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BOXING: Consensus is there's no consensus
By Robert Morales, Boxing Columnist
Let's get this straight: Manny Pacquiao is the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but the winner of the Sept. 19 fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez at MGM Grand in Las Vegas will snatch that spot from Pacquiao.
At least that's what Mayweather, Marquez and Oscar De La Hoya are saying about the fight that will be shown on HBO pay-per-view. De La Hoya, who promotes Marquez under his Golden Boy Promotions banner, was asked during a conference call Tuesday how this can be.
"From a fan's point of view, from a person who really studies boxing, I consider this one should be for the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world because Marquez beat Pacquiao," De La Hoya said.
"And, obviously, Mayweather was off for a little while. But that doesn't give anyone any right to take away his title as best fighter on the planet.
"Now that he is fighting again, the outcome of this fight, the winner should be the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. We can make a strong case for that. The fans are the ones that spoke and we all know that Marquez beat Pacquiao."
Since both fights between Marquez and Pacquiao were close, Marquez's fans are going to think he won. But the only real complaining about the draw and loss Marquez ended up with came from his camp. There certainly was no claim of controversy from reporters.
They first tangled in May 2004 at MGM Grand. Marquez courageously got up from three
first-round knockdowns to earn a split draw.
Conveniently, when this week's conference call took place, none of the aforementioned parties talked about the one judge who scored that first round 10-7 for Pacquiao because he didn't know he could score it 10-6, which would have been correct.
That allowed Marquez to get the draw. Otherwise, it's a loss.
In the second fight in March 2008 at Mandalay Bay, Pacquiao won a split decision. He won by one point on one scorecard and by three on another; Marquez took the third by three points. Reporters had it close, one way or the other.
In the post-fight news conference Marquez and Golden Boy Promotions acted like they had been victim of a robbery. It was not cool at all because when a fight is close, there is nothing to beef about. And they're still at it.
Like it or not, Marquez has a draw with Pacquiao and a split-decision loss. No victories.
But Marquez on Tuesday followed De La Hoya's lead when asked why his fight with Mayweather should be for the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot.
"I feel he's the best," Marquez said of Mayweather. "He retired, he's undefeated and he still continues to be the best, pound-for-pound, in my eyes and in a lot of people's eyes.
"When I fought Manny, I feel I beat him. I feel I beat him both times. The first one was very close and it came out a draw. And the second fight I clearly beat him, but for whatever reasons the judges saw a different fight that night."
We're not sure whose eyes Marquez is talking about because Mayweather doesn't even appear in boxing's most comprehensive pound for pound poll, which belongs to Yahoo.com.
Some 30-plus veteran boxing writers and broadcasters contribute to that poll and are not allowed to put in Mayweather because a year of inactivity renders one ineligible. Mayweather has been off for 20 months, since December 2007.
Mayweather, who was ranked No. 1 before he retired (though not by this reporter), put in his two cents Tuesday. He also took a shot at his former promoter, Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao.
"If I had to rate him between him and Manny, I would have to rate him over Manny," Mayweather said of Marquez, who is ranked No. 2 by Yahoo.com. "For a guy to be knocked down three times in the first round and come back to get a draw, when they called it a draw, we know who lost.
"The other fight, Manny won that fight by one point. But we all have to realize that Bob Arum always has something slick up his sleeve."
Really? Slick is Golden Boy and Mayweather Promotions naming the Sept. 19 fight "Numero Uno" even though it should be called "Numero Dos." If Mayweather beats Marquez, we would have no problem putting him into the No. 2 spot in the pound-for-pound poll. Many others who contribute to Yahoo.com likely would do the same.
But the only way Pacquiao loses his top spot is if he loses to Miguel Cotto in November, should that fight get made.
We find De La Hoya's comments in all this interesting. If, as a fighter, he was in Pacquiao's shoes and someone arbitrarily was trying to take his pound-for-pound title without foundation, we have to wonder how De La Hoya would react.
Speaking in advantageous tones is what promoters do. Guess De La Hoya is a full member of that fraternity.
By Robert Morales, Boxing Columnist
Let's get this straight: Manny Pacquiao is the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but the winner of the Sept. 19 fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez at MGM Grand in Las Vegas will snatch that spot from Pacquiao.
At least that's what Mayweather, Marquez and Oscar De La Hoya are saying about the fight that will be shown on HBO pay-per-view. De La Hoya, who promotes Marquez under his Golden Boy Promotions banner, was asked during a conference call Tuesday how this can be.
"From a fan's point of view, from a person who really studies boxing, I consider this one should be for the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world because Marquez beat Pacquiao," De La Hoya said.
"And, obviously, Mayweather was off for a little while. But that doesn't give anyone any right to take away his title as best fighter on the planet.
"Now that he is fighting again, the outcome of this fight, the winner should be the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. We can make a strong case for that. The fans are the ones that spoke and we all know that Marquez beat Pacquiao."
Since both fights between Marquez and Pacquiao were close, Marquez's fans are going to think he won. But the only real complaining about the draw and loss Marquez ended up with came from his camp. There certainly was no claim of controversy from reporters.
They first tangled in May 2004 at MGM Grand. Marquez courageously got up from three
first-round knockdowns to earn a split draw.
Conveniently, when this week's conference call took place, none of the aforementioned parties talked about the one judge who scored that first round 10-7 for Pacquiao because he didn't know he could score it 10-6, which would have been correct.
That allowed Marquez to get the draw. Otherwise, it's a loss.
In the second fight in March 2008 at Mandalay Bay, Pacquiao won a split decision. He won by one point on one scorecard and by three on another; Marquez took the third by three points. Reporters had it close, one way or the other.
In the post-fight news conference Marquez and Golden Boy Promotions acted like they had been victim of a robbery. It was not cool at all because when a fight is close, there is nothing to beef about. And they're still at it.
Like it or not, Marquez has a draw with Pacquiao and a split-decision loss. No victories.
But Marquez on Tuesday followed De La Hoya's lead when asked why his fight with Mayweather should be for the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot.
"I feel he's the best," Marquez said of Mayweather. "He retired, he's undefeated and he still continues to be the best, pound-for-pound, in my eyes and in a lot of people's eyes.
"When I fought Manny, I feel I beat him. I feel I beat him both times. The first one was very close and it came out a draw. And the second fight I clearly beat him, but for whatever reasons the judges saw a different fight that night."
We're not sure whose eyes Marquez is talking about because Mayweather doesn't even appear in boxing's most comprehensive pound for pound poll, which belongs to Yahoo.com.
Some 30-plus veteran boxing writers and broadcasters contribute to that poll and are not allowed to put in Mayweather because a year of inactivity renders one ineligible. Mayweather has been off for 20 months, since December 2007.
Mayweather, who was ranked No. 1 before he retired (though not by this reporter), put in his two cents Tuesday. He also took a shot at his former promoter, Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao.
"If I had to rate him between him and Manny, I would have to rate him over Manny," Mayweather said of Marquez, who is ranked No. 2 by Yahoo.com. "For a guy to be knocked down three times in the first round and come back to get a draw, when they called it a draw, we know who lost.
"The other fight, Manny won that fight by one point. But we all have to realize that Bob Arum always has something slick up his sleeve."
Really? Slick is Golden Boy and Mayweather Promotions naming the Sept. 19 fight "Numero Uno" even though it should be called "Numero Dos." If Mayweather beats Marquez, we would have no problem putting him into the No. 2 spot in the pound-for-pound poll. Many others who contribute to Yahoo.com likely would do the same.
But the only way Pacquiao loses his top spot is if he loses to Miguel Cotto in November, should that fight get made.
We find De La Hoya's comments in all this interesting. If, as a fighter, he was in Pacquiao's shoes and someone arbitrarily was trying to take his pound-for-pound title without foundation, we have to wonder how De La Hoya would react.
Speaking in advantageous tones is what promoters do. Guess De La Hoya is a full member of that fraternity.