquez can make it close, as he did in their previous two fights.

The answer to one of the most common questions surrounding this fight is a resounding no.

Pacquiao has really came into his own since the last time he stepped in the ring with Marquez, and it will show when Pac Man dominates the third installment of the two fighters' trilogy.

Here are the biggest reasons that Pacquiao will have no problem laying waste of his arch-rival Marquez when they step into the ring this Saturday night. 

Pacquiao's Size Advantage

With the fight being at a catch weight of 144 pounds, you can bet that on the day of the fight, Pacquiao will weigh in around his normal fighting weight of about 150 pounds.

The few extra pounds will be felt by Marquez in the latter rounds of the fight, as Pacquiao's relentless, attacking style will wear Marquez out and set up a late KO opportunity for Pac Man. 

Marquez's History of a Weak Chin

The first two fights between Pacquiao and Marquez have shown that Pacquiao can test Marquez's chin, as he sent him to the canvas four times.

This time around, with the weight advantage that Pacquiao is expected to have on fight day, Marquez will feel the effect of the power shots even more.

This will make the likelihood of Marquez being knocked down and not getting up higher than in the two previous fights. 

Marquez's Slowing Speed

One area of strength for Marquez in the two previous fights was his quick hands, and he utilized his counter punching style with his speed perfectly.

Now, a few years later, Marquez is reaching the twilight of his career and has lost punching speed in the process.

Look for Marquez to have a tougher time making this fight a close one, as he won't be able to execute his fight plan as he wants—with his diminished hand speed to blame. 

Marquez's Lack of In-Ring Action

With Pacquiao staying fairly active and fighting at least two times a year, he is sure to be on top of his game.

The same thing can't be said for Marquez.

Marquez has had two fights in the last year, but his last fight (that took place this past July) only gave Marquez around two minutes of ring time after he knocked Likar Ramos out in Round 1 of their fight.

Sure, the outcome was exciting to watch and showed Marquez still has power to knock fighters out, but it also means Marquez will be lacking some much needed in-ring experience.

This will give Pacquiao a big edge in a fight that is expected to go deep into the rounds—perhaps even the full 12 rounds—as fatigue may become a factor.