Juan Manuel Marquez vs Manny Pacquiao I
Going into the fight there were rumours that Manny was destroying sparring partners in training with Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said to of told reporters that Paccquiaos main sparring partner Welterwight Javier Garcia did not return to the gym after suffering a cut above his eye and being dropped by the Filipino icon. This was just one of several horror stories fed to the media in the run-up to an increasingly interesting contest. Despite all the hype surrounding Pacquiao Marquez had remained calmly confident of success against the Pacquiao.
Marquez faces Pacquiao for the first time: Round One
On May 8th 2004 Juan Manuel Marquez squared off against Manny Pacquiao for the first time. For the first half of the round Marquez seemed to be doing better landing right hands and left hooks against the faster Pacquiao who looked disjointed and awkard. Then with approximately 1:30 left in the round Juan Manual Marquez took a straight left hand from Pacquiao which put him on his backside – Marquez jumped straight back up and received a mandatory 8 count from referee Joe Cortez apparently unhurt.
As Pacquiao rushed towards him Marquez maintained his composure but was soon clipped by another straight left which stiffened his legs, another hard straight left dropped him to the floor for the second time in the round. He again got to his feet straight away but he was a little slower and was visibly hurt. With 54 seconds left in the round Juan Manuels Marquez first big fight looked like ending before it even began. More ragged now the normally graceful Marquez stumbled over his own feet in centre of the ring as Pacquiao stalked him Marquez now back against took another thunderous straight left from the Pacman. While falling Marquez used his right and to grab onto the second rope, this undoubtedly saved him from taking a very heavy knockdown while squatting and technically down Pacquiao made up for Juan Manual use of the ropes by hitting Marquez while he was on the floor. For the first time Marquez lay flat on the canvas as the referee counted perhaps he’d had enough? Perhaps he hoped the referee would save him by disqualifying Pacquiao? But for a split second it seemed as thought the fight was over then and then – Not quite, at the count of eight Juan Manuel Marquez rose to his feet. With 30 seconds left in the round the referee let the fight continue if Pacquiao dropped Marquez again or seriously hurt it the fight would surely be stopped. during those 30 seconds Marquez showed incredible heart taking more straight lefts but refusing to fold, he survived the round walking to his corner blood streaming from his nose.
Even though he had survived the round, The one minute rest-bite Marquez would enjoy before coming out for round two seemed (for most observers) to merely delaying the inevitable – In that first round Manny Pacquiao had shown the world he was two quick and two powerful for Marquez who would fair far worse than the last Mexican who faced Manny Pacquiao, Marco Antonio Barrera who at least got to the 11 round.
Juan Manual Marquez vs Manny Pacquiao Round 2 – 12
But Marquez had trained very hard for this fight training in the mountains at an altitude of 16,000 feet pushing himself to the limits very few men will ever experience. The overriding theme associated with successful sportsman, businessman, and entertainers is hard work and Juan Manuel Marquez had put in the hours and was unwilling to yield in this fight after one bad round. In the second Marquez came out and made key adjustment circling away from Pacquiao left hand, and reverting to the counter punching mode. By circling away from Pacquiao southpaw left Marquez was forcing Pacquiao to reach with the straight left, leaving him open to the right hand counter. Marquez was using the counterpunching style which had got him into this position. As Pacquiao came forward trying to land that big left Juan Manual Marquez countered with sharp rights to head and body mixed in with clever left hooks and bursts of aggressive combinations that kept Pacquiao guessing. Pacquiao and Freddie Roach had no answer and by Round 4 commentator Boxing Hall of Fame trainer Emmanuel Steward had noted that Marquez had managed to nullify the effect of Pacquiao left hand, by round five Pacquiao was bleeding and by round six he had been rocked and there was no doubting who was in control. Without completely dominating as Calzaghe did against Jeff Lacy or Ronald “Winky” Wright did when defeating Tito Trinidad Marquez had turned the fight around but there were alot of close rounds. In fights like this the result is always controversial; this fight was no different and is still debated today.
The judge’s scores were:
115 – 110 Pacquiao 115 – 110 Marquez and finally 113 – 113 a draw.
Maybe the most controversial point being with the final Judge only scoring the first round 10 – 7 to Pacquiao instead of 10 – 6.
Marquez had neither won or lost but by exposing Pacquiao’s limitations as a boxer and overcoming a brutal 1st round, Dinamita had gained more from the draw than Pacquiao.
