Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Juan Manuel Marquez
Former Pound-for-Pound Champion Fights Mexican Icon
Aug 20, 2009
In another "catchweight" fight, this time at 143 pounds, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (32) is coming out of retirement to take on Juan Manuel Marquez (35). Originally slated to take place in July, the fight was postponed when Mayweather claimed to have sustained a rib injury in training camp.
Both fighters are virtually guaranteed entry into the hall of fame on their respective first ballots. Speculation among boxing pundits is that the winner will face Manny Pacquiao. It would be Marquez's third fight with the Filipino superstar and a chance to get his first victory over the current pound4pound stud.
Floyd Mayweather May Have Ring Rust
If there is any ring rust, the squeaks will be coming from Mayweather's corner. the "Pretty Boy" or "Money" or whatever is current promotional designation happens to be, hasn't fought since knocking out Ricky Hatton in December 2007. Though three years younger than Marquez, Mayweather will step into the ring against a man who has faced Manny Pacquiao, Joel Casamayor, and Juan Diaz since his Hatton fight. Marquez's instincts and reflexes should be honed to a razor edge.
Juan Manuel Marquez Will be Easy for Floyd Mayweather to Hit
The flip side of that argument is that Mayweather hasn't sustained the kind of punishment Marquez has. Although he is often praised for being a complete fighter and a masterful technician, the truth is that Marquez has been in enough brawls to last several lifetimes and his defense is often overwhelmed by his desire to create offense. In virtually every fight since he first locked horns with Pacquiao in 2004 Marquez's post-fight mug has been bruised and swollen. At times, grotesquely so.
Marquez will be there for Mayweather to hit, but since both fighters are essentially counterpunchers, the early, "feeling out" rounds might elicit a few boos from the crowd. By using the first few rounds to gauge his opponents strengths and weaknesses, as is his custom, Mayweather will likely hand a points advantage to Marquez during the first half of the fight. Mayweather is the naturally bigger fighter, but may not be the more powerful puncher. Again, because of his slow starts and safety-first approach it's difficult to tell whether a more aggressive Mayweather could demonstrate more power early.
Floyd Mayweather vs Juan Manuel Marquez Winner Could Face Manny Pacquiao
In order to get the attention of Pacquiao, who will face Miguel Cotto in November, Mayweather will need to dominate Marquez in a way the the Pac Man himself hasn't been able to do in two fights with the Mexican star. A lackluster decision victory for Mayweather will be marked down as the result of a naturally bigger man picking the low hanging fruit of a smaller opponent. A loss for Mayweather likely sends him back into retirement. For a while, anyway.
Marquez is an older, smaller underdog. He has nothing to lose in the way of reputation and can fight with abandon, especially late in the fight if he finds himself trying to play catch up.
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