Manny Pacquiao's Trainer Explains Why Juan Manuel Marquez Was Able to Knock Pacman Out So Easily

Do you buy his theory?

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Nearly three months after seeing it happen live, we still can't believe what Juan Manuel Marquez was able to do to Manny Pacquiao during their December 2012 fight. That knockout punch that JMM threw was absolutely incredible. Or, was it?

During a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Pacman's trainer Freddie Roach talked about the fight and gave his theory on why he thinks it was so easy for JMM to knock Pacquiao out in the match. Specifically, he talked about the footwork of both fighters and how it affected the outcome of the fight.

"When you have a lefty [Pacquiao] fight a right-hander [Marquez], you have guys stepping on each other's lead foot more than righty-righty or lefty-lefty," he explained. "We were concerned enough about that happening—because it happened a lot in their other fights, and even could be used as a strategy by Marquez—to ask the referee to come to our dressing room before the fight so we could warn him to watch for that. But what happened was the opposite, and I didn't even see it clearly until later, when I looked at overhead camera shots. Marquez didn't step on Manny's foot. Manny stepped on Marquez's foot. And when Marquez pulled it out, it sent Manny off-balance and forward—right into the perfect right hand. I wasn't ready for that. I had told Manny, when he steps on your foot, don't pull away. But the other way? I didn't see that coming."

So, you buying that explanation?

RELATED: Manny Pacquiao's Most Brutal Hits

[via Los Angeles Times]

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