Marco Antonio Barrera has fought both Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, so his opinion on the bout may warrant more attention than even a seasoned boxing analyst.
Barrera is dead-on in his opinion of Marquez having to be more aggressive in this bout to finally pull out a victory in eyes of the three only people that matter; the judges.
Yes, Marquez’s counter-punching style does give Pacquiao fits, but Marquez would be smart to pick times where he abandons his trademark style and opens up a little more on Pacquiao.
Pacquiao will expect Marquez’s defensive style, so coming out early on and testing out how being more active fairs against Pacquiao would be a smart move on Marquez’s behalf.
This likely being the last time these two storied fighters meet in the ring and Marquez’s career dwindling down, there is no real reason Marquez does not risk it all by being more active the fourth time around with Pacquiao.
With all signs leading up to the December 8 showdown pointing to Pacquiao seeking a knockout victory, Marquez will have his chances to land significant power shots on Pacquiao. Marquez could throw off Pacquiao’s plans for a KO by being more active.
Netting a win against arguably one of the best fighters of all-time could solidify Marquez’s legacy in the ring. As opposed to another loss against Pacquiao, which would not kill Marquez’s legacy, but only add another minor dent in an already hall of fame worthy career.
