Tried and true veteran Juan Manuel Marquez takes center stage in Las Vegas.....

In September of last year it looked as though proud Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez was perhaps on his last legs as a prizefighter. Moving up in weight to face off with undefeated stalwart Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marquez was soundly defeated over twelve humbling and one-sided rounds. Marquez looked old and out of sync with his future in the sport seemingly up in the air.​

Marquez took some much needed time away to regroup and showed us in his last outing that he is far from finished on the world class level with a convincing unanimous decision over Juan ‘Baby Bull’ Diaz, the same man he had knocked out in the ninth round in 2009’s Fight of the Year. While there were initial rumblings of a fight with Amir Khan at 140 pounds following the victory, Marquez opted to remain in the lightweight division and will be facing off with tough Australian Michael Katsidis this weekend at the MGM Grand.
At age of 37 you can tell that Marquez isn’t quite the same fighter anymore, as his reflexes have dulled and his speed and quickness isn’t fully the same anymore, but he is far from worn out and still possesses the great ring savvy and technical efficiency that helped get him to the championship level. He is still considered the man to beat at 135 pounds and with a bevy of talented up and comers around him, he will surely have enough options to keep himself busy.
His fight this Saturday night against Katsidis is definitely worth a look. 2008 was a horrid year for the Australian as he was stopped in the late rounds by Joel Casamayor in March and convincingly out hustled by Diaz six months later. His limitations were on display but the man nicknamed ‘The Great’ persevered and is presently riding a four fight winning streak, with the most recent outing being a 3rd round stoppage over previously unbeaten Kevin Mitchell in London. Katsidis’ pressing style and dogged attitude will surely bring out the best in Marquez.
Around the turn of the century Marquez began creating some serious buzz in the sport but he was still overshadowed by Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. Marquez suffered some hard luck with his first HBO showcase as he dropped a dubious split decision to St. Louis’ Freddie Norwood but he would instantly get back in the gym and continue striving for some form of recognition.
Marquez will forever be tied to Filipino star Manny Pacquiao, whom he fought to a heated draw in May of 2004 while surrendering a split decision in their March 2008 rematch. Marquez claims that in his heart he knows he won both bouts and Pacquiao’s impressive run of success hasn’t been enough to sway him from wanting another crack at his bitter rival. But with Marquez still at 135 pounds and Pacquiao more comfortable near the welterweight division, that fight seems unrealistic for the moment.
Of course there are other telling images of Marquez, including his savage beating of Robbie Peden in which he forced the Aussie to remain on his stool after the tenth as he was too busy puking up blood to continue. Marquez was also brilliant in dissecting the likes of Manuel Medina, Jimrex Jaca, and Joel Casamayor, amongst others. He holds a March 2007 victory over Marco Antonio Barrera in an excellent fight and the latest rumors have him possibly facing a come backing Morales sometime next year if everything plays out according to plan.
Marquez will be hitting Las Vegas tomorrow for his grand arrival at the MGM Grand and it marks a significant moment, as all of his fights at this point deserve some type of notice. Marquez has carved out a fine reputation over the years through hard work and a willingness to constantly test dangerous waters. 2011 may mark the year that he finally winds down but you can be guaranteed that ‘Dinamita’ won’t be going anywhere without a fight

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