MAYWEATHER AVOIDS ANY CHANCE OF FIGHT
Las Vegas, NV– Whether or not you admire Michigan native and now Las Vegas resident Floyd “Money” Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs), you have to admire how he applies his trade. Saturday night was no different as Floyd put on a one-sided display of boxing, using patience and smarts in beating Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) in a welterweight contest at the MGM Grand.
MEXICAN MAULER WAS TOO DAMN’ SMALL!
Marquez, who also can boast to being one of the best fighters of this generation, was game but just too slow, too small, and possibly too old to pull off the unexpected. Mayweather who weighed 146 lbs., two over the contracted weight of 144, had a significant size advantage over Marquez who scaled 142.
In the end, none of that probably made a difference in determining the outcome. Marquez, normally a slow starter, appeared to be holding his own until a second round knockdown by Mayweather set the tone of the fight. Floyd, whose only intent was on winning, took very few chances and in the minds of many, stunk the joint out!
ROUT ON THE CARDS
Judge William Lerch had it 118-109, Dave Moretti saw things 119-108, while Bert Clements gave Floyd every round, as well as an extra point for the knockdown with a 120-107 score. Floyd dominated the punch stats scoring with 59% of his punches landing 293 to only 69 connects for Marquez, who landed a paltry 12% of his blows.
MEXICANS HAD LITTLE REALLY TO CHEER ABOUT
Most of the time the pro-Mexican crowd cheered and roared anytime Marquez threw a shot. Unfortunately most of his punches were blocked by Floyd’s arms and gloves. It was a marvelous display of defense, however due to the considerable size advantage one would have begged him to step it up and go for the knockout, considering he was consistently able to pot shot his foe.
DOES SHANE HAVE TO BE 48 TO GET FLOYD?
WBA welterweight (147) champion Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) is obviously looking to fight Mayweather, but the apparent “bitch” in Floyd (as usual) is reluctant. The victory quite possibly sets up a match with the winner of November’s fight between Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) and Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs).
DOES GOOD UNDERCARD MERIT $50 CLAMS?
Tonight’s card also had a stacked undercard. In a highly anticipated rematch, WBA featherweight (126) champion Chris John of Indonesia won a lopsided decision over four-time title challenger Rocky Juarez (28-5-1, 20 KOs) of Houston, TX. Unfortunately the current trend of bad scoring continues. Glen Hamada who normally produces respectable scorecards scored the fight 114-113 for John. The RingTalk ringside scorecard tabbed matters 119-109 for John. Juarez, who stunned and hurt John badly in the closing seconds of the fight, lost just about every round besides the finale. John moves to 43-0-2, 22KOs.
Australia’s Michael Katsidis (26-2, 21 KOs) wins the vacant WBO interim lightweight (135) title with a split decision victory over Woodland, CA’s Vincente Escobedo (21-2, 13 KOs). It was a classic battle of boxer versus brawler, but in this case the Aussie’s aggression, though at times ineffective, carried the day. I had it 115-113 for Katsidis.
In the PPV opener, Detroit Michigan’s Cornelius Lock (19-4-1, 11KOs) scored a stunning 5th round KO over previously unbeaten Puerto Rican Orlando Cruz (16-1, 7 KOs) in a featherweight contest. A stunning right hook ended matters at 2:08 of the round. The fight was an entertaining scrap, with Lock scoring a knockdown in the opening round.
Kevin Perry