Taking Stock After 3 Wins from Marquez, Pacquiao & Mayweather in 6 Weeks:
Over the last six weeks, boxing fans have been treated to wins from three of the world’s top six pound for pound fighters, Floyd Mayweather (#1), Juan Manuel Marquez (#5) and Manny Pacquiao (#6).
With Marquez defeating Mike Alvarado, and Pacquiao avenging the wrong that was his controversial loss to Timothy Bradley, the two arch-rivals are supposedly slated to meet for a fifth time this fall. That’s far from a done deal though, and there are plenty of choices and question marks for all three of these legends and their next fights.
Most pressing right now may be this – Would the Manny Pacquiao that just beat Timothy Bradley be able to defeat the Juan Manuel Marquez that just defeated Mike Alvarado, or the Floyd Mayweather that just defeated Marcos Maidana?
What we Learned From Marquez vs. Alvarado…
- … that Marquez’s counter-punching and pinpoint accuracy remain impressive hallmarks.
- … that Marquez’ key weakness, a susceptibility to being sent down to the canvas, can still be exploited. As always though, and as Pacquiao surely knows better than any man alive, send him down at your own peril, because a rally will ensue.
- … that Marquez is supremely conditioned and perhaps stronger than ever, a testament to his dedication, while also serving as a rallying point for the suspicions against him.
Where Marquez Stands Today, the Stats:
- Age: 40 (turns 41 in August)
- Record: 56 (40) -7 -1
- Last 3 fights: UD Mike Alvarado. SD loss Timothy Bradley. KO6 Manny Pacquiao. 3 fights in 18 months.
What we Learned From Mayweather vs. Maidana…
- … that Mayweather can dig deep, and mix it up, when he needs to find a way to win a close fight against a guy who won’t take “no” for an answer.
- … that Mayweather still possesses the game’s most complete skill set.
- … that Mayweather isn’t invincible, or indefatigable. Maidana did damage, of both the legal and illegal — and of that, both the purposeful and incidental — varieties, and he even appeared tired at times. He was also cut for the first time in his career (via a headbutt), something which clearly knocked him off kilter for a bit.
Where Mayweather Stands Today, the Stats:
- Age: 37
- Record: 46 (26) -0
- Last 3 fights: MD Marcos Maidana, MD Canelo Alvarez, UD Robert Guerrero. Continues alternating between 147 & 154 lbs. Fought three times in 12 months.
What we Learned from Pacquiao vs. Bradley II…
- … that Pacquiao’s speed and unique offensive capabilities remain intact. He can still fire away with his trademark fluidity and in-and-out combinations, although not for the full 3 minutes of each round.
- … that Pacquiao’s power deficit/lack of aggressive killer instinct remain lingering concerns. It’s been 5 years since he has won a fight via stoppage.
- … that Pacquiao still has the motivation to train hard for big events. Of course, those are the only types of events he should be engaged in at this point, so the risk of him coming in unprepared or under-trained seem small.
Where Pacquiao Stands Today, the Stats:
- Age: 35 (turns 36 in December)
- Record: 56 (38) – 5 – 2
- Last 3 fights: UD Timothy Bradley. UD Brandon Rios. KO loss to Juan Manuel Marquez. 3 fights in 18 months.
So, Would Today’s Pacquiao Beat Today’s Marquez, or Today’s Mayweather?
Pacquiao and Marquez could fight 100 times and the outcome would still be up for debate. These two are just too evenly matched.
While I believe Marquez clearly holds the psychological edge over Pacquiao at this point, and has perhaps eroded a touch less than his nemesis, Pacquiao’s blazing speed and stunning power is always going to give him fits. I’d favor Marquez to win a fifth fight, but it could easily go in either direction.
As for a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, Mayweather obviously deserves to be the favorite at this point. He’s earned that, though I don’t think he’s as overwhelming of a choice as many seem to believe these days.
I would predict him to win the fight, but after untouchable performances against Canelo and Guerrero, the revelations from his performance against Maidana — gasp, he’s a human, and a 37-year-old one at that, he bleeds and he tires — create uncertainty and intrigue which would still make a fight between the two a generational event.
