Boxing Betting – Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez, 12th November 2011

Pacquiao has the punch to make Marquez three-timer

Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao © GEPA pictures

With the boxing world still obsessed with the prospect of Manny Pacquiao squaring up against Floyd Mayweather, it’s been kind of overlooked that the Filipino superstar has a very tough fight on his hands against Juan Manuel Marquez this weekend.

Marquez‘ fights don’t normally attract a lot of media attention but the 38-year-old has been one of Mexico’s most resilient fighters of modern times and is greatly respected within the sport. He has also given current pound-for-pound number one Pacquiao an almighty scare in their two previous meetings, even though the results did not go his way. Pacquiao put him on the deck three times in the first round of their opening clash in 2004 but the Mexican still got up to claim a deserved draw and it was a split decision when Marquez lost in 2008. That decision still rankles with the veteran and he will undoubtedly give his all to rectify the perceived wrong – but does he still have the strength and desire to upset the odds?

Continued talk of a showdown between Pacquiao and Mayweather must be in Marquez‘ favour as there’s just a chance that the Pacquiao camp hasn’t been totally focused on the Mexican this weekend. Pacquiao, now a congressman for his native  Sarangani Province, says he would never underestimate Marquez and has trained hard for the fight. If that’s the case, then the champion should have no trouble retaining his crown at bwin‘s remarkably generous 1/7 (the Filipino is less than half those odds with Stan James). Marquez is, after all, moving up two weight divisions to tackle Pacquiao and, no matter how much fighters pretend otherwise, that always affects stamina and performance. Age also takes its toll at the highest level and Marquez has never been a smart enough fighter to keep his chin out of the way of the big shots.

Pacquiao has won his last 14 fights since losing an IBF and WBA super featherweight title bout to Erik Morales in Las Vegas six years ago. He later took his revenge on Morales and has also beaten Oscar De La Hoya and Marco Antonio Barrera in the intervening years and you wouldn’t put an ageing Marquez in the same bracket as those two. Despite the challenger’s bluster, I fancy this to be over pretty quickly so Ladbrokes8/11 for a Pacquiao win by KO, TKO or disqualification looks fair. The champion to win in rounds 1-6 is 5/2 at William Hill.