I agree with this and disagree with Robbi. Marquez looks more flat-footed now because he is carrying extra weight. Even if he had slowed down a little, he has developed into an aggressive and powerful counter-punching technician and was a better fighter in '08 than he was in '04. Pacquiao is undoubtedly better now than he was in '04 and I thought Marquez peformed better against him in '08 than he did in '04. It is pretty short-sighted to think that just because someone looks better means they are better. Marquez perhaps looked quicker and slicker at 126, but he was not fighting opposition to compare to Barrera, the '08 Pacquiao, Casamayor and Juan Diaz.
I think Marquez is getting better and more significant wins these days. But looking soley at him as a fighter and his capabilities within the ring, etc, he was better back at featherweight. Depends what you mean performing better, because he's throwing power punches and getting involved and being exciting? He was equally as flat-footed at 130lbs. Certainly not much more flat-footed at 135lbs. I think the Marquez of 2002-2004 would have had an easier time with Barrera than he did 2 years ago. Simply because he done things better as a fighter. Quickier, better foot movement, faster, etc. The Marquez of 2003 could do the things he did against Barrera two years ago. But the Marquez of two years ago couldn't do the same things he did in 2003. It's that simple.
We'll have to agree to disagree. Put 2002-2004 Marquez in with 2008 Pacquiao and he gets stopped. The Marquez who fought Pacquiao second time around was stronger, more experienced, more aggressive, more seasoned, and was the best version of Marquez ever IMO. Physical peak is not always the same as the peak of a boxer's abilities. For instance, the Calzaghe who beat Lacy and Kessler 2006-7 was probably not the same physical specimen as the Calzaghe of around 2000, but for much the same reasons as I have given for Marquez above, the 06-07 Calzaghe was the best Calzaghe ever. Calzaghe 2000 would not have made the fight with 2008 Hopkins so close, he would have been handily outboxed.
I actually agree on Calzaghe. His handspeed against Lacy was probably quicker than it was in 2000, as was his arsenal of punches. He couldn't have put on those type of performances back then. Every fighter is different. I have never came to the popular conclusion that when every fighter gets older he gets slower, etc. Most fighters, yes. I also don't buy into when a fighter moves up in weight he gets slower, not always anyway. Mosley is the prime example. A far better fighter in his early welterweight days than ever was at lightweight. And his handspeed increased significantly when he moved up. Probably because he was still youthful at 28 and had been badly struggling with the weight. Obviously weight drained fighters aren't getting the best out of speed they have in their locker. Hopkins at 36 was equally as quick as he was at 26.
Marquez weighed in around the 140s on fight night at 130 maintaining a low body fat, if he wasn't big at the weight he wouldn't need to drain down and put on 10lbs over night. If Barrera wasn't a smaller man why did Marquez weigh more on fight night? He was a career long 126lber, never fought lower, he even fought at 135 as a 22yo and only came down to 126 limit for title fights/eliminators. Sure he could use diuretics, saunas and sweat suits to drain down to 126 back at 130 but he was tight at the weight. Trainers talk allot of garbage about fighters anyway, you think Marquez could still make 126 now?
Casamayor was a bantamweight until he turned pro as a 25yo where he fought at 130 wasn't he, same dimensions as Marquez and only went to 135 to chase big names. If Diaz lost 10lbs of bodyfat (and hes carrying 10lbs too much imo) he'd obviously make featherweight all things being equal. Make of that what you will
Obviously not. His last two fights have been at lightweight and he's not fought at featherweight since late 2006 against Jaca. But he never moved up to fight Barrera because he was struggling with the weight at 126lbs. Golden Boy made the fight as it gave Marquez the opportunity to move up for a marquee fight. Barrera was never going to move down. Why would Bernstain say that after Marquez beat Barrera he could still make featherweight? Marquez moved up for bigger fights, not because he was struggling with the weight. I bet you think Hopkins was a HUGE middleweight because he's now fighting at light-heavyweight. Hopkins walked around at middleweight no higher than 166lbs and amazingly came in at 156lbs for the De La Hoya fight. He could easily, I repeat, easily, have made 154lbs when he talked about moving down to fight jr middleweights in 99. Because Hopkins happens to be tall at 6' 1" and is now fighting two divisions above his natural weight, this doesn't make him a HUGE middleweight when he fought there. Hopkins was a natural middleweight who made the weight no problem. Obviously helped with his discipline and keeping himself in incredible condition.
Irrespectively, my point is still valid. Marquez has had tougher fights in recent times because he has been fighting better fighters - not because he has declined in anyway shape or form. This is the best version of Marquez we have seen.
He hasn't declined? You think his reflexes are the same compared to 4-5 years ago? His handspeed isn't the same either. Surely you don't think Marquez's speed is the same. It's a combination of tougher fights, moving up in weight, and his skills eroding as well. He still has solid technique, heart, and is punching with more authority. "Not because he has declinded in anyway shape or form". Complete and utter nonsense. I have been on this board for years and seen many discussions on Marquez. Read many threads. This is the first time I've ever read an opinion from anyone, yours and Dinamita's, that Marquez isn't slowing down and not looking as good as he did before. I'd always like to add, watch Marquez against Jandaeng and Jaco, the fights prior to Barrera, and you'll notice thats when he began to become flat-footed and was trading more. At featherweight.
It's still a very good version, but not the best we have seen. His marquee fights and holding his own while moving up in weight highlight his ability. But that ability shone more at featherweight, not only because he his comp was weaker.
I believe to any reasonable observer, it would be hard to make such a distinction considering Marquez did not fight any truly great fighters until 5 years ago.