One Time's. Fresh, new, yet with considerable intangibles especially with Pac-Man's age. They were both vulnerable back there. Round 1's flash knockdown, the surprised look on Keith's face was memorable.
Pains me to say it but it was Marquez 4. That was a wild, entertaining fight. Followed by Cotto. Cotto boxed well until he got really hurt on the second KD.
1. Marquez IV - Edge of my seat the entire fight. Manny looked really good physically; Marquez looked stronger than ever at the weight; multiple surprise knockdowns; Marquez hurt and looking like a bloody mess, then BOOM 2. Marquez I - Explosive opening round, great exchanges throughout, incredible heart and guts by Marquez to brave the storm and adjust with his precise, sharp counters. 3. Cotto - The first six rounds were awesome; and it was really the first time "little" Manny fought a highly-capable welterweight, so it was something new and uncertain. Cotto landed some heavy, eye-catching shots, but Pacquiao was clearly finding something with the counter left/angle-off to his right when Cotto jabbed. Really great exchanges and of course the two knockdowns. The final six rounds were just Pacquiao putting a brutal beatdown on Cotto and less exciting. 4. Marquez II - Enjoyed the fierce tactical battle in this fight. Both were in great form and the fight was an incredibly competitive one between two incredibly different stylists. 5. Morales I - El Terrible's last great stand at the elite pound-for-pound level. Fun fight, action-packed, and a tremendous showing by both of the greats. I would put Margarito in there simply for the sheer amount of punches thrown by Pacquiao, but I enjoyed the more technically skillful, competitive matchups where both fighters had a tactical challenge and puzzle to solve. Aside from the body shot that hurt Pacquiao mid-fight, he lit Margarito up like a Christmas tree.
