By Chris Williams: We’ve heard the excuses already about Manny Pacquiao having family problems the last time he fought Juan Manuel Marquez last November, and we’re hearing some new excuses about Pacquiao not having taken Marquez seriously for some reason.

Pacquiao said this about why he fought so poorly against Marquez last November as quoted by RingTV “I the last fight I took Marquez too lightly because I was the bigger man physically. My focus this time is to go for the knockout…I want to erase the last fight and any doubts in number four. I will focus this time.”

Pacquiao says he’ll focus this time? Why not last time? How can Pacquiao have not taken Marquez seriously when tons of people thought that Marquez deserved to win the decision in their 2004 and 2008 fights? How can Pacquiao not have taken Marquez seriously after getting completely out-boxed in both of their previous fights leading up to their fight last November.

If Pacquiao can’t concentrate than he needs someone that can teach him how to focus because if he’s getting whipped each time fights Marquez due to not taking the fights seriously then he needs some special help from someone. Maybe it’s not Freddie Roach that can get through to him. Maybe it takes someone else that can get Pacquiao properly mentally engaged to take the Marquez fights seriously.

I see it as nothing but flimsy excuses for Pacquiao. Instead of confronting the likely reality that Marquez is simply the superior boxers with the better boxing skills and ring IQ, Pacquiao blames it on not taking Marquez seriously. And then we have Roach blaming it on Pacquiao having marital problems. I don’t buy that excuse either. I just think Pacquiao simply has met his match against Marquez and Tim Bradley and he can’t solve those guys for some reason.

Pacquiao and Marquez will meet once again this time for a fourth time this coming December on the 8th of that month at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.