On Mayweather, Marquez, and De la Hoya ganging up on Pacquiao

Mark Vester over at Boxing Scene just reported about a press conference for the September 19 Mayweather-Marquez bout wherein the two fighters involved, with the co-promoter Oscar De la Hoya (Mayweather is the other promoter) took digs on current pound-for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. commenced the verbal lashings, starting sofly by praising Pacquiao sparsely, but then proceeding to take him down the pedestal quickly: "Pacquiao is a good fighter, I don't think nothing away from him," Mayweather said. "He hasn't done anything I haven't done. Where was he when I was dominating the '90s? He hasn't called me out. I'm not worried about him. With or without him, I'm comfortable. I'm happy. He don't make me. I don't chase opponents. Opponents chase me. The biggest fight in boxing is Mayweather versus anybody."

After side commenting on Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, he continued by raising his opponent Juan Manuel Marquez over Pacquiao, by virtue of his views about their two respective fights, "I would have to rate (Marquez) over Manny. For a guy to knock him down three times in the first round and come back to get a draw, we know who lost."

So, Floyd, you "don't take anything away" from Pacquiao, eh?

From your sea of unceasingly entertaining comments, I'll give you one thing you're taking away from him: his win against Marquez.

Mayweather has always been a joy to listen to, not necessarily pleasant to hear all the time, in press conferences, but he also has a habit of contradicting himself or blurring his comments at times, his interview with ESPN's Brian Kenny comes to mind. I have another recent interview to share to back this up.

As head-scratching as the above words regarding Pacquiao may be, De la Hoya and Marquez were quick to attest to Pretty Boy's beliefs, aggrandizing it in no time: "I'd have to go with Floyd. I felt more skill coming out of Mayweather than I did with Pacquiao. The winner between Mayweather and Marquez is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The fans are the ones who speak and we all know Marquez beat Pacquiao."

Marquez kicks in, "Mayweather is the best. He retired undefeated. When I fought Manny I thought I beat him both times."

Okay.

Well I wouldn't write this if I don't have my reservations about it and yes, I beg to disagree.

De la Hoya opined that Marquez defeated Pacquiao, and saying that "the fans are the ones to speak" not only looks to condone his previous statement that "the winner between Mayweather and Marquez is the best pound-for-pound fighter", it also points to his view that "we all know Marquez beat Pacquiao" as if as a confirmation. Well, Oscar, I'm one of those "fans" and I'm ready to declare that there indeed is a crowd that believes otherwise as much as there is who believe likewise, and I respect your opinions or theirs. But for the record, I think Pacquiao beat Marquez both times. When I first watch Marquez-Pacquiao on TV about five years ago, I originally thought that Pacquiao was lucky to escape with a draw, considering how he was thoroughly outboxed by Marquez the rest of the way. But when I watch it years later, I scored it and I saw it differently. It wasn't as "thorough" as I first thought-- I scored it for Pacquiao with the gap as much as HBO ringside judge Harold Lederman's card, 115-112. The second one, I've watched it countless times and it's one of my most favorite fights ever, and I scored it at least thrice and always came up with the same denominations: 114-113 for Pacquiao. That's my opinion. You can lambast me all you want but all the argumentation that matters is only with the official judges.

I can't help but see the comments of these three as something that seems to reek of jealousy. Let's see: Mayweather is jealous that he is no longer unanimously considered the pound-for-pound champion that Pacquiao is now. De la Hoya is jealous because he's no longer boxing's top superstar and cash cow, titles which Pacquiao basically took away from him in their infamous "Dream Match". Marquez? Well, he could've been at Pacquiao's position right now had the judges swayed the decision in his favor by at least just a point, picking up the mantle as boxing's best when the abovementioned Mayweather retired. Maybe. I don't know. It seems.

By ganging up on Pacquiao and making him look bad with the things they said, Mayweather, De la Hoya, and Marquez are the ones who are looking bad.