Fight fans it is the big fight week once again!
The fourth chapter to the great rivalry between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez takes place this Saturday Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and can be seen live on HBO pay-per-view.
To get everyone up to speed, most view all of the first three fights between Pacquiao and Marquez as very close fights and even controversial. The official results of the first three fights were a draw, a split decision to Pacquiao and a majority decision to Pacquiao.
In his last couple of fights, Marquez has been rejuvenated. His body is visibly more muscular, and his over all physique has been the best we have ever seen. Marquez is coming off of an unanimous decision win over Serhiy Fedchenko in April.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, has remained stagnant, possibly slowing down a tad since. He is coming off of a majority decision loss to Timothy Bradley in June, which many viewed as a controversial ruling as well.
Unlike their first three bouts, both Pacquiao and Marquez have publicly stated that they will go for the knock out this time to seal the victory, preventing the outcome from having to go to the judges.
Generally speaking, most fans and media used to favor the former greatest pound-for-pound fighter of the decade whenever Pacquiao would fight over the last several years, but this time it appears the majority of observers are predicting a Marquez win.
So for those of you who may need further insight and help in making your own prediction, or just for fun, you would like to see who the so called boxing experts of the B/R Boxing Community are going for in Pacquiao vs Marquez IV, then we shall provide that for you right here.
King J , B/R Boxing Community Leader/Featured Columnist
I've been going back and forth on this fight more than any other of Manny's fights. Initially, I had JMM winning it pretty easily because he appears way more hungry, focused and determined in his camp than Manny does.
But sitting ringside at Pacquiao/Bradley I remembered how a near riot broke out and how the social media vowed to disown boxing after that result.The casual fans who make up the masses want a Pacquiao win to erase the Bradley controversy.
The first three fights have all been real close, and I don't see how this fourth fight can be any different unless Juan really goes for the KO which will provide more opportunities for Manny to go for the KO as well.
With all that being said, if Juan does really give up his natural traditional, superior technical style of waiting and countering Manny all night long, then I see that as favoring Manny to either score big or even stop Juan. So if there is a stoppage it will probably be a TKO by the hands of Pacquiao waved off by the referee in the later rounds.
If Juan sticks to his superior technical countering fight plan, then it will go to another close decision. One judge will feel pressured to appease the masses of casual fans scoring it for Pacquiao 115 to 112, one judge will feel pressured to "finally get it right" and score it for Marquez 115 to 112 and, of course, the third judge plays it safe scoring it 114 to 114 making us go to a fifth bout that fight fans will vow they will not pay to see, but after watching that HBO's 24/7 they will get hooked all over again as they did for this fourth fight.
Dave Carlson , 1-Time-Prediction-Contest-Champion-Winner
The way these two guys fight, it’s always close and many rounds can go either way depending on whose style you prefer.
With Pacquiao having recently lost (and I didn’t find that loss as controversial as most did), and with the glimmer of a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown fading from the minds of most fight fans, the judges will be more likely to side with Marquez in this fight than in the three previous meetings.
Given the closeness of their first three battles, a slight mental shift in Marquez’s favor could give him the trademark victory of his career.
Marquez by split decision: 116-112, 115-113, 113-115.
Riley Kontek , Featured Columnist
This is the fourth meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, with all three previous fights reaching the scorecards.
Pacquiao is 2-0-1 in their previous three bouts, but both of his wins were very close.
I think he continues to win, taking a 115-113 decision over Marquez.
Josh Schoch , Featured Columnist
I believe Pacquiao will come out strong in the early stages of the fight and dominate at the beginning.
However, Marquez will show his resilience once again, and once Pac-Man’s poor stamina catches up with him, Marquez will close the gap.
Pacquiao will win another disputed fight in this one with a very close split decision giving him the victory.
Pacquiao wins 115-113, 115-113, 113-115.
Kevin McRae, Featured Columnist
Pacquiao TKO 8 Marquez
Zachary Alapi, Featured Columnist
Forget conspiracy theories or the idea that the judges will be compelled to give Marquez the nod if the fight is close (regardless of who actually deserves it).
Pacquiao and Marquez could fight 100 times and it will always be close and competitive. This time, however, I think Marquez will fight his most complete bout against Pacquiao.
Marquez appeared to deserve the nod against Pacquiao (narrowly) last time, and the difference in this fight is that Marquez will be more aggressive in following up his crisp countershots. I see Marquez knowing this is his last shot to get an official “W” against Pacquiao and upping his punch output as a result.
Marquez via UD (116-112)
Joseph Santoliquito , Featured Columnist/ RING Magazine Managing Editor
You get the sense these two will be fighting until the end of days.
But finally, hopefully, Marquez gets a break. I felt he beat Pacquiao in at least two of the previous three fights, including the last one.
Pacquiao looks shopworn, at least at this elite level. He seems to tire more quickly, and it may be because all of the multitasking outside the ring has caught up to him and is taking a toll.
It will be another close fight, but it’s also a fight that’s lost the luster it once had.
Marquez W 12 Manny Pacquiao (116 to 112).
Michael Walters, Featured Columnist
I like JMM by MD with scores of 115-113, 114-114 and 116-112
Briggs Seekins, Featured Columnist
I’m predicting a UD for Marquez. This time I think it will still be a close fight, but Marquez is going to be the clear winner, except maybe among the die-hard Pacman fanboys, who will complain about JMM stepping on his feet or something.
After the way he fought Bradley last June (even though he should’ve won) I feel like Pacquiao has lost too much of his explosiveness. He’s a great boxer but one with diminished athleticism.
I don’t think he can win enough rounds against a technician and master chess player like Marquez. 116-112 Marquez.
So there you have it fight fans, the so-called boxing experts of the b/r boxing community have spoken once again and have gone on record with our picks.
So we shall see who is a true boxing prediction contest champion and who needs a new trainer and strength and conditioning coach.
For all the great coverage and analysis of Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV, be sure to be check out the b/r Boxing Community page all week.
King J will be live in Las Vegas and will have up a fight week blog covering the final media conferences at the MGM Grand for the fight as well as the weigh-in.
There will also be a separate piece up as well from the MGM Grand. Keep an eye out for Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV Live Blog: Round-by-Round, Analysis and Reaction that will go up approximately one hour before the fight.
King J is the b/r Boxing Community Leader and Featured Columnist. He will have the honor of covering the Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV fight from the MGM Grand so be sure to be following him on Twitter, YouTube and Instgram.
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