Judges: Jurgen Langos, Oren Shellenberger, and, Glen Crocker, had it, 120-108, 119-109, and, 118-110, all for Manny Pacquiao.
FanHouse had it for Manny Pacquiao, 119-107.
Referee: Laurence Cole
Margarito enters the ring first to cheers, led by his Mexican flag; Pacquiao, second, led, initially, by AC/DC'S "Thunderstruck." Both fighters were cheered loudly as they entered.
Margarito's introduction is greeted by a mixture of cheers and boos, but mostly, cheers. Pacquiao's introduction receives a similar reception, so the crowd appears to be a mix of fans for both fighters.
Round 1: Pacquiao has a bit of a bulge to his belly and his trunks are pulled high. They touch gloves, Pacquiao right jabs and Margarito meets him in the middle of the ring and is coming forward. Pacquiao jabs and goes to the belly with a left. Margarito is so much bigger at 165 to Pacquiao's 148. Pacquiao lands a few jabs and right hands that follow and the crowd gets into it. A counter right hand lands for Pacquiao and another that jars Margarito's head. Pacquiao lands a right to the body and two more jabs to the head. Margarito is backing up. A three-punch combination by Pacquiao, who is so much faster. Another three-punch Pacquiao combination. Margarito misses with a wild right hand. Another three-punch combination for Pacquiao as the bell rings. Pacquiao's round, 10-9.
Round 2: Pacquiao has established the tempo behind his right jab and follow up lefts. Margarito's guard is high but he is not punching. Pacquiao counters with a hard right but then takes a left from Margarito. Pacquiao stays on the outside and circles. Margarito takes a four-punch combination, right-left, right-left, and another right uppercut. Margarito lands three blows to the head and chest along the ropes. Margarito fires twice to the body. If Pacquiao can do this all night he will have no problems. Pacquiao lands a double-right hook and two left hands, but takes a nice uppercut from Margarito. Margarito lands two solid left jabs. Pacquiao fires and lands two left hands before the bell. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 20-18.
Round 3: Margarito did better in the second round by closing the distance and landing some punches in close. But Pacquiao resumed his strategy of landing from the outside, a one-two up the middle early. Pacquiao whips home a nice left hand and then another. Margarito clubs with a jab and a right hand. The pressure is decent from Margarito, his hands held high. Margarito lands a nice right but takes a hard left hand from Pacquiao that draws crowd reaction. Pacquiao takes a wide right but Pacquiao's defense is tight. Pacquiao reaches and lands a round-ending four-punch combination. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 30-27.
Round 4: Pacquiao continues to circle to his left, and then lands a double-right hook over the top. Pacquiao escapes a jam along the ropes with a hard right and a left and then fires another three-punch combination. Pacquiao shakes Margarito with a hard right and then lands seven unanswered punches. Margarito is undeterred and comes forward. A hard body shot backs up Margarito and then a right wobbles him. Pacquiao is on him, pounding away. Pacquiao is peppering with his right jab and pounding him so that there is swelling and a large, bloody cut. Pacquiao's round, 10-8; Pacquiao, 40-35.
Round 5: Margarito appeared to be ready to go at the end of the last round, but catches Pacquiao early along the ropes with a series of body shots. However, the smaller man resumes control with yet another series of unanswered punches, starting with a right-left combination. A hard left hook targets Margarito's eye again. Margarito gets Pacquiao on the ropes for a three-punch combination to the body, but Pacquiao escapes and fires that left hand that swivels Margarito's head. Pacquiao drives Margarito's head back, yet again, with another right-left, right combination before the bell. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 50-44.
Round 6: Pacquiao continues to circle and jab with his right, and Margarito, to plod, unable to close in. Margarito continues to run into the right hand and then a left hook follows from Pacquiao. A right to the chin by Pacquiao. A right-left from Pacquiao jars Margarito. A four-punch series -- all uppercuts -- find the mark for Pacquiao, whose angles and movement prevent Margarito from getting a bead on him. Pacquiao appears to nearly go down from a left hand to the body along the ropes, but escapes, moves away, and then fires about six unanswered punches to win the momentum back. Margarito's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 59-54.
Round 7: Pacquiao goes back to jabbing and moving to start the seventh, apparently wary of Margarito's body shots. Pacquiao does the Ali-Shuffle to the delight of the crowd, and then fires two, successive combinations. Pacquiao lands a nice left but can't follow up. Pacquiao answers with a three-punch volley and then dances away. Pacqauiao takes a right to the body and two uppercuts. Margarito takes three of the same. Pacquiao fires a seven-punch combination starting with his left hand. Margarito seems close to trapping Pacquiao in a neutral corner, lands two body shots, and then absorbs a right, left right combination as the bell sounds. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 69-63.
Round 8: Pacquiao is on his toes but then gets trapped on the ropes and absorbs some punishment to the body. A vicious counter attack allows Pacquiao to escape. Pacquiao lands and shakes Margarito with a big left, but the bigger man comes forward. Margarito lands a good, solid left to the chin along the ropes. Pacquiao escapes and fires a four-punch volley. Margarito fires a straight right hand up the middle, and, later, traps Pacquiao along the ropes and enjoys some success to the body. But Pacquiao closes strongly. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 79-72.
Round 9: Margarito steps up the pressure early and lands a hard right to the body along the ropes. Pacquiao dances and jabs to create distance. Pacquiao is boxing almost exclusively until he lands two, wicked left hands that knock Margarito's head back. Pacquiao's energy level is incredible. Hard right hand from Pacquiao, who takes one, and then lands another right that shakes Margarito. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 89-81.
Round 10: Margarito's eyes, bruised over and under, are nearly closed. Referee Laurence Cole tests them prior to the start of the round, asking what Margarito can see when he holds up his fingers. He allow the fight to continue, and Pacquiao lands a wicked right hand. A five-punch combination from Pacquiao begins a 10-punch assault. The crowd chants "Manny!" A right uppercut lands from Pacquiao, and then, an overhand right. Pacquiao fires and lands an eight-punch combination and Margarito is rocked by a right hand and nearly goes down. Pacquiao pours it on, but, amazingly, Margarito stays on his feet. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao, 99-90.
Round 11: Pacquiao goes back to pounding Margarito, who appears ready to go. Rights and lefts to the head, uppercuts, and Pacquiao looks at Cole as if asking him to stop the fight. And then Pacquiao resumes the punishment, uppercuts, right hands. Cole stops the action and asks Margarito if he can see, and then allows the beating to continue. Margarito's right eye is pouring blood. His mouth is agape. Pacquiao closes with a four-punch combination, Pacquiao's round, 10-8; Pacquiao, 109-98.
Round 12: Pacquiao, told simply to ease up and win the round by trainer, Freddie Roach, has his up-jab working early. Margarito is still throwing punches, gamely. Margarito still is coming forward, and Pacquiao seems content to box. A four-punch combination lands to the head for Pacquiao. Pacquiao doubles up on the left hand. Pacquiao closes the round with a six-punch volley, even as Margarito throws and misses. Pacquiao's round, 10-9; Pacquiao 119-107. By Lem Satterfield
0 comments:
Post a Comment