Marquez vs Alvarado results: Juan Manuel Marquez dominates, sets up fifth fight with Pacquiao

Juan Manuel Marquez and Mike Alvarado took some time to really get going, but in the end delivered an entertaining if one-sided fight tonight from The Forum in Los Angeles, with Marquez winning a wide unanimous decision on scores of 117-109, 117-109, and 119-108. BLH had it 118-108 for Marquez.

Marquez (56-7-1, 41 KO) swept the first eight rounds on our card, including an eighth round knockdown of Alvarado (34-3, 23 KO) that knocked the younger man halfway out of the ring late in the frame. Alvarado did come back with a knockdown of his own in the ninth round, the first time in the fight he seemed really in it, but Marquez rallied as he always does when he's floored, and came back to pretty much take over the remainder of the bout, too.

"I always said Mike Alvarado was strong, fast, and very worthy. I expected this fight," Marquez said through a translator to HBO's Max Kellerman after the fight. "I said it was going to be a tough fight and a very difficult fight. I wanted to give the public a gift, a fight The Forum deserves."

The 40-year-old Marquez landed 228 of 627 punches, according to CompuBox, a 44% connect rate. For power punches, he landed 163 of 287 for an excellent 57% connect rate. Alvarado landed 178 of 510 total punches (35%), and 85 of 250 power shots (34%).

Marquez did not commit to a fifth fight with Pacquiao, but that has been the fight expected for the winner of this bout, with Top Rank aiming to make it a reality.

"This was a great fight," Marquez said. "We'll relax. I don't know at the moment (about fighting Pacquiao again). Any decision I make will be the best for me, my family, and the fans."

Alvarado was gracious in defeat, telling Kellerman, "He fought a good fight. It was a great experience." Alvarado said he'll be back, and that he'll be ready for the rest of his career going forward.