Manny Pacquiao Defeats Marquez: Five Flaws Floyd Mayweather Can Exploit

Manny Pacquiao went against Juan Manuel Marquez to prove he's better than the Mexican warrior, but instead he proved that perhaps here is his mere equal.

In the process, Pacquiao also may have exposed some flaws that his long-desired dream fight rival Floyd Mayweather will take note of.

Mayweather is an intelligent opponent with boxing and countering ability virtually unparalleled in the boxing world of today.

Marquez was slower, smaller and significantly older than Pacquiao, yet still countered and timed Pacquiao almost perfectly.

Mayweather is faster, bigger, and younger than Marquez. This spells problems for Pacquiao when they meet (if?) May 5 of next year. Here are five flaws Mayweather may use against Pacquiao.

5. Manny Pacquiao Lunges Forward

Many times during the third fight with Marquez, Pacquiao would try to attack with his left in a straight that would be easy for Marquez to counter.

During this counter, Pacquiao was often knocked momentarily off balance.

The off-balance is a result of the straight left being more of a straight lunge than anything else.

Marquez and Pacquiao went toe to toe with each other with Pacquiao getting tagged with counters whenever he tried to whip out his patented Pac-Man flurries.

Mayweater will see Pacquiao's lunging and counter him all night long, possibly even scoring a knockdown if he can move quick enough to get Pacquiao completely unbalanced.

4. Pacquiao Is Baffled by Those Who Don't Engage

Manny Pacquiao needs a dance partner to do his trademark Filipino Hurricane properly.

Ricky Hatton two-stepped with him.

So did Cotto for the first half of their fight. 

Margarito slow-danced his way to a broken eye socket.

Mosley preferred to dance away and now Marquez decides he doesn't like dancing.

When Marquez knocked Pacquiao out of step, he starts forgetting his rhythm and getting two left feet.

Sugar Ray Robinson once said, "Rhythm is everything in boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that's in rhythm or you're in trouble."

If Marquez can knock Pacquiao out of rhythm, Mayweather can change the whole record to a new genre that the pound for pound number one fighter in the world might not be able to adjust to.

3. Pacquiao Gets off Balance Easily

Many times during the match, Pacquiao would lose his balance and strike air. Some of this came from his frustration with not being able to dominate Marquez and some of it came from Marquez's counters.

Pacquiao himself blamed it on his leg cramps, something that was a problem during the Mosley fight.

Whether it's cramps, frustration, being timed right against or a combination of all three, Mayweather will use this off-balance to his advantage and could score a knockdown to help on the scorecards.

2. Pacquiao Doesn't Throw as Much Against Counter-Punchers

Manny Pacquiao didn't throw his usual amount of punches in his fight against Marquez.

Against Shane Mosley, Pacquiao threw 727 and landed 224.

Against Antonio Margarito, Pacquiao threw 1,069 and landed 474.

Against Joshua Clottey, Pacquiao threw 1,231 and landed 246.

Against Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao threw 780 and landed 336.

Margarito and Clottey were more stationary opponents who were much slower. Mosley and Cotto were a bit more mobile, thus the punches thrown against them are less.

But against Marquez, Pacquiao threw 578 and landed 176, Could it be that Marquez's counter punching throws Pacquiao off?

Was Pacquiao reluctant to throw because he was afraid Marquez would counter him effectively. Will Pacquiao be equally reluctant to throw against Mayweather? That's likely a yes.

A Pacquiao that throws less will play right into the hands of Mayweather and the pace he likes to fight.

1. Pacquiao's Speed Wasn't as Effective Against Great Timing

Pacquiao's speed was said to be something that would get Marquez.

Marquez didn't prove to be faster, but he did prove to be great at timing punches and blocks.

Pacquiao defeated Marquez by a slim margin using sheer volume, a volume that was lowered from his usual amount because he was dealing with a well-timed opponent.

Pacquiao's speed means nothing to those who can see his punches coming a mile away. Mayweather not only will be able to see them, but he is quick enough to do something about them.

And on May 5, we might find out what that something shall be.