By Bill Phanco: Floyd Mayweather Sr. doesn’t have a whole lot of interest in tonight’s clash between Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KO’s) and Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KO’s), because he says he’s seen too many fights between them in the past where the wrong fighter got his hand raised after the fight.
Speaking with Examiner.com writer Chris Robinson, Mayweather Sr. said “I hope this is there [Marquez-Pacquiao] their last fight. I think people are tired of seeing the same fight and the same guy getting the decision that don’t deserve all those decisions.”
Pacquiao has won two of the three fights with Marquez. The first fight of the series in 2004 was ruled a draw. The next two in 2008 and 20011 were both narrow wins for Pacquiao, and indeed very controversial because Marquez established in both fights that he had the superior ring generalship. Marquez appeared to win more rounds in three fights, but he was knocked down several times in the 1st round of their first fight, and then knocked down again in their second fight. Those knockdowns really hurt Marquez, because he would have won had he not been dropped.
Boxing fans are still interested in the Marquez-Pacquiao fight judging by the sold out MGM Grand for tonight. It’s not easy to sell out the MGM Grand, and Pacquiao has consistently done it and this fight is no exception. The fight is expected to bring in 1 million pay per view buys, and that’s the gold standard for a successful PPV event.
If the Marquez-Pacquiao fight brings in the same numbers as the last time they fought, 1.3 million buys, promoter Bob Arum will likely be looking to put them back together next year in a 5th fight. Pacquiao will be facing Brandon Rios on April 20th, but after that it could be either Marquez or Miguel Cotto for rematches.