Author: RICARDO LOIS
PHOTO CREDIT: Hoganphotos.com/Golden Boy Promotions
Date: 3/16/2008
Following Saturday night's thrilling rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, the fans, experts, fighters, and writers are all arguing about the split decision which went the Filipino super featherweight's way.
Jude Jerry Roth scored the fight 115-112 for Marquez, while Tom Miller saw it 114-113 for Pacquiao and Duane Ford 115-112. For the record, this writer scored the contest 115-112 for Marquez.
Some are yelling bloody murder and stating that Marquez was robbed of a merited victory. Robbery is a strong term and though I feel Marquez was the victor, the fight was tightly contested with many close rounds and Pacquiao scored a knockdown in the third round to earn him a two point round. So while 115-112 proves to be a three round switch from my own card, the notion that a judge might score three rounds differently from me, or Jerry Roth, when so many were tough judgment calls, does not bring their professionalism or abilities into questions.
Here is how I scored each round:
Round 1: 10-9 Marquez
Round 2: 10-9 Marquez
Round 3: 10-8 Pacquiao
Round 4: 10-9 Marquez
Round 5: 10-9 Marquez
Round 6: 10-9 Marquez
Round 7: 10-9 Marquez
Round 8: 10-9 Marquez
Round 9: 10-9 Pacquiao
Round 10: 10-9 Pacquiao
Round 11: 10-9 Marquez
Round 12: 10-9 Marquez
As you can see, I credited Marquez with six straight rounds following the knockdown. In my eyes, he was more active than Pacquiao, more aggressive, and landing the cleaner and sharper punches during the stretch. Manny spent those rounds fighting in spurts and when he did attack, his punches for the most part failed to strike Marquez clearly.
That is my opinion and I understand that. Other writers should be responsible enough to voice their perspective on the bout without hinting that Marquez was robbed of a victory in what was a close fight. In framing Pacquiao vs. Marquez's rematch as a robbery, they are painting another unnecessary black eye on the sport.
When Jose Armando Santa Cruz lost a split decision to Joel Casamayor this past November (113-114, 113-114, and 114-114)...that was a robbery. Steve Forbes losing a unanimous decision last year to Demetrius Hopkins by wide margins (118-110 twice, 117-111)...that was a robbery.
The judges last night did what every judge has to do in the sport of boxing; score a fight on subjective criteria. When a sport's scoring is hinged on standards that have no clear cut definitions, there is little validity in regards to the outcome of contests. Mr. Miller and Mr. Ford, while scoring the fight differently from myself, did an excellent job last night.
Bottom line, last night was a great night for boxing. If Marquez's advocates want to claim it was a robbery, they are cheapening his performance, as well as that of Pacquiao's. Both men walked away from the fight with their in the ring persona untainted; Manny's just happens to get the official “W” on his record.
(10) Votes 
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