I agree with everything except PAC being p4p#2 Pacquiao helps his argument Norm Frauenheim The Arizona Republic Oct. 7, 2007 06:58 PM Marco Antonio Barrera's last dance was surprising only because of a few new steps from Manny Pacquiao, who is hard to typecast and harder to beat. There were lots of explanations for Pacquiao's measured performance in a one-sided decision Saturday night against Barrera, who promised to retire after the defeat in Las Vegas. Pacquiao's rise to the top of pound-for-pound ratings has been defined by aggression. He was vulnerable because defense was forgotten in his rush to attack. This content is protected OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1') This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected Yet, the whirlwind wasn't there in the Filipino's rematch with the faded Barrera. There was a theory that distractions had diverted his attention from training, leaving him out of condition. People close to the Pacquiao camp said he was 4 pounds heavier than the junior-lightweight limit hours before Friday's weigh-in. But he was at the mandated 130 pounds when he stepped on the scale. On Saturday night, he was 144 pounds. That kind of swing can consume energy. Yet, Pacquiao adjusted in a way that gives him an edge over Floyd Mayweather Jr., in the pound-for-pound claim. Barrera, who did it all in his mastery of the craft, said it best. "He is a very good defensive fighter," Barrera said. That's a compelling argument for Pacquiao. If he didn't wow the crowd that wanted only the knockout, he showed that he is more complete than Mayweather. Mayweather is defined by a Houdini-like defense but never for the go-for-broke power that has been so much a part of the Pacquiao personality. Yet, the debate is just beginning. Now, it's Mayweather's turn, although Saturday it looked as if he just wanted take a few turns on a ballroom floor. He invited the media to watch him rehearse in Las Vegas for his next bout on Dancing with the Stars. Ricky Hatton isn't his partner. But Hatton will be on Dec. 8. Then Mayweather has a chance to counter. If he doesn't offer something new, Pacquiao threatens to dance away with this debate. Marquez fight in Tucson The pound-for-pound debate will resume at Desert Diamond Casino, south of Tucson, on Nov. 3. Juan Manuel Marquez, who beat Marco Antonio Barrera and fought Manny Pacquiao to a draw, hopes to retain his World Boxing Council title against Rocky Juarez in a fight that ranks as the biggest in the southern Arizona casino's brief ring history. Golden Boy Promotions reached a deal late last week to stage the Showtime-televised bout at Desert Diamond, which has a partnership with the Oscar De La Hoya-owned company. It looked as if the fight was dead a month ago. It was originally scheduled for Sept. 15 but was canceled after Marquez withdrew because of an infection on his right hand. A pound-for-pound six pack 1. Manny Pacquiao. Increasing versatility just means more chances to win. 2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Lots of dance steps, but they are all defensive. 3. Juan Manuel Marquez. Might be Pacquiao's biggest threat. 4. Kelly Pavlik. He's the new kid near the top of the block after taking the middleweight title from Jermain Taylor. 5. Bernard Hopkins. Not even age (42) can stop Father Time. 6. Joe Calzaghe. He'll celebrate the 10th anniversary of his uninterrupted reign as the super-middleweight champ on Thursday.
