By Chris Williams: WBO light welterweight interim champion Juan Manuel Marquez will be ringside this Saturday night to watch Manny Pacquiao defend his WBO welterweight crown against Tim Bradley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Marquez will no doubt be studying Pacquiao for any weaknesses that he can exploit in their proposed fight in November or December.

Pacquiao told RingTV “We underestimated Marquez because the first fight, I had a blister on my foot. I had been fighting up a 150 and then at 147, and then this guy moves up from 140 pounds. I had been fighting bigger guys, and so I underestimated him.”

Underestimated him, eh? It sure sounds like Pacquiao is underestimating Marquez an awful lot, doesn’t it? I can understand underestimating Marquez once, but three times? That just tells me that Pacquiao is making excuses for his inability to beat someone that clearly has his number. It’s a style match-up problem for Pacquiao.

There is always someone that has got another fighter’s number. Look at Joe Frazier. Muhammad Ali struggled badly against him, but George Foreman had no problems beating Frazier in two fights. But the same Foreman was dominated and stopped by Ali. I think Marquez simply has Pacquiao’s number and he arguably should have been given wins in all three fights he’s been in with the Filipino. He lands the cleaner punches and dominates him every time. But the excuses from Pacquiao are just so, so sad. I’m really disappointed seeing Pacquiao reduced to making excuses. It’s too bad he can’t just give Marquez a pat on the back for his skills in getting the better of him in three fights.