MANILA, Philippines - Hindi basta-basta ma-kakalimutan ni Manny Pacquiao ang pagpapatulog sa kanya ni Juan Manuel Marquez sa huling segundo ng sixth round sa kanilang pang-apat na paghaharap noong Disyembre 9.
Sinabi kahapon ni Oscar Dela Hoya ng Golden Boy Promotions na mararamdaman pa rin ng 34-anyos na Filipino world eight-division champion ang lakas ng naturang suntok ng 39-anyos na si Marquez kahit na matagal na itong naganap.
“That’s going to be a million dollar question because psychologically, he is always going to be feeling that punch. He’s always going to be looking out for that punch,” ani Dela Hoya, pinagretiro ni Pacquiao noong Disyembre ng 2008 mula sa kanyang eight-round stoppage, sa panayam ng BoxingScene.com.
Ang naturang kabiguan kay Marquez ang pinakamasaklap na pagkatalo na natikman ng Sarangani Congressman sa kanyang professional boxing career matapos ang third-round KO loss kay Rustico Torrecampo noong Pebrero 9, 1996.
“History shows this, and I’m not making this up,” sabi ni Dela Hoya. “History shows that it’s impossible to fully comeback from that kind of a knockout. Can he comeback? It’s up to him.”
Bago mapatulog ni Marquez, isang split decision loss muna ang natikman ni Pacquiao kay Ti-mothy Bradley, Jr. noong Hunyo 9.
Samantala, sa Setyembre pa ng 2013 inaasahan ni chief trainer Freddie Roach na muling lalaban si Pacquiao.
“The thing is I just want him to take a nice rest right now. I don’t think we’ll fight again until like September sometime,” sabi ni Roach kay Pacquiao.