Pacquiao vs. Marquez III: Marquez Won't Be Intimidated by Pac-Man's Aura

Manny Pacquiao may not look like it to casual observers, but he is an intimidating presence in a boxing ring. His combination of speed and power goes unmatched by anyone else in the sport today. But there is no reason to think that Juan Manuel Marquez will be intimidated by what he sees.

For starters, this is the third time that these two men have fought so there are not going to be any surprises. Pacquiao knows exactly what Marquez is going to bring, and vice versa.

In fact, because these two boxers know each other so well, that might work to Marquez’s advantage. I won’t go so far as to say that he will win the fight, but he should be far more competitive than some of Pacquiao’s recent opponents has been.

As Keiran Mulvaney of ESPN.com wrote, Marquez’s greatest asset in this fight will be the fact that he fights a style that matches up with Pacquiao’s.

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It is, Marquez said, Pacquiao's relentless aggression that, as well as making for more compelling viewing, makes him a better fit for the way he fights.

"They always say that styles make fights, and I think my style happens to be difficult," he said. "All boxers have a difficult opponent, and I guess my style is the most difficult for Pacquiao."

It's a sentiment with which the fight's promoter, Bob Arum, agrees.

"It really comes down to the fact that the style of Marquez is such that it will always give Manny Pacquiao trouble," Arum said. "Manny only knows one style, and that's to attack, and Marquez is probably the best counter-puncher in boxing today, and he gets aggressive off the counter-punching. That will still be there, and Marquez has great recuperative powers."

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Marquez might not be the same fighter that he was in 2008 when these two men last fought. He is 38 years old, so no one would expect him to be as dominant as he was in his prime, but he still has knockout power. And in boxing, all you have to do is land that one good punch.

Pacquiao’s intimidation factor will not work on Marquez. Both fighters enter this bout stripped of any gravitas or aura that might normally surround them. They are just two men fighting to see who is better. There are no gimmicks or tricks left to be played. All that is left is to ring the bell and see who wins.