WHERE DOES MANNY PACQUIAO GO FROM NOW FOLLOWING DEFEAT TO JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ?
The Mexican welterweight Juan Manuel Marquez's stunning knockout of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas last Saturday night provoked a small minority of boxing fans to draw their own conclusion on the 33-year old Filipino's future following the defeat which left him flattened, face-first, on the canvas in the penultimate second of the sixth round - retirement.
The loss was the 'Pacman's' first to the 39-year old in a rivalry which has spanned over eight years and three different weight divisions, including a draw, and two victories to Pacquiao's name, all three previous results had proven highly dubious amongst boxing's faithful, as many argued Marquez should have won. There was no disputing the fourth fight, however. Marquez had floored Pacquiao in the third round with a looping right hook before the latter returned the favour knocking down Marquez in the fifth, leaving him bloodied and exposed. The 'People's champ' Pacquiao sought to go after the Mexican in the following, decisive, round, as it was revealed in the post-match interview that Marquez had actually suffered a broken nose having been grounded in the same round.
The Filipino's onslaught was conspicuous to say the least, dispatching clean short right jabs and outstretched left hooks in his customary southpaw stance, drawing many spectators at the MGM grand (including defeated presidential candidate Mitt Romney) off their seats anticipating a stellar knockout blow from Pacquiao as Marquez's face increasingly became cascaded with blood. Spectacularly, all the presentiments had backfired within a second, as the Mexican, nicknamed 'Dinamita', and widely revered as the best counter-puncher in contemporary boxing, nullified a Pacquiao jab magnificently through the execution of a devastating right counter leaving his crushed opponent benumbed on the canvas for a few minutes, as many of the Mexicans apparent in the arena uproariously celebrated with the victor.
This was the Pacman's fifth professional defeat overall, but, more pertinently, it was his second successive loss, following the controversial split decision that declared Timothy Bradley as the new WBO welterweight champion in June. Frantic questions have been asked from different sections of boxing fans as to where the charismatic boxer's future goes towards from this point. Pacquiao himself after the fight had immediately suggested the possibility of a fifth fight with his triumphant opponent. "Yes, why not?, he said. "If you give us a chance, we'll fight again.". This proposition was unmistakably backed up by his promoter, the indefatigable, 81-year old, Bob Arum who ardently declared within minutes of the encounter: "A fifth fight? Why not? Have you seen a more exciting fight in years?".
Many fans of the sport will be receptive to the idea of another twelve rounds of constant brawling, complimented by brisk exchanges of counter punching, and blood shed relentlessly, between these two boxing greats. This notion, however, will not be shared with Pacquiao's wife, Jinkee, whom cried convulsively once Marquez landed his ferocious right hand to the Filipino's unprotected jaw, scurrying to her dismembered husband's aid. This was the most poignant moment of the battle. The couple's relationship had been strained last year following the Pacman's loss to Bradley, with Jinkee pleading with her spouse to retire from his beloved sport and return to his homeland to further pursue his fledgling career as congressman in the Philippines. Pacquiao opted to continue.
It is the debate of retirement that has recurred following the Filipino's latest loss, though, once again the Pacman has refuted suggestions of hanging up his gloves. His Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach, who has endured a very difficult last twelve months (as a result of Britons Amir Khan's surprise knockout loss to Danny Garcia in July and Sergio Martinez's comfortable win over fellow trainer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., as well as Pacquiao's aforementioned loss to Bradley) has already stated that he does not want the Pacman to take any chances returning to the ring prematurely, predicting September 2013 as an ideal time. Arum's thoughts differ, salivating over a potential fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez, or a possible fight with the unbeaten Mexican-American, Brandon Rios.
Some quarters of the boxing public have suggested that the Filipino should assume a role as promoter of the sport. A business in which former top-ranked pugilists, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton (before the latter's unsuccessful return to the sport), both respectively retired from the ring having been annihilated by Pacquiao, are now employed in. The Philippines have always maintained their tradition of producing exceptional boxers amongst the lighter weight-divisions. From the days of Francisco 'Pancho Villa' Guilledo in the 1920's, to Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde in the 60's, through to Pacquiao today. It is the latter, however, who has advocated the growth and emergence of a plethora of Filipino fighters. Foremost amongst that group is Nonito Donaire, a four-division world champion, currently rated number six pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to Ring magazine, and, to a lesser extent, Michael Farenas who fought on the undercard of Pacquiao’s fight last Saturday, losing to the undefeated Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa by unanimous decision. A role for the Pacman as promoter could release even more Filipino talent into the international scene.
Irrespective of the decision Pacquiao eventually agrees on with his close family and Freddie Roach by his side, the prospects of a dream fight between him and Floyd Mayweather Jr, one that would inevitably be compared to the great epics of boxing past; the bout everyone wants to see at some point before the pair's illustrious careers draws to a conclusion seems highly unlikely to materialise any time soon. This thesis could conceivably be endorsed by Pacquiao, if he does deliberate on his subsequent aims, and indeed decides to call it a day, leaving plenty of his fans to lament on what has been a fruitful career.
The loss was the 'Pacman's' first to the 39-year old in a rivalry which has spanned over eight years and three different weight divisions, including a draw, and two victories to Pacquiao's name, all three previous results had proven highly dubious amongst boxing's faithful, as many argued Marquez should have won. There was no disputing the fourth fight, however. Marquez had floored Pacquiao in the third round with a looping right hook before the latter returned the favour knocking down Marquez in the fifth, leaving him bloodied and exposed. The 'People's champ' Pacquiao sought to go after the Mexican in the following, decisive, round, as it was revealed in the post-match interview that Marquez had actually suffered a broken nose having been grounded in the same round.
The Filipino's onslaught was conspicuous to say the least, dispatching clean short right jabs and outstretched left hooks in his customary southpaw stance, drawing many spectators at the MGM grand (including defeated presidential candidate Mitt Romney) off their seats anticipating a stellar knockout blow from Pacquiao as Marquez's face increasingly became cascaded with blood. Spectacularly, all the presentiments had backfired within a second, as the Mexican, nicknamed 'Dinamita', and widely revered as the best counter-puncher in contemporary boxing, nullified a Pacquiao jab magnificently through the execution of a devastating right counter leaving his crushed opponent benumbed on the canvas for a few minutes, as many of the Mexicans apparent in the arena uproariously celebrated with the victor.
This was the Pacman's fifth professional defeat overall, but, more pertinently, it was his second successive loss, following the controversial split decision that declared Timothy Bradley as the new WBO welterweight champion in June. Frantic questions have been asked from different sections of boxing fans as to where the charismatic boxer's future goes towards from this point. Pacquiao himself after the fight had immediately suggested the possibility of a fifth fight with his triumphant opponent. "Yes, why not?, he said. "If you give us a chance, we'll fight again.". This proposition was unmistakably backed up by his promoter, the indefatigable, 81-year old, Bob Arum who ardently declared within minutes of the encounter: "A fifth fight? Why not? Have you seen a more exciting fight in years?".
Many fans of the sport will be receptive to the idea of another twelve rounds of constant brawling, complimented by brisk exchanges of counter punching, and blood shed relentlessly, between these two boxing greats. This notion, however, will not be shared with Pacquiao's wife, Jinkee, whom cried convulsively once Marquez landed his ferocious right hand to the Filipino's unprotected jaw, scurrying to her dismembered husband's aid. This was the most poignant moment of the battle. The couple's relationship had been strained last year following the Pacman's loss to Bradley, with Jinkee pleading with her spouse to retire from his beloved sport and return to his homeland to further pursue his fledgling career as congressman in the Philippines. Pacquiao opted to continue.
It is the debate of retirement that has recurred following the Filipino's latest loss, though, once again the Pacman has refuted suggestions of hanging up his gloves. His Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach, who has endured a very difficult last twelve months (as a result of Britons Amir Khan's surprise knockout loss to Danny Garcia in July and Sergio Martinez's comfortable win over fellow trainer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., as well as Pacquiao's aforementioned loss to Bradley) has already stated that he does not want the Pacman to take any chances returning to the ring prematurely, predicting September 2013 as an ideal time. Arum's thoughts differ, salivating over a potential fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez, or a possible fight with the unbeaten Mexican-American, Brandon Rios.
Some quarters of the boxing public have suggested that the Filipino should assume a role as promoter of the sport. A business in which former top-ranked pugilists, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton (before the latter's unsuccessful return to the sport), both respectively retired from the ring having been annihilated by Pacquiao, are now employed in. The Philippines have always maintained their tradition of producing exceptional boxers amongst the lighter weight-divisions. From the days of Francisco 'Pancho Villa' Guilledo in the 1920's, to Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde in the 60's, through to Pacquiao today. It is the latter, however, who has advocated the growth and emergence of a plethora of Filipino fighters. Foremost amongst that group is Nonito Donaire, a four-division world champion, currently rated number six pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to Ring magazine, and, to a lesser extent, Michael Farenas who fought on the undercard of Pacquiao’s fight last Saturday, losing to the undefeated Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa by unanimous decision. A role for the Pacman as promoter could release even more Filipino talent into the international scene.
Irrespective of the decision Pacquiao eventually agrees on with his close family and Freddie Roach by his side, the prospects of a dream fight between him and Floyd Mayweather Jr, one that would inevitably be compared to the great epics of boxing past; the bout everyone wants to see at some point before the pair's illustrious careers draws to a conclusion seems highly unlikely to materialise any time soon. This thesis could conceivably be endorsed by Pacquiao, if he does deliberate on his subsequent aims, and indeed decides to call it a day, leaving plenty of his fans to lament on what has been a fruitful career.
