By Don Donatello
The following is solely my personal opinion.
There is no direct evidence that Juan Manuel Marquez used PEDs (Performance-enhancing drugs) when he fought Manny Pacquiao. But it does not mean he did not use them. Criminals are convicted of their crime without direct evidence such as eyewitness, DNA, or the weapon they used in their crime. They are convicted by circumstantial evidence.
“Circumstantial Evidence is also known as indirect evidence. It is distinguished from direct evidence, which, if believed, proves the existence of a particular fact without any inference or presumption required. Circumstantial evidence relates to a series of facts other than the particular fact sought to be proved. The party offering circumstantial evidence argues that this series of facts, by reason and experience, is so closely associated with the fact to be proved that the fact to be proved may be inferred simply from the existence of the circumstantial evidence.”
In this writers opinion, there is no doubt in my mind that Marquez is highly suspicious of taking PEDs, I am not accusing him just stating that there is a big cloud of suspicion hanging over his head right now .
Manny Pacquiao wants to avenge his knockout loss to Marquez in the worst way. Pacquiao wants a fifth fight against Marquez to avenge the loss. He wants to get Marquez back into the ring with him. But that may not be the best way to avenge his loss. Giving Marquez a paycheck is not the best way to get back at Marquez. Especially giving Marquez the biggest paycheck of his career. In fact, Marquez would likely get more money in the fifth fight than all the money he had earned in his entire career. Wouldn’t this be rewarding Marquez instead of getting even? The word going around is Marquez is asking for a 50/50 split or somewhere around 20 million dollars.
A 20 million dollar paycheck would entitle Juan Manuel Marquez and his family to live the happiest years for the rest of their life. Pacquiao has the power to either give or deny Marquez that life. It would take Marquez 4-7 fights to make 20 million fighting other opponents. Everyone knows that Marquez can not draw the fans to his fights. He would probably make 3-4 million in his next fight outside Pacquiao, then considerably less in subsequent fights after fans get a taste of Marquez’s boring style.
What did he make in his fight previous to the 4th fight with Manny Pacquiao? In Marquez’s last four fights without Pacquiao, they were against Juan Diaz, Michael Katsidis, Likar Ramos, and Serhiy Fedchenko. Marquez made 1 million in his second fight against Juan Diaz, and he got 1.4 million against Michael Katsidis. Both fights were in Las Vegas. Against Serhiy Fedchenko and Likar Ramos, both fights were fought in small venues in Mexico, probably got paid a few hundred thousand a piece. That is four fights and he probably didn’t even make 3 million dollars. You do the math.
Marquez’s biggest paycheck came against Pacquiao in their 4th fight, he got paid 6 million; against Floyd Mayweather he made 3.2 million plus he received 600K penalty fee for Floyd not making weight.
There is only one fight that Marquez can make good money and that is against Pacquiao. On the other hand, Pacquiao can make good money fighting Tim Bradley, Mike Alvarado, or Brandon Rios. Pacquiao should beat any of the three with Rios being the most exciting and entertaining, and easiest due to Brandon’s brawling style. Bradley’s new found, fan friendly style of fighting would be a sensation, that would play well for Pacquiao. I doubt Bradley would even dare to move away from the style that got him back into the good graces of the fans.
The smart move for Pacquiao would be to have Marquez wait while he fights Bradley. Pacquiao is still in the driver’s seat, he should ink Bradley away from Marquez. That would leave Marquez no one viable to fight for good money. The waiting game is also in Pacquiao’s favor. After Bradley, Rios and Alvarado are good draws for Pacquiao. Marquez/Alvarado and Marquez/Rios are not PPV worthy fights.
If one is to gauge boxing in America, practically no major newspaper is giving Marquez credit for a suspicious and questionable win over Pacquiao. The lead story on major newspapers such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Daily News, and the Huffington post immediately after Marquez’s win were questions about Marquez’s involvement with a known steroid dealer name Angel “Memo” Heredia.
December 9, 2012, New York Time: “Marquez climbed into the ring looking less like a boxer and more like a bodybuilder. That in recent years he began to train with Angel Guillermo Heredia, an admitted steroids dealer who testified for the government in the Balco scandal and went by several names, fueled speculation. The difference in size and sculpture was too obvious to ignore. And this at 39.”
December 10, 2012, New York Daily News: “It wasn’t just Marquez’s new ripped body that invited the inevitable speculation about whether performance-enhancing drugs fueled the powerful right that leveled his longtime rival Pacquiao. It was also the presence of his trainer, a shadowy figure named Angel Hernandez.”
December 9, 2012, LA Times: “Pacquiao began the bout convinced he wouldn’t be felled by Marquez’s best punch after their three previous fights and the fact he remained standing against the strongest blows of 160-pound Antonio Margarito two years ago.
But things changed. Marquez’s strength work under the eye of former steroid figure Angel “Memo” Heredia proved critical, with Heredia describing his altered fighter as “Hulk.””
December 12, 2012, Huffington Post: “What Marquez hit Pacquiao with might have seemed almost as powerful. Pacquiao had dropped Marquez four times in their first three fights, but Marquez had never put him down before he landed a big right hand in the third round for his first knockdown. The power was sure to raise questions about the new bulked-up physique Marquez has at the age of 39, which he said came from hard work under a strength conditioner who once provided steroids to Marion Jones and other track stars.”
Manny Pacquiao if I were you just say no to Juan Manuel Marquez. Steroid suspicions and a lucky punch on Marquez’s part does not dim Pacquiao’s shine to attract viewers, but without you, Marquez will not be able to earn a career high payday.
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