Latinos and fellow Juan Manuel Marquez fans were shocked and outraged to see judges unanimously rule in favor of Manny Pacquiao in one of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year.
The third Marquez-Pacquiao match was held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in front of a sell-out crowd, and just as before, the fight was highly controversial and widely contested.
While one of the judges scored the match as a draw, a decision many agreed with, the other two judges scored Pacquiao the winner.
After Saturday’s 12 rounds, the WBO welterweight champion remains Pacquiao for now, but many suspect a fifth match will be scheduled, as this outcome once again leaves few satisfied with who the better fighter is.
When interviewers tried to speak with Pacquiao right after the match, those in attendance booed so loudly the boxer could not be heard at all.
Following the fight, Marquez said, “I don’t know what I need to do to change the minds of the judges.”
His words were in response to the fact that each time he has gone up against Pacquiao, he and his supporters say he has proven that he can beat the Filipino boxer.
Those looking forward to another match between the two men say that if it is to happen, it will likely be before Pacquiao’s possible match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May 2012.
For now, the Mexico Coty native’s fans stand with him, and say Pacquiao failed to show that he was undoubtedly the better fighter, and worthy of retaining his heavyweight title.
Their first bout in 2004 was a draw. The second matchup, which occurred in 2008, gave Pacquiao the win, though it was so close that another fight (Saturday’s) was ordered.
