By Luis Sandoval
Having provided fans with two incredible and memorable fights, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez showed their styles don’t just mesh well in the ring, but also for HBO’s award winning documentary series 24/7. If we were worried whether both fighters could provide an entertaining series, they helped ease those worries with a promising first episode. With the history between both fighters, combined with a third chapter yet to be written, you can’t help but get caught up in the anticipation of seeing two of the best fighters in the world go to war once again.
Pacquiao-Marquez 24/7 opened up with images of their first two meetings as each fighter takes turns expressing a deep desire to win the third fight in order to prove their worth as the better man. We are first taken to Baguio City, Philippines where Manny began the first part of his ten week training camp. His upcoming 59th professional bout is a personal one and Pacquiao reminds us that boxing is his passion. It’s a sentiment shared by his trainer Freddie Roach who claims this is a different Pacquiao he’s seeing as he prepares for a familiar foe in Marquez.
The HBO cameras provide us with a treat as we are not only able to see Manny sparring, but sparring against another world champion in Jorge Linares. Linares recently began training under the tutelage of Roach and today he spars Manny in preparation for an upcoming bout against Antonio DeMarco. Manny is more than happy to participate in the heated session.
“It’s helped me a lot because Linares’ style is similar to Marquez’s style. Linares is much faster than Marquez” said Pacquiao.
9,000 miles away, Juan Manuel Marquez began his training camp at the Romanza Gym in Mexico City with renowned trainer Nacho Beristain. Unlike Pacquiao, whose entourage has ballooned to around 50 people in Baguiao City, Marquez likes to keep a tighter and smaller group around him. Everyone has a clear role and Marquez expresses there’s no need to have people around who don’t help out in anything.
A recollection of Pacquiao and Marquez’s two fights are shown as Nacho Beristain gives his insight. Beristain believes Marquez came out too confident in their first meeting and after the first round he admitted they knew they were in for more than they were expecting. He even described Pacquiao as a bundle of dynamite; a compliment none the less to the Filipino champion.
As their second fight is reviewed, Roach recalls when Pacquiao floored Marquez in the third round. While he recognizes the fight was close, he believes his fighter did enough to win and the knockdown was the reassurance to victory.
As Marquez weighs in, he thinks he won a close decision in the first fight and at least by 2-3 points in the rematch. But more importantly, he feels if he would’ve got the nod in those fights, things would be very different in his career today.
“To have won those two fights would put me where Pacquiao is now. It would have changed everything” said the Mexican champion.
Pacquiao now arrives in Los Angeles and immediately hits the Wild Card gym where he furiously works the mitts and heavy bag. He’ll soon take a break as Jorge Linares will be taking center stage at Staples Center and Pacquiao will be there ringside to support him.
Manny makes his way into the arena and first stops to wish his friend luck before his fight. As Pacquiao sits ringside, Linares goes to war with his opponent Antonio DeMarco. Unfortunately for Linares, he is unsuccessful as he is stopped in the eleventh round of a grueling and exciting fight. Pacquiao again makes his way to the locker room where a dejected Linares receives consoling words from Manny.
Back at the Romanza gym, Beristain trains a new generation of Mexican fighters dressed in attire that even Floyd Mayweather Jr would be proud of. We also get an explanation to the origin of the gym’s name which is named after two fighters from Mexico City; Gilberto Roman and Daniel Zaragoza.
Marquez takes part in his own share of sparring but don’t expect to see any big names helping him prepare for Pacquiao. As of matter of fact, they admit the only resemblance these sparring partners have to Manny is that they are southpaws. That seems to be enough for Beristain who also believes that even though Pacquiao is now a more refined fighter, it’s better than facing a wildcat that is more unpredictable.
A crucial part of Team Pacquiao is strength and condition coach Alex Ariza, who started working with Manny soon after the second fight with Marquez. He’s helped Manny during his rise in weight and has become a vital part in keeping Manny in the best physical condition possible. Hyperbole or not, Ariza is so confident with his work that he can’t see Marquez lasting more than three rounds with Pacquiao. Manny does a series of exercises that have become just as important as honing his boxing skills.
Back in Mexico, we are given a look at Marquez’s personal life as he hosts an ESPN Deportes weekly boxing show. We also get to meet his family who as of now he hardly gets to enjoy due to most of his time being taken up by training. Marquez reminds us how seriously he takes the sport while starting his daily training regimen at 5am. And like most great fighters, he declares how he does not like to lose.
It was a good first episode, and their history combined with their obvious talent pretty much sell the fight on its own. Many of the main points surrounding this fight were immediately touched on in the first episode so I wonder what HBO has in store for the remainder of the series. Some still consider this fight a mismatch due to Marquez’s age and Manny being the more acclimated fighter at the higher weights. With that said, even if Marquez and Pacquiao don’t deliver a great 24/7 series, it’s hard to believe they won’t deliver a great fight in the ring for however long it lasts.
Grade: 4/5
You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @truewest007. You can also listen to Boxingscene’s official audio show The Boxing Lab every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST hosted by Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval and Ryan Burton.
