The Pacman Identity

[Jeff]

The Manila Standard Today
Mar. 18, 2008

Sulaiman accepts split decision
WORLD Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman said that while the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez was a “very close, very competitive, very tough and very rough fight,” he had no problem in accepting the judges’ split decision that enabled the Pacman to win the WBC super-featherweight title on Sunday.

In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Standard Today from his home in Mexico City, the WBC president said that every time Marquez connected with well-prepared counter-punches, “Manny came back because he has the heart of a lion. He pressured Marquez, but not in his usual open and frontal way. It was a very intelligent performance by both fighters.”

Sulaiman added: “To be honest with you, the fight was so close that it was very difficult for the judges to score. However, I would say that Pacquiao came back very determined and with a big heart at the end of the fight and that’s how he got what he got.”

The WBC president, a longtime friend of the Philippines, said: “We are proud of this championship because Marquez made it very difficult for Pacquiao. It was so close and Pacquiao did everything, everything to win the fight. As a boxing man, it was so difficult and both men didn’t deserve to lose.”

Sulaiman said fight fans would have to wait and see what happens next, especially since Pacquiao is reportedly committed to move up to lightweight and fight WBC champion David Diaz. But the WBC president stressed that “one more fight [between Pacquiao and Marquez] is definitely what the people of the world want.”

Sulaiman conceded it would be hard to agree on a third fight, even though Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer made a $6-million offer to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who handles Pacquiao, for one more fight. Sulaiman suggested that after one more fight for both Pacquiao and Marquez, there should be a rematch. “It would be my recommendation as a boxing fan after listening to people talking that Marquez did not deserve to lose, neither did Pacquiao.”

If there’s any consolation for Marquez, it’s the fact that the WBC president assured him he will be ranked no. 1 despite the loss because it will be unfair if he is not given the recognition after such a close fight.

“Without any question, he [Marquez] will fight for the title,” said Sulaiman.

This will happen should Pacquiao decide to relinquish the 130-pound crown and remain at 135 pounds.

Trainer Freddie Roach, in an interview with journalist Dennis Principe on his Sports Talk morning show over dzSR Sports Radio, said it was “a very good, very close fight and the knockdown [in Round 3] was the difference. I thought Manny won the fight by one point. Manny landed the bigger shots and Marquez came back in the middle rounds, but at the end of the fight, Manny finished well.”

Roach noted that HBO panelists Larry Merchant, Jim Lampley and Emmanuel Steward all had Pacquiao the winner as well as several well-known boxing writers on popular boxing Internet sites.

Roach said that when Marquez was dropped in Round 3, “Manny knocked him down so hard, I didn’t really think he would get up because of the way he went down. It was a great shot. If Manny jumped on him a little harder, we would have had him. Marquez is a very durable guy. He showed a lot of heart to get up like that. In their first fight, Marquez went down three times in the first round but in this fight, the way he went down, I thought he was out.”

Roach agreed with Pacquiao that Marquez fought a better fight in the rematch. “He was more aggressive, threw more punches and he made some nice adjustments.”

Responding to criticism from the Marquez camp about the decision and an apparent division even among Filipinos, Roach said: “Let’s not talk about bad decisions. Talk about what a great fight it was. Either boy could have won the fight. If we lost by one point, I wouldn’t complain. Both fighters wanted it and fights like this are great for boxing.” Ronnie Nathanielsz

Remarks:

So sad to hear our kababayan would say Pacman actually didn't won last fight. How do they judge it? Are they the one fighting inside the ring? Kahit sabihin pa nila na talo si Pacman daw, para sa akin di biro ang mapatumba ka sa KAMAO ni Pacman hehehe....sigurado parehong nakataas ang paa mo hehehe

[hedwig]

...okey lang ang desisyon.. it is not unfair.. yan naman talaga pagtalo maraming complained he he he. . base sa panonood ko medyo nahirapan si kabayang manny kay marquez pero ayos lang kasi napatumba nea naman he he he he .. go manny,, go pinoy..

[beyond]

So sad to hear our kababayan would say Pacman actually didn't won last fight. How do they judge it? Are they the one fighting inside the ring? Kahit sabihin pa nila na talo si Pacman daw, para sa akin di biro ang mapatumba ka sa KAMAO ni Pacman hehehe....sigurado parehong nakataas ang paa mo hehehe

Sakto ka pareng jeff ing-ana jud na basta mapildi hehe daghan tagawtaw..
ngano dili nalang dawaton,, and besides Marquez was just waiting for Pacman to attack sa uwahing mga rounds ang mga judges nakakita kang pacman unsa kalig-on iya determinasyon nga iya mapildi si Marquez...

Anyways ive heard nga ang kampo ni Marquez ni offer kang pacman ug 6 million dollars aron lang makig rematch si Pacman and i hope iya dawaton aron makita jud ang katag kun kinsa maayo nilang duha..

[Jeff]

Ang pinoy magaling ma muna. Punahin nila ang kalaban wag ang kababayan hehehe. Noong laro ni Pacs doon ako pumusta sa kalaban ok lang natalo ako ng malaki pinoy naman nanalo. Sabi daw ng mga magagaling nating mga boxing analyst talo daw si pacs sa points. Believe na sana ako sa kanila kaso palpak hehehe. Dalawang klase pag na down ka in points. 1st: Pag na down ka at naka bangun ka kaagad at hindi ka hilo at porma agad mababa lang pontos nun, parang straight landing jobs lang ang katumbas. 2nd: pero kung matumba ka at NAKATAAS ANG DALAWANG PAA at pag bangun mo hilo ka naparang maduduwal at di mo alam asan kana ay nako TKO ang katumbas nun depende sa awa ng referee hehehe. kaya wag biruin ang knock out punch ni pacs. kahit hilamosan mo pa sya ng suntok ay nako walang silbi yun, mananaig pa rin ang points na natumba ka nakataas ang PAA hehehe. Kaya dapat manahimik na ang mga sports analyst kono hehehe. Ako si Pacs susuntokin ko bunganga nila hehehe <joke lang>