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2008: The Year of the Rematch
In May 2007 the two fought in front of a packed house in Las Vegas with celebrities strewn throughout the crowd. Major media outlets from all corners of the country made the trek to cover the event. HBO even developed a reality television show to hype the promotion. The fight was ultimately a record-breaking PPV success, with subscriptions in the neighborhood of 2.4 million homes. The audience - mostly casual sports fans - was treated to an anticlimactic, perhaps even boring, boxing match.
And that was the fight to save boxing, right?
The truth is: that fight was neither going to save nor destroy boxing. Though no longer a main-stream sport – like it was through the 1980’s - 2007 proved that when marketed well, boxing can still generate exorbitant amounts of money and interest. The reason is quite simple: there is something about man-to-man combat that is inherently intriguing to all of us. While talks of Mayweather Jr. - De La Hoya II will garner main-stream attention, fight aficionados have their eyes set on a couple of other, more meaningful, rematches, that although less hyped, will surely be more enthralling.
This Saturday, February 16, Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik, 32-0 (29), will square off against former Champion and 2000 U.S. Olympian, Jermain Taylor, 27-1-1 (17). In September 2007, the two fought a gripping contest in which the challenger, Pavlik, hit the deck in round 2 only to come back and blitz the champion, Taylor, in the 7th round. The fight was subsequently stopped when referee Steve Smoger stepped in as Jermain Taylor slumped in the corner, no longer Champion.
A clause in the original contract allowed Taylor to force an immediate rematch. However, that clause included an important caveat; the rematch will be contested at a catch-weight limit166 pounds (6 pounds over the weight at which they fought for the middleweight title). After splitting with trainer Emanual Steward, Jermain will enter the ring, reunited, with his former trainer Ozell Nelson. Taylor’s camp believes that the familiarity of training with Nelson as well as the extra six pounds will provide an advantage, and ultimately be the deciding factor as he seeks revenge against Pavlik.
Pavlik, on the other hand, full of confidence, will enter the ring with Jack Loew, the only coach he’s ever known – dating back to the first time he entered a gym inYoungstown, Ohio. Like Taylor, Pavlik is large middleweight, and he too believes the extra 6 pounds will benefit him as he will not have to cut the additional weight to boil his large frame down to 160 lbs.
Who will actually benefit from the extra six pounds is debatable, and truthfully, the added weight may be irrelevant. However, because the fight is above the middleweight limit, the title will not be up for grabs. Despite the fact that this is not a title fight, after watching the passion and aggression with which these two fought last September, there is hardly any luster lacking from the rematch.
On March 1st the Super Bantamweight championship will be on the line. A rubber match between Israel Vazquez, 42-4 (31), and Rafael Marquez, 37-4 (33), will complete what will likely go down as one of boxing’s great trilogies along the likes of the Ali-Frazier, or more recently Barrera-Morales matches. In reference to Vazquez vs. Marquez, Maxboxing.com’s Steve Kim says “these two go together like peanut butter and jelly.” It’s difficult to argue. The styles mesh perfectly, and it’s hard to imagine a dull fight when these two step into the ring. The first fight in March 2007 included heated exchanges and heart-pounding excitement, but ended prematurely when Vazquez quit in his corner after the 7th round, complaining that he could no longer sufficiently breathe from his nose.
Only months later, after re-constructive surgery on his nasal cavity, Vazquez – in what was unanimously voted as 2007 fight of the year - scored a thrilling sixth round knockout to reclaim the title. What these men lack in size, at only 122 pounds, they more than make up for with ferocity and skill.
On March 15th a highly anticipated rematch between Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao, 45-3-2 (35), and Mexican, Juan Manual Marquez, 48-3-1 (35), will take place. The first bout, in 2004 ended in a disputable draw. The fight appeared to be all but over when Pacquiao blitzed Marquez in the first round dropping him three times. Suddenly, in the second round, the momentum began to shift. Marquez began to slip the Filipino’s punches while countering with crisp, clean shots of his own. For the remainder of the fight it appeared as though Marquez was in control. But when the scorecards were read, many were stunned as the fight was declared a draw. Most media members believe Marquez had sufficiently out-boxed Pacquiao to earn a decision victory.
Because the first fight was competitive, as well as controversial due to the way in which it was scored a draw, there was high demand for a rematch. However, due to monetary issues (as well as questionable management) the rematch never came to fruition.
Since 2004, Pacquiao has gone on to defeat Mexican legends Eric Morales (twice) and Marco Antonio Barrera becoming a superstar in his home country as well as a major ticket seller in the U.S. Meanwhile Marquez, though highly respected by boxing pundits, has remained somewhat in the shadows. Four years later, the two have are finally prepared to fight the rematch for which fight fans have long awaited.
Despite what promises to be a compelling beginning to the boxing year, the media will likely sit back in anticipation of the September event featuring The Golden Boy and Money Mayweather. Sure, there will be all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, but it will ultimately be yet another dull contest once the bell rings. After all, September’s fight is more of a business transaction than a prize fight. 2008 is indeed The Year of the Rematch, but let’s be clear about one thing: it has nothing to do with what will take place in September. |
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