Juan Manuel Márquez is a Mexican professional boxer and the former WBO light-welterweight champion. He is the third Mexican-born boxer (after Erik Morales and Jorge Arce) to become a four-division world champion, winning seven world titles in four different boxing weight classes.
Ring Magazine currently ranks Márquez as the number three pound-for-pound boxer in the world and number one in the junior welterweight division. He is considered by analysts to be among the greatest Mexican boxers of all-time.
Marquez fought Manny Pacquiao on December 8, 2012. The fight was for the WBO’s “Champion of the Decade” belt. Marquez knocked down Pacquiao in the third round with a looping right hook. In round 5, Pacquiao returned the favor, knocking down Marquez. Pacquiao went on the offensive in the 6th round.
However, as Pacquiao continued the dominating offensive, with just one second left in the 6th round, Marquez countered Pacquiao’s double jab with a ducking right cross – sending Pacquiao face first to the canvas, resulting in a knockout. Pacquiao, who had not been knocked out in over 13 years since his loss to Medgeon Singsurat in 1999, remained unconscious for several seconds.
This was named The Ring magazine’s “Fight of the Year” and “Knockout of the Year” and “International Fight of the Year” by the British website BoxRec. Marquez was also named “International Fighter of the Year” by the same publication.