Technical boxer si Marquez

Kumpara sa maigting na aksyon na gusto ni American trainer Freddie Roach para kay Filipino boxing hero Manny Pac-quiao, ang pagiging tekni-kal naman ni Mexican world super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez ang ipapakita ni Mexican tactician Ignacio Beristain.

Sinabi kahapon ni Beristain na hindi sila susunod ng 34-anyos na si Marquez sa dikta ng mga boxing fans at boxing promoters sa kanilang rematch ng 29-anyos na si Pacquiao sa Marso 15 sa Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I think Juan Manuel is a fine, technical fighter; a true boxer. What you have seen is his style change as he has become more aggressive to satisfy the demands of promoters and fans,” ani Beristain.

Kilala si Marquez, ang kasalukuyang World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight titlist, bilang isang ‘technical fighter’ kumpara naman sa pagi-ging agresibo ni Pac-quiao.

Bunga ng kanyang pagpapalit ng istilo, naku-ha ni Marquez ang title shot laban sa dating WBC ruler na si Marco Antonio Barrera noong Marso 17 kung saan niya inagaw ang korona ng tinaguri-ang “The Baby Assassin” via unanimous decision.

“Instead of fighting a beautiful technical fight with Barrera, he was more aggressive, offensive, and was able to land this rematch with Pac-quiao,” wika ni Beristain kay Marquez. “If you want the big purses now a days, promoters say you need to throw punches, regardless of if they land or not. Those are the sort of fights fans want. Me, I like old school, technical boxing.”

Inaasahan rin ni Beris-tain na mas malakas nga-yon si Pacquiao kumpara sa kanilang unang pagta-tagpo ni Marquez noong Mayo, 2004 sa Las Vegas kung saan isang kontro-bersyal na draw ang nai-takas ni “El Dinamita” sa kabila ng tatlong ulit na pagbagsak sa unang round.  

Dalawang beses na tinalo ni “Pacman” si Bar-rera, dating three-division champion tulad ni Erik Morales, noong Nobyem-bre, 2003 at Oktubre ng 2007. (RCadayona)