By NICK GIONGCO
Claiming victories after a classic fight, both Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez raise their hands. (File photo)
Sixteen years ago yesterday (May 8), a world title fight in Las Vegas helped define the career not only of Manny Pacquiao but even that of his fierce Mexican adversary Juan Manuel Marquez.
In a fight that Pacquiao almost handily won in the very first round after scoring three knockdowns, the Filipino puncher found himself on the receiving end of the Mexican sharp and timely counter-punching the rest of the way.
Still, fight fans continue to look back with amazement when Pacquiao nearly took out Marquez in one round after flooring him at the 1:31 mark, 1:07 and with 43 seconds left.
Marquez thought referee Joe Cortez was going to pull the plug on his bid when he went down the third time as he covered his face in embarrassment but rose upon seeing the third man was giving him the count.
Interestingly, Pacquiao’s promoter then, Murad Muhammad, had already left his seat and was on his way to the ring, thinking that Cortez was going to stop it during Marquez’s third visit to the deck.
When the mushroom cloud dissipated at the MGM Grand, three judges submitted three different results: Guy Jutras saw it 115-110 for Marquez, John Stewart had it 115-110 for Pacquiao and Burt Clements scored it 113-113.
Both camps cried foul.
Pacquiao thought he did enough, especially in the opening round, to merit the decision; Marquez believed he made up for his continuous trips to the floor with ring savvy and intense counters.
The punch stats even posed more questions than answers with Pacquiao throwing a total of 639 (148 landed) for 23 percent and Marquez hurling 547 (158 landed for 29 percent.
Marquez was superior in jabs, scoring 36 out of 208 for 17 percent, while Pacquiao was busier by dishing out 408 but connecting just 48 for 12 precent.
It was in the power punches department that Pacquiao scored heavily, landing 100 out of the 231 for a scorching 43 percent as to Marquez’s 122 out of 339 for 36 percent.
Owing to the disputable verdict, a rematch was made in March 2008 with
Pacquiao winning on a split decision and Pacquiao repeating via a majority decision in November 2011.
A fourth, which was supposed to be clincher for Pacquiao, took place in December 2012.
The result saw Marquez winning by a last-second one-punch sixth-round knockout.
