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Just used this in reply on another thread and it seems to me that nobody has really expressed this point of view properly so it needed it's own thread. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one feels this way:
I find it disturbing that so many people attribute the entirety or at least the vast majority of the Marquez victory to some deficiency of Pac's rather than the greatness of JMM.
Pac looked like Pac. He jumped in and out. He moved around laterally very quickly and tried to catch JMM unawares, but he was unable to because JMM was ready for it and pivoted and countered when necessary. This was extremely frustrating to Pac as it has been his textbook move in every fight since his last JMM fight. Jump to one side at some unexpected angle and nail the target with a big punch that said target didn't see coming. Because target was unaware of the punch coming, it landed with about 3-4 times the effectiveness it might have had if the target saw it coming. Now the opponent is dazed and Pac follows up with withering combinations up and downstairs. Now target is beat down, in full retreat and the fight is pretty much over because Pac will repeat this move if the opponent starts to recover. Because of the skill of Marquez, Pac (jump in and out left and right as he may) was never able to land the first unexpected, debilitating shot that would have hurt JMM sufficiently to open up the floodgates for the blitzkreig.
When Manny sat still too long JMM would lead with a left uppercut or hook bodyshot followed by a sweet straight right to the head.
JMM put on a masterclass. I'm sure PBF would do no less, but that doesn't mean that Marquez beat a diminished Pac. It just means that JMM is a better fighter than Pac. But then he always was.
I find it disturbing that so many people attribute the entirety or at least the vast majority of the Marquez victory to some deficiency of Pac's rather than the greatness of JMM.
Pac looked like Pac. He jumped in and out. He moved around laterally very quickly and tried to catch JMM unawares, but he was unable to because JMM was ready for it and pivoted and countered when necessary. This was extremely frustrating to Pac as it has been his textbook move in every fight since his last JMM fight. Jump to one side at some unexpected angle and nail the target with a big punch that said target didn't see coming. Because target was unaware of the punch coming, it landed with about 3-4 times the effectiveness it might have had if the target saw it coming. Now the opponent is dazed and Pac follows up with withering combinations up and downstairs. Now target is beat down, in full retreat and the fight is pretty much over because Pac will repeat this move if the opponent starts to recover. Because of the skill of Marquez, Pac (jump in and out left and right as he may) was never able to land the first unexpected, debilitating shot that would have hurt JMM sufficiently to open up the floodgates for the blitzkreig.
When Manny sat still too long JMM would lead with a left uppercut or hook bodyshot followed by a sweet straight right to the head.
JMM put on a masterclass. I'm sure PBF would do no less, but that doesn't mean that Marquez beat a diminished Pac. It just means that JMM is a better fighter than Pac. But then he always was.