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Juan Manuel Marquez’s sixth round demolition of Manny Pacquiao has thrown another spanner in the works of the proposed superfight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The fourth rumble in the Marquez-Pacquiao series was a beauty, the Mexican flattening Pacman in the dying stages of the sixth round with a powerful overhand right.
Pacquiao had been the busier of the two fighters, throwing more punches and rocking the tough Mexican in the second round, as well as scoring a knockdown in the fifth round.
Entering the sixth the Filipino was ahead on the scorecards but it didn’t matter – the 39-year old Marquez, who controversially had not been judged to have won any of their previous bouts, would not be stopped.
The evergreen welterweight unleashed the ‘perfect’ punch and it was good night Pacquiao. The 33-year old from Kibawe was out cold.
It was the result and the justice many fight fans thought Marquez deserved after four very close and demanding bouts with Pacquiao, but ultimately unrewarding, that stretched back to 2004.
But a very pertinent question remains – has the chance of a Pacquiao vs Mayweather gone for good? Has the event that many boxing fans have been waiting for, for years and years, dead in the water before its time?
Unfortunately there is a good possibility it has.
Before the Marquez fight there were many encouraging signs that Pacquiao vs Mayweather might finally get off the ground. Pacquaio had agreed to drug testing, one of Mayweather’s conditions. He had agreed to take a smaller slice of the purse, where the Filipino took 45%, another of Mayweather’s stipulations.
He had even tried to get the Marquez bout postponed so he could face ‘Money before the end of the year.
Mayweather had finished his jail term and, at 35 years of age, is running out of big-name opponents.
In one article, Pacquiao said: “He can wear my trunks. I don’t care. I just want to get him in the ring and make the fight.”
Mayweather was running out of excuses.
But now he has been given a massive one. Pacquiao’s loss yesterday weakens his position. It raises doubts over his future and his partnership with trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao has now lost two fights in a row and is looking increasingly vulnerable, compared to previous days when he looked invincible. From September 2005 until May 2012 he was undefeated, winning 15 fights in a row.
The nature of Pacquiao’s devastating defeat to Marquez will raise the specter of retirement and asks many questions. Will his family allow to fight on? Can his body take more punishment? Is he getting sloppier in the ring? He has, of course, a senate seat to fill in the Philippines.
And there is already talk of a sixth Marquez vs Pacquiao fight. Why wouldn’t there be? Every battle of there’s has been a classic, as well as being big money-spinners for the organisers. Boxing promoters love nothing more than a re-match.
So the anticipated mega-fight between the two best pound-for-pound boxers in the world looks shot down, yet again. Boxing fans just can’t take a trick.
Follow John on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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