Saying Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez have history is like saying Mike Tyson punched fairly well. After three epic 12-round rights, these two know each other as well as any two fighters in the sport.
Perhaps that's part of the reason why making a fourth fight seemed so natural.
When Pacquiao was faced with a few choices for his next fight, he ultimately came back to what he knew best. That was a friendly—but fierce—rival in Marquez. The two make for exciting, crowd-pleasing bouts, and Pacquiao makes a pretty penny for them.
Per USA Today, Pacquiao's major motivation for fighting Marquez a fourth time was about the size of the purse. That said, we can still expect a brawl, because I don't think these two know any other way to compete against each other.
The two fighters' bodies have changed since they first clashed in 2004, but the action has always been fast and furious. As we approach their fourth meeting on Saturday, December 8, here's a look at the exciting fights that have led up to this point.
First Meeting: WBA Super Featherweight and IBF Featherweight Title
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: May, 8, 2004
Referee: Joe Cortez
What Happened
Marquez was the defending champion, but the fight looked like it would turn into another dominating Pacquiao performance early. He knocked Marquez down three times in the first round. Marquez seemed fortunate to escape the first three minutes, but destined to be finished in the second round.
Slowly but surely, he began to recover and time Pacquiao. As the fight went on, he began to get the better of a few exchanges, and he generally out-boxed Pacquiao for the remainder of the fight.
It was an exciting bout, and you could tell Pacquiao knew he had been in a war during the post-fight festivities. It was officially called a split-decision draw, but this would be the first in a series of controversial scoring events in the series.
Judge Burt Clements mistakenly only scored the first round 10-7 instead of 10-6 for Pacquiao. He was the only judge that called the fight a draw, but had he scored it properly, Pacquiao would have won a decision.
Clements apparently didn't know he could score a round 10-6, and that error cost Pacquiao a win.
The New York Times quotes Clements after the fight:
I just screwed up. I feel badly because I dropped the ball, plainly and simply. You can make a lot of arguments that it was a very close fight, but that's immaterial. The fact is, I dropped the ball.
I had Pacquiao winning the fight by one point, but much of that was on the strength of the four-point first round. Because Marquez dominated the second half of the bout, I didn't take issue with the fight being called a draw.
Here are highlights of Pacquiao-Marquez I:
Official Score
(Per Boxrec.com) Pacquiao's score is first
Judge: John Stewart 115-110
Judge: Burt A. Clements 113-113
Judge: Guy Jutras 110-115
What the Experts Said
Dan Rafael (then of USA Today) wrote:
With the fight close, the crowd rose in anticipation of the start of the 12th round. The fighters didn't disappoint, trading throughout the final three minutes.
They're probably not the final three minutes that Marquez and Pacquiao will see of each other.
Second Meeting: WBC Super Featherweight Title
Where: Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: March 15, 2008
Referee: Kenny Bayless
What Happened
This was the Empire Strikes Back of the series (AKA, the best one) in my opinion. Almost the entire fight resembled the last three rounds of their first meeting. Marquez was again the defending champion, and he looked more confident throughout.
I truly believed he was winning the fight until the 10th round. Pacquiao caught Marquez with a left hand that is second only to the one that sent Ricky Hatton into retirement—the first time. Marquez went down, and the fight changed from that moment.
Amazingly, he got up and finished the fight. He even landed a hard right hand on Pacquiao in the 11th round, but he staggered badly again in the final round.
On the strength of Pacquiao's performance in the championship rounds, I felt he earned a unanimous decision. Instead, he was officially given a split-decision, and many still believed Marquez deserved the decision; thus, more questions remained.
Here are the highlights from Pacquiao-Marquez II:
Official Score
(Per BoxRec.com) - Pacquiao's score is first
Judge: Duane Ford 115-112
Judge: Jerry Roth 112-115
Judge: Tom Miller 114-113
What the Experts Said
How evenly split were ringside observers and media about the winner?
According to BoxRec.com, 32 unofficial scorers had it for Pacquiao, 32 had the fight for Marquez and all others scored it a draw.
Third Meeting: WBO Welterweight Title
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: November 12, 2011
Referee: Tony Weeks
What Happened
For the first time in their history, Pacquiao entered the ring as the defending champion—even though the fight took place at a 144-pound catch-weight. This meeting had a ton to live up to, and though it was exciting, it was the weakest of the three fights.
Pacquiao's decline had begun to show, but I still felt he won more exchanges. Marquez seemed to fight as though he was ahead in the later rounds, and I believe that cost him. He did manage to stay on his feet in this fight; it is possible that that was a victory in itself for Marquez.
To see both of their dispositions after the fight, you would have guessed he was the victor. However, that wasn't the case. Pacquiao escaped with a controversial majority decision, and much of the crowd booed the final decision.
Thus, we prepare for a fourth fight between these two future Hall of Famers.
Here are the highlights from Pacquiao-Marquez III:
Official Score
(Per BoxRec.com) - Pacquiao's score is first
Judge: Dave Moretti 115-113
Judge: Robert Hoyle 114-114
Judge: Glenn Trowbridge 116-112
What the Experts Said
Per BoxRec.com, HBO polled a number of boxing writers about the decision.
Only 12 percent thought Pacquiao deserved the decision, while 46 percent scored it for Marquez and 42 percent thought the fight was even.
What to Expect in the Fourth Meeting
Pacquiao has the ability to out-box Marquez, but he enjoys the slugging exchanges. That said, boxing fans will see more of the same—with perhaps even more action.
Pacquiao seems intent upon taking the judges out of the equation this time, but I'm not sure he can finish Marquez.
Most fight fans will enjoy watching him try, though.
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