It would be interesting to see how HBO’s award winning show 24/7 will package the fourth, and hopefully the last, of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight installments.
Eight years since the two last brawled into a competitive draw, all boxing angles and trivia between them that you could imagine have been squeezed dry for all its commercial appeal. The last time, HBO raised many eyebrows when it featured Marquez drinking his own pee as part of his conditioning regimen.
Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, left, and Juan Manuel Marquez, of Mexico. Pic: AP.
Both fighters have been thoroughly dissected, their strengths and weaknesses examined and exposed. But at the end of the day, they will still wind up bitterly arguing who won which fight unless of course one of them ends up scoring a knockout next month in Las Vegas. That would somehow erase all doubts and controversies that haunted their three previous fights.
For the record, Pacquiao holds the edge over Marquez with two wins and a draw. Both wins however are the narrowest of margins.
So what would be the storyline of 24/7 when they begin airing their usually four part episodes beginning this weekend?
One can be imaginative the first time around, resourceful the second and inventive the third time. But a fourth time?
What should not be lost, I believe, will be the fate that awaits the two boxers after their fourth fight.
At 39, there are not many fights left for Marquez. This one on December 9 (Philippine time) will probably be his last.
For Pacquiao, 33, it is the first of the countdown before he finally call it quits.
I think 24/7 will be more nostalgic and historical but heavy on perspective.
Until Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr finally agree to a fight that could surpass all box office records as well as rival the excitement and adrenalin rush of all fights in the Ali-Frazier trilogy and the Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns epic brawl, Marquez is the only competitive fight there is for Pacquiao that, on the side, will also sell.
But a defeat for any of these two modern-day gladiators could spell the beginning of the end of their Hall of Fame careers, to say the least. A devastating loss could abruptly end a career.
A win by Marquez will give him redemption and a glorious exit to retirement. He may fight one or two more times but a victory over Pacquiao is his Holy Grail. Another loss, especially a knockout one, will be a disgraceful way of ending his boxing career although he is already locked for a trip to the Hall of Fame.
A conclusive win by Pacquiao will force the hands of Mayweather into signing the dotted line to finally arrange a once in a lifetime showdown between the two top pound for pound boxers in their generation who also happen to fight in the same division. A loss could severely affect his marketability and bring his career down spiraling.
This fight is a must win for both of them, career-wise.
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