3rd round wins it for Pacquiao

By Ed PicsonPhilBoxing.comMon, 17 Mar 2008

Manny Pacquiao is world champion again. The last time he wore a crown was in the Super Bantamweight Division (IBF). He is now the WBC Super Featherweight King. He was also WBC Flyweight title-holder in his early years.

With his split decision win yesterday (Saturday in Las Vegas ), the colorful Filipino boxing icon emerges as the first Filipino, nay, the first Asian to hold boxing championships in three different weight classes. He is also the fourth Filipino to annex the 130 lb. crown after the great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Rene Barrientos and his town mate Rolando Navarrete.

Filipinos should be delirious with glee. Alas, there were some grumblings overheard after the decision was announced. In a cursory inquiry, a good number thought that perhaps Juan Manuel Marquez may have done enough to keep his title.

Pacquiao decked Marquez with a vicious left hook in the third round even as the Mexican seemed to have started better in the fight. There was a thunderous roar among Filipino fans who thought that the fight was going to come to an early end as memories of the third Pacquiao-Morales (Erik) encounter came to mind.

However, Marquez again displayed the kind of tenacity, determination and excellent conditioning to get up and engage Pacquiao in another episode of steamy boxing action. In their first face-off in 2004, Marquez rose from three knock downs in the first round to salvage a draw.

While Pacquiao searched in vain for another opportunity to send his foe crashing to the canvass, Marquez, the methodical fighter that he is, stayed out of harm’s way (most of the time) and whenever Manny came in to attack, exploded with some very effective counter-punches.

Both fighters had their moments and the judges score cards are a testament to the fact. Judge Jerry Roth favored Marquez 115-112; Duane Ford saw it for Pacquiao 115-112 while Tom Miller’s 114-113 card tilted the decision in the Filipino’s favor.

Most boxing observers agree that Pacquiao is one of the most exciting boxers ever to lace up boxing gloves. And therein possibly lies the reasons why some Filipino fans were disappointed with Pacquiao’s performance.

While happy for their compatriot, there are those who feel that they did not see the kind of Manny Pacquiao moves that defined his previous conquests. Manny is supposed to annihilate the opposition or get annihilated himself.

There are to be no two ways about it, he has to over-whelm the opposition to live up to the standards that his fans have gotten used to, or go down trying. The reality is, Marquez-Pacquiao II was as close as close can be. And given the realities of boxing and the subjective manner that it is scored, there is bound to be disparity in the appreciation of the efforts of both fighters.

Computer stats reveal that Marquez landed more power punches while Pacquiao had the edge in the jabs department. But one of the power punches the GenSan Bomber threw dropped Marquez in the third, his feet pointed up to the heavens as he landed heavily on the seat of his pants. There were at least a couple more haymakers that saw Marquez’s knees buckle, the last in the early going of the 10th round.

On the other hand Marquez’s bombs, although more accurate and plentiful, did not have the same devastating nor dramatic effect. To be sure, there were several that landed flush on Pacquiao’s face, a couple causing cuts on the bemoustached Filipino. But none were as powerful or destructive as the that which the Pacman unloaded in the third.

That said, the fight was still as tight as could be, and again the score cards will bear this out. They went twelve grueling rounds which also highlighted the fact that both men had gotten into the best shape possible for the encounter.

And in a brawl that close, there would be as many disappointments as there would be approvals. There will be those who see the situation in a different light; and those who saw it from different angles; and those who saw or missed several punches.

But looking at the decision, it seems the defining moment that may have tilted the decision towards Manny was the 3rd round knock down. While Judges Roth’s and Ford’s similar 3-point margins would not be affected if the knock down did not occur, Tom Miller’s 114-113 would have been 114-114.

In which case, it would have been a split draw just like the first time around. But, the knockdown in round 3 did happen.

And Manny Pacquiao is world champion again.