Photos: Chris Farina / Top Rank
“We’re going to knock him out. End of Story.” – Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao’s long-time trainer during the lead up to Pacquiao-Marquez 4.
As the hours neared closer to the opening bell, boxing phenomenon Manny Pacquiao knew what he had to do. Winning a decision over his arch nemesis Juan Manual Marquez was not an option; he needed to win the fight by knock out in order for the win to mean something.
After going 36 indecisive rounds with the older and less physically gifted Marquez, millions of Pacquiao fans all over the globe were pushing for him to finally put an end to the Marquez saga by finishing him off before the final bell in what was likely to be their final fight.
Juan had screamed very loudly that his past three fights with Manny (2-0-1 in favour of Pacquiao) were all robberies and that he had been cheated of glory. All three fights were extremely close and although Manny has eclipsed Juan in popularity due to his fan appealing fighting style, Marquez’s image shadowed him no matter how high he rose due to the controversial nature of their fights as well as Juan’s screams of injustice.
By the time last Saturday came around, almost everyone in Manny’s camp was so sick of Marquez and his complaining that this frustration found its way into the game plan for Manny. Not only was Freddie Roach telling the media that anything other than a KO win for Manny was not satisfactory, it was even being said that Manny’s own mother was insisting that he take down Marquez within two rounds.
And in addition to all this outside pressure from family/friends/fans to strictly aim for a knockout, Pacquiao’s last few fights were underwhelming and another close decision win over Juan would probably not have lifted his stock out of the downward trend it was heading in. Therefore it seemed as if the only way for Manny to reach the superb heights he was at just a short two years ago to his circle and his fans was to put Marquez down on his back and keep him there.
When Manny stepped in the ring last Saturday, he stood opposite a man who not only knew him inside out when it comes to boxing skills; but he stood opposite a man who understood what kind of pressure, urgency and demands that Pacquiao had on him that night.
Therefore as Manny came in and punished Marquez with lightning fast combinations, instead of darting in and out with efficient bursts as was his custom; Manny would stay right there with Marquez desperately trying to finally end Juan’s whining once and for all and fulfilling the KO wishes of all who believed in him and urged him on.
After inflicting heavy damage to Marquez in the fifth round and doing so similarly in sixth, Manny cornered Juan with seconds left in the round. Although he had easily won the round and was ahead in the fight, accumulating points was just not an option anymore and he moved in again to get closer to the now bloody and ever desperate Marquez.
As Pacquiao leaned in full of killer instinct and looking to sneak in another damaging blow before the final bell, Marquez sent the history-making right hand into Manny’s unguarded face and down went the icon along with all the intense pressure he was under to make sure Juan never made the final bell. They say knowledge is power; and the knowledge Marquez had of Manny’s only goal in the fight gave his right hand more power than any training, weight lifting or exercising could have ever done.
superb in depth analysis,,,, keep it up,,,, congrats to jmm & manny p. for coming with a good fight.
its any body’s game…both are dangerous punchers….but pacman will come back and this time he’s the hungry one..for vengeance….
Exactly! and the more imperative we should have Pacqiao-Marquez 5. Never have i witnessed such thrilling boxing fight that of last Saturdays’.
Pac was keep following Marquez on his right, Marquez exactly new where Pac was and threw that big right hand, Pac help Marquez too by throwing lazy jabs, and that’s why Marquez perfectly countered him. It would be the same result on match V if Pac do the same attack. I think Marquez would not want match V, he got what he wanted, knocking out Pac, and besides Marquez turning 40 next yr, people will become more suspecious if he maintain the same build up. But money dictates who knows…
You are right raj! With Roach and the rest of Pacquiao team saying that Pacquiao succumb to a lucky punch is a foolish remark. It never was a lucky punch, in fact, Marquez was already throwing that kind of punch with really bad intention five times before he was able to connect it right on the target. knowing that Pacquiao would romp his way towards Marquez, it would be just a matter of when it will connect…like a ticking bomb…a disaster waiting to happen. Pacquiao himself had a premonition of what is to come during the fight, he kept on saying that he would like to make the fight short, that his approach would either knock Marquez out or Marquez will knock him out. Pacquiao knew fully well that he was taking an unprecedented risk, maybe to the extent that he had even prepared on what to say in case he would be knocked out.
no mas. pacquiao is definitely on the decline. he’s not in the level of jmm anymore! retirement is the best option for him.
Mp got knockout not just by a single punch they fought many times and he absorved every single punch of marquez, , in my opinion , in last second marquez knockout MP by helping of force of a body got trip off into foot and suddenly his head direct goes into a sucker punch .. Netizens knows it all…
I totally agree with u.. Pacman about to attack but his feet got trip off marqueZ ‘s feet that’s why pacman was off guard on his face about to fall coz of that then Marquez right hand just landed unexpectedly
Manny Pacquiao must realize that boxing is his true bread and butter and nothing else. Being a part time boxer simply won’t cut it. If ever there will be a 5, he better concentrate fully on his bread and butter or he will again end up a veggie on the mat in the hands of dinamita. Everyone has limitations, it seems Manny should realize that he cannot do everything all at once, i.e. congressman, preacher, singer/actor and fighter…something has to give. Unfortunately, because of his mind set, boxing is always his last priority and he paid devastatingly. He can do anything upon retirement and he will also be healthy to do them all. That is the smart thing to do. Hopefully, he reads and understands this.
I’ve read a lot of stories about the Pacqauio KO and none of those have mentioned or written in their article why he lost in that devasting fashion until you come up this one. He just simply being pressure to knock Marquez out no matter what. I agree. As intelligent cookie as Marquez is you can’t just walk in him wild like that. And I believe Roach is the main culprit. Being an inducted Hall of Famer, he should know better. No game at all but to rough Marquez. That’s a poor strategy. I remember my boyhood when I’ve broken the nose of my bully by hitting him with full force when he is in vulnerable position. My point is everyone can be vulnerable if you caught off-guard. Packy can be still aggressive like he used to do but not completely wild that resulted 2 knock downs in 3 and 6 rounds.
Excellent article man!
So let’s get it on! Book the pacquiao-marquez 5 in 2013!
I’ll give Marquez credit for that well placed knockout punch. BUT! He won’t get away with the suspicion of PED use for this fight. Boxers in Mexico sure know who to look for to get an advantage. They don’t go looking for Heredia to get some tips on doing Plyometrics and weight lifting. Marquez is guilty for not taking the initiative in having himself tested when everyone knew by this time who Heredia was and what he was capable of.
This weak-ass article is one-sided.
Youre forgetting the pressure that Marquez was under to also knock Manny out.
After being robbed in the previous 3 fights, Marquez said all along he was going to knock Manny out. It was the only way to take that power away from the judges and Bob Arum.
Another decision would have been another controversial decision for Manny. All leading up to a blockbuster fight against Mayweather. Which is what boxing has been looking for the last 8 years. They thought Marquez would be a stepping stone for Manny just to get to Mayweather. Well, turns out Marquez beat Manny, not one, not two, not three, but FOUR times.
Now the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight is not worth the money. Hey, maybe free on ESPN.
Marquez was timing him…
JMM…just got lucky,,,,,,,and PAC….just got a reward for being careless and over confident…