5 of the best boxing rivalries of all time
3. Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez
What could have ended with three knockdowns in one round came to a conclusion three fights later with one right hand.
This past generation's most well-known and celebrated rivalry occurred between eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Over the span of three fights, there wasn't much that separated the two fighters.
Their first meeting at featherweight in May 2004 in a unification title match almost ended in the first round as Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times. Referee Joe Cortez would have been within his rights to end the contest but instead let the fight continue.
Marquez, who had largely been overshadowed by his contemporaries, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, worked his way back into the fight. The two traded rounds and fought to a disputed draw.
Four years later, the two fought at super featherweight in another extremely close match. A knockdown in the third round gave Pacquiao the split-decision win. However, much like the first fight, most observers were split on who won, with the margin of victory being so small.
Another three years would pass until they met again. This time, Pacquiao was now a global star. After their second bout, the fighting senator catapulted himself into superstardom with a series of near-perfect performances that began with an upset over Oscar De La Hoya.
The prevailing thought was that Pacquiao had eclipsed Marquez and that a third fight would not be competitive. Pacquiao was now rated along with Floyd Mayweather as the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound and was now an eight-division champion defending his welterweight title.
However, Marquez would confound Pacquiao, battling him to a majority decision loss. The crowd in attendance was unhappy about the decision and resorted to booing the usually popular Pacquiao. No matter how big Pacquiao's stardom got, Marquez would always represent a stylistic nightmare for him.
In December 2012, a definitive end came in their fourth match. Marquez and Pacquiao would trade knockdowns in the most violent and exciting of their fights.
It looked like Pacquiao had gained an advantage over Marquez in the fifth and sixth rounds. And then the ten-second bell rang.
Pacquiao attempted a double feint, backing Marquez back up against the ropes, but the technician was ready for him to make his move. A right hand landed that sent his foe face down to the canvas.
Four fights. 6 knockdowns. One legacy-altering knockout. Pacquiao-Marquez was never a personal rivalry. The two respected each other outside of the ring. Inside the ring, it was boxing at the highest level. They were usually the best in the weight class and tried to prove who was better in fights that always lived up to or exceeded expectations.