'WEIGHTY' ISSUE
Shaw on Marquez-Pacquiao II
VETERAN International promoter Gary Shaw believes that whoever between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao will struggle in making the weight limit will be in for a tough night.
In a recent interview Shaw told this writer that the weight more than the age will be a key factor in determining who will be more prepared between Marquez and Pacquiao come fight night.
“I think at this stage the age doesn’t make a difference. The real question is what weight will they come into the ring. That could be the difference in the fight. How much trouble they had to get to the fighting weight,” said Shaw.
Marquez, 34, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight crown against the 29-year-old Pacquiao in a highly-awaited rematch on March 15 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Shaw perhaps knows what he is talking about as he has promoted several classic fights where a few of them had serious issues regarding the weight.
In the third fight between the late American great Diego Corrales and Martin Luis Castillo of Mexico two years ago which Shaw promoted, the Mexican weighed 139½ lb—causing the fight to be cancelled. Corrales later sued Castillo for punitive damages. Previous to that in their rematch, it was Corrales who weighed three pounds over the limit.
Marquez passed the WBC-mandated 30-day weigh-in as he registered 133-lbs, or just three pounds over the official super featherweight limit. Pacquiao on the other hand tipped the scales at 139lbs.
Shaw said it will still be a close call for experts to call the fight despite the fact Marquez and Pacquiao fought each other once nearly four years ago.
“It will be a 50-50 fight because when I look at it I can make a case for both fighters. Manny can knock Marquez down. That means he has done it already so you know he has that ability. In the end they are both highly-skilled fighters,” said Shaw.
In making a case for both fighters, Shaw gave the speed advantage to the Filipino boxing sensation.
“I think Manny is the faster fighter and speed kills and maybe that will be the difference in the fight,” said Shaw.
On the other hand, Shaw thinks Pacquiao doesn’t have enough defense to avoid Marquez’ astute counterpunching ability.
“Manny can get hit a lot. So if Manny doesn’t come in defensive minded he only comes in offensive minded and walks into the fight ala-Darchinyan-Donaire, it will change everything with one punch,” said Shaw referring to the one-punch knockout win of Filipino Nonito Donaire, Jr. over dethroned champion Vic Darchinyan.
American promoter Bob Arum, who dropped by Pacquiao’s training camp at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood last week told sportsnews.ph how astonished he was in seeing the Filipino boxer train for two hours without taking a break under the tutelage of fight guru Freddie Roach.
“He went two hours without taking one break. I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve been in this business 42 years,” said Arum “I said to Freddie everybody takes a break, Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, anybody takes a break and this guy didn’t stop for minute. He’s training like a man possessed.”
Another development that may also prove critical for this rematch is the decision not to use the three knockdown rule.
In their first encounter back in May 2004, Pacquiao floored Marquez three times in the opening round of their 12-round world featherweight championship held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Had the three knockdown rule enforced at that time, Pacquiao would have been declared winner by technical knockout.
Marquez however took advantage of the ruling as he miraculously salvaged a 12-round split draw to keep his International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association (WBA) 126-lb belts while Pacquiao managed to keep his reputation as the division’s Peoples champion.
source:sportsnews.ph
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