Pacquiao Given a Draw Against Marquez
LAS VEGAS, NV -
Filipino Manny Pacquiao fought to a draw with Juan Manuel Marquez after having knocked the Mexican boxer down three times in the first round of the 12-round featherweight title fight.
"I'm disappointed," said Pacquiao, whose record goes to 38-2-2. "I should have won the fight. I was ahead on points."
After looking like he wouldn't make it through the first round, Marquez rallied on Saturday to retain his WBA and IBF titles.
Marquez (42-2-1) got up at the count of six from the third knockdown. He survived the rest of the round then changed his tactics and gained control in the middle rounds of a bloody brawl that was cheered by the crowd from start to finish.
Marquez said the turning point for him was when he began to dodge Pacquiao's devastating left.
"The most important thing for me was to avoid his left hand. After that I was able to counterpunch him," said Marquez.
Both fighters were bloodied as the bell sounded to end the thrilling fight, Pacquiao from a cut over his eye and Marquez from his nose and left eye.
Trying to establish himself as the premier Mexican fighter, Marquez barely showed any fight in the first round against Pacquiao, who is widely considered the best 126-pounder in the world.
Judge John Stewart scored the bout 115-110 for Pacquiao, Guy Jutras giving 10 of the last 11 rounds to Marquez to have it 115-110 for the Mexican, and Burt Clements having it deadlocked at 113-113.
Stewart scored the first round 10-7, and not 10-6 as did the other two judges, which is customary in a round in which three knockdowns are scored. A 10-6 first round for Pacquiao would have given the Filipino standout a split decision win.
The draw allows Marquez to keep his WBA and IBF featherweight titles.
Pacquiao looked like he was going to build on the most impressive victory of his career, a punishing 11th-round technical knockout of former champion Marco Antonio Barrera on November 15.
The 25-year-old Pacquiao used his tremendous speed to startle Marquez in the first found. He drilled Marquez with a straight left to the chin with about 1:25 to go, sending him to the canvas for the first time.
About 20 seconds later, Marquez was dropped for a second time. He went down again along with ropes with under 40 seconds left in the round before rising to his feet.
But Marquez, who had won his last 13 fights, made it to his corner and began to establish a bit more of a slower pace in the second round, a move that proved beneficial.
Marquez began to score points by countering Pacquiao's left hand with rights to the body and head. By the end of the fifth, he had opened a small gash above Pacquiao's right eye.
In the sixth, Marquez had his best round, momentarily stunning Pacquiao with a right hand. Over the final six rounds, the crowd were on their feet as both fighters engaged in numerous exciting exchanges.
On the undercard, Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico remained unbeaten with a unanimous decision over Australian-based South African Lovemore N'Dou (38-7-1).
The 23-year-old Cotto (20-0, 16 KOs), on the brink of a potential title shot, is ranked first by the WBA, third by the WBC and fourth by the IBF in the 140-pound division.
Stewart scored the first round 10-7, and not 10-6 as did the other two judges, which is customary in a round in which three knockdowns are scored. A 10-6 first round for Pacquiao would have given the Filipino standout a split decision win. 