Boxing Writer/Historian Bert Sugar Gives Overview of Tonight’s Pacquiao-Marquez Fight, Plus His Take on Late, Great Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier

By Chris Yandek in CY Celebrities CY News CY Sports CY What's Happening November 12, 2011

CYInterview welcomes back noted boxing writer and historian Bert Sugar to give us insight into WBO Welterweight World Champion Manny Pacquiao’s [53-3-2] upcoming fight vs. Juan Manuel Marquez [53-5-1]. The fight takes place this evening in Las Vegas, at the MGM Grand. Mr. Sugar also shared with us his recollections of the late, great heavyweight champion Joe Fraizer.

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Bert believes this fight, between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, will complete one of the greatest trilogies in pugilism. He highlights the first two fights for us:

“I think it’s one of the great trilogies to be. Certainly, will not stack up against Ali-Frazier and that’s another subject, Joe Frazier, but it’s a great, great potential fight. One of which is Marquez who has fought Pacquiao twice and comes away thinking he’s beat Pacquiao twice. Once after being knocked down three times in the first round and getting up and fighting to a draw…They fought again and had it not been for a very quick flash knockdown by Pacquiao, Marquez and I was there, was thought to be the winner. So he comes away two fights in thinking he’s won twice and now he’s fighting a third time against Pacquiao and it promises to be one hell of a fight.”

The boxing historian does believe that Marquez has a great shot to finally get a win over Manny Pacquiao in this third installment:

“A great shot. The only two things are, he’s [Marquez] 38 years old with passing time, A. And B, not importantly, he’s had to go up in weight as three time champion at lower weights. Pacquiao seems to be normal at the welterweight level…Probably one of the greatest left handers in history to the point where he [Pacquiao] now is a complete fighter. So Marquez has to, though he’s got a great style stepping away to his right against Pacquiao, he has to combat that and the fact that he’s got extra weight to hold on to.”

Earlier this week, legendary heavyweight champion Joe Frazier passed away. Many will remember his great fights with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman among numerous others. Bert Sugar gives his memories of Joe Frazier:

“Joe Frazier has always been thought of a hyphenate, part and parcel, Muhammad Ali. You would always say Ali-Frazier. You’d never say Frazier-Ali even after Frazier won their first fight in 71. Ali was the headline. That said, with poor Joe’s death on Tuesday, Joe Frazier stood alone without that hyphenate, without that Ali attachment and became just Joe Frazier, one of the greatest champions of all time, big enough in his own right and he threw a left to gain front page coverage in the NY Times on a stand alone one without Ali basis as one of the ten greatest heavyweights of all time, my rating”

Finally, though there had been a recent report that, perhaps, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao might finally be happening, Bert doesn’t believe it.

“Good. Call me when it happens will you. For three years I said it’s never going to and I will stick to that.”

Bert Sugar’s recent book is titled The Ultimate Book of Boxing Lists. You can find more information and purchase a copy of the book by Clicking Here

You can email Chris Yandek at [email protected]