Eager fans hungrily await the November 12th Pacquiao vs Marquez fight. Unable to lure Floyd Mayweather Jr. into a fight, Pacquiao’s camp instead settled for a third matchup with Marquez as the next best thing. Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) faced Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KO’s) in 2004 fighting to a draw and again in 2008, garnishing a split decision victory. Now moved up to welterweight, Pacquiao’s WBO title is on the line in a 12 round bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
As both previous fights have shown, the two fighters match up well and this one should approach pay-per-view records, but there is one forgotten obstacles that has been lost in all the pre-fight hype. The 37 year old Marquez still has a “tune-up” fight scheduled against 25 year old Columbian Likar Ramos (24-3, 18 KO’s) on July 16th at the Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico. Ramos does not sport the fight resume of Marquez, but he has won his last three fights by KO and he’s certainly not viewing this as just another tune-up. He will be fighting hard for the win, some respect, and perhaps a future big payday of his own.
So how important is the Ramos matchup to Marquez? Well, it’s pretty important because the following Pacquiao showdown totally depend on him not only winning, but doing so in convincing fashion. Any other outcome would jeopardize the November bout and all the hoopla and hype that are sure to come with it.
A fighter of Marquez’s caliber should have no problem though, right? Most people are viewing this as a simple tune-up, as Marquez has been out of action since a November of 2010 TKO of Michael Katsisis. In the end, that will probably be the case for the superior boxer, Marquez. History has taught us valuable lessons though. Just remember Mike Tyson’s 1990 tune-up against Buster Douglas or Michael Bentt’s shocking upset of Tommy Morrison in 1993. Both fights were tune-ups that not only went wrong, but they both cost the heavy favorites championship titles. History should always be respected, and so should every opponent in the ring.
Marquez is looking forward to fulfilling his trilogy with Manny Pacquiao, and rightfully so. Somewhere in a gym right now though, Likar Ramos is training hard, hoping to be the next tune-up fighter to make history of his own. What is meant as an easy fight for Marquez could prove devastating if taken too lightly…..and that’s probably what Ramos is hoping for.
Source: 8countnews.com
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