Yawn...
I know I'm getting perilously close to an argument that I hashed out at extreme length with an anonymous reader over my thoughts on the Bernard/Winky fight, but as I mentioned in the weekend TV guide below, I'm just not that enthused for Barrera/Marquez tomorrow night. It has some elements that are exciting - two fiery Mexicans, to start, which generally guarantees some fireworks, and then the fact that Marquez has so much to prove, which certainly sweetens the pot.
But for me, even if Marquez soundly defeats Barrera, it's not going to prove that much. Barrera is still a great fighter, but he's well past his prime. Unless he gets blasted out of the ring tomorrow night, no outcome is going to make me think any less of him, and even if he does get his head knocked off, all I will really conclude is that he needs to hang up the gloves. As for Marquez, it's the same territory. I respect him immensely and think that he was one of the most under-appreciated fighters of his generation (largely because of his own bad business decisions, but that's another story). Unless he gets knocked out early, I will have the same assessment of him no matter what the outcome.
This is my problem - for fighters of this caliber, especially towards the end of their careers, I need something to lay in the balance, some irreversible conclusion to be drawn from what happens in the ring. This would have been a huge fight say... five years ago. Now, it's an afterthought. Personally, I can't get my mind off the fight that we should be watching - a Barrera/Pacquiao rematch - a bout that for me would be as exciting a proposition, if not more so, than Oscar/Floyd.
I will venture a prediction, however. Marquez in a split decision. I wouldn't wager on that one, but I'm feeling it. I sense that this will be more of a boxing match than a brawl, and I think right now Marquez is the better boxer. I also feel pretty confident that it will go the distance. On the whole, this does have the potential to be a very pleasing fight aesthetically - both of these guys are skillful fighters who can go for the jugular when they smell blood. If you have 50 bucks laying around, you could certainly do worse.
But for me, even if Marquez soundly defeats Barrera, it's not going to prove that much. Barrera is still a great fighter, but he's well past his prime. Unless he gets blasted out of the ring tomorrow night, no outcome is going to make me think any less of him, and even if he does get his head knocked off, all I will really conclude is that he needs to hang up the gloves. As for Marquez, it's the same territory. I respect him immensely and think that he was one of the most under-appreciated fighters of his generation (largely because of his own bad business decisions, but that's another story). Unless he gets knocked out early, I will have the same assessment of him no matter what the outcome.
This is my problem - for fighters of this caliber, especially towards the end of their careers, I need something to lay in the balance, some irreversible conclusion to be drawn from what happens in the ring. This would have been a huge fight say... five years ago. Now, it's an afterthought. Personally, I can't get my mind off the fight that we should be watching - a Barrera/Pacquiao rematch - a bout that for me would be as exciting a proposition, if not more so, than Oscar/Floyd.
I will venture a prediction, however. Marquez in a split decision. I wouldn't wager on that one, but I'm feeling it. I sense that this will be more of a boxing match than a brawl, and I think right now Marquez is the better boxer. I also feel pretty confident that it will go the distance. On the whole, this does have the potential to be a very pleasing fight aesthetically - both of these guys are skillful fighters who can go for the jugular when they smell blood. If you have 50 bucks laying around, you could certainly do worse.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home