PRIDE

                        Juan Manuel Marquez, with his counterpunching brilliance, granite chin, and the heart of a true Mexican warrior, proved that he's a real bad motha'. In a fight he was supposed to lose badly to my main man Manny Pacquiao, Dinamita basically told his critics to shut the heck up by landing big time counters and left uppercuts. I swear, that counter right straight-left uppercut 1-2 combo landed flush on Manny so many times me and my little brother were the ones cringing for Manny. Scared for the 8-division world champ. Scared for supposedly the best in the world.

                        Manny Pacquiao, with his otherworldy stamina, blitzing handspeed, and iron will, stood toe-to-toe with his vaunted foe. He fought a smart fight, darting in-and-out, landing combinations and sticking Marquez with jabs to measure the distance before unleashing his left. He drove straight into the kill zone to risk getting hit by the best counterpuncher in the game today because he needed to score. Manny knew he had to be careful, but he still tried to pound his foe to kingdom come.

                        I've said it a million times over and I'm going to say it again: aside from Manny, I fear no other boxer than Juan Manuel Marquez. The guy is simply the best at what he does, and that is to counter. He makes you fight his fight and the moment you fall into his trap, BOOM, right straights and uppercuts all day. Even Freddie Roach admitted that no other fighter has Manny figured out better than JuanMa.

                       I've had the privilege to have covered Manny Pacquiao up-close-and-personal, and if there's one thing I can say about the guy, it's that Manny Pacquiao is a very, very proud man. I've seen how he pushes himself to the limit to make sure he brings it every time he steps in the ring. He's fought them all - skilled veterans like Erik Morales, big bruisers like Antonio Margarito, ring legends like Marco Antonio Barrera and Oscar De La Hoya - and he always found a way to dominate them. He's racked up accolade after accolade on the way to be called the best in the world, and he actually didn't even have to prove himself against a foe who has come close to beating him. Business-wise, his camp could've just focused on the bigger draw against Floyd Mayweather Jr. But Manny Pacquiao is a proud man. Technically, he has already defeated Marquez twice if not for a crucial mistake one of the judges made in their first fight followed by a split decision in 2008, and to risk himself to a possible loss would've only hurt his legacy and a chance for the megabuck showdown with Money Mayweather.

                       But when the chance to fight Juan Manuel Marquez came up, did you hear Manny refuse? Did you hear him make excuses and say he's got nothing to prove against the Mexican legend? Manny didn't. He stood up and accepted the challenge and promised to train for the fight of his life against his arch-nemesis. He basically ran himself ragged (post fight quotes say Manny suffered cramps from the 4th round onwards) just to make sure he left no stones unturned against a technical ring warrior whose game seems tailor made to beat him.

                     If anything, Manny proved he had the balls to face his greatest challenger for the third time. Compared to some people who only care about their streaks, Manny cares for the people who wanted to see him and Marquez duke it out for the third time. When it's all said and done and Manny decides to hang up his gloves, people ought to look beyond the bodies the Pacman left in his wake, beyond the spectacular stoppages and down-the-wire finishes. They ought to look at his courage to fight the best out there. That should be Manny Pacquiao's legacy.

                     The fact that Manny didn't dominate from opening bell only proves that Marquez is truly the Joker to Pacquiao's Batman (or if you're a Marquez fan you can turn it the other way around), the familiar foil for the Pinoy protagonist. Both of them the best with their respective boxing styles, both of them able to raise the level of their games whenever they step in the ring. Manny likes to throw, JuanMa likes to counter. One blessed with tremendous physical gifts, one armed with incredible technique. They can exchange blows until the world crumbles but the fact of the matter is that these two will almost always have a close fight because of their styles. But that doesn't mean Pacquiao or Marquez is the lesser man because of the inability to dominate the fight. If you ask me, it just means that Pacquiao and Marquez are truly the greatest of rivals, each of them willing to duke it out, no round given or taken.

                    Manny Pacquiao had everything to lose in this fight - the WBO Welterweight title, his number 1 ranking as Pound-for-Pound king of boxing, his aura of invincibility. But Pacquiao rose to the challenge to give the people what they wanted - to see the greatest of rivals clash once more. Manny Pacquiao doesn't run from challenges. He knocks them the heck out. Manny Pacquiao is a proud man who will fight whoever, whenever. That should be his legacy.