San Francisco, CA– Antonio Margarito makes entrance, has his people in house. Manny Pacquiao just about to enter the stadium. Fight is a couple of minutes away at most.
Michael Buffer doing his thing in the intros. Judges and referee Laurence “Don’t Call Him Larry” Cole introduced. Margarito in at even 150, Pac 144. Round one: Pac looks small, Marg looks ugly. Manny getting in a body shot, he is trying to get that left to the gut. Pac bouncing & banging, Marg slow and taking punches, especially around the 2 minute point. Speed is dictating fight. PAC 10-9.
Round two: Marg just bending forward, not seeming to care about Pac, who lands three punch combo that Marg eats like cereal. Getting low,now upright, Pac and Marg exchanging. Marg getting in, as is Pac. Better round for Marg, but he didn’t win. Some in room thought Marg won frame. PAC 10-9. Pax 2-0 in rounds.
Round three: Marg corner say he won round. AM excited off stool. Round uneventful until 3 minute mark, Pac rolls off 5 punch combo. Little guy is impressive, out boxing bigger man. Marg tries to go downstairs, fails. PAC 10-9. Movement and combos, speed too much for Mexican.
Round four: Pac in the flow now. Marg trying to close distance, gets Pac on ropes 1/2 way through round. Fighters exchange, Marg don’t want to give ground. Pac explodes and stops Marg attack. Pac in control, looking for KO. Uppercut from Marg with 30 left, his only real punch of round. Not a 10-8 round, but clearly a Pac round. PAC 10-9. Pac 40-36.
Round five: Watch out for that right, ouch, hook, Pac landing with his near hand. Marg stepping it up, Pac rebuffs and comes back. The cut on the right eye of Margo from prior round is bleeding. Ineffective aggressiveness by Marg who is trying but getting whipped on. Owning Marg at times, Pac finished round with salvo. PAC 10-9.
Round six: Brilliant exhibition of boxing by Filipino. He dances away, stops, fires, lands, and then moves away. Marg who was losing steam is coming forward, pac lands flush left to chin. Marg trying to impose size advantage, throwing and landing. Marg gets advantage at end of round. Not enough, PAC 10-9.
Round seven: Pac is moving and firing shots on the go, landing right hooks, lefts, making marg come in and eat punches. Marg lands best punch of fight at close of round, a right. Eye report, ugly cut getting uglier on Marg. PAC 10-9.
Round eight: After Dr. looks at cut, fight starts again. In walks Margo, Manny bobbing, weaving, Marg slow but right in front of manny who is landing shots. Marg gets Pac on ropes, Manny off ropes and now back, now Pac is eating punches. Back in ring center, Marg still trying to impose size and will. Both guys are tired, Marg finishes round strong, but Pac comes back. A left uppercut from Marg rocked pac, who came right back. PAC 10-9.
Round nine: Marg getting closer in first minute, but Manny is on move, evading pinches and aggression. Marg busted up around right eye, swollen, just ugly bruise/vut. Pac dishing it out, punches from angles, from both hands, Pac having to work for round, but is doing so. Marg chasing, Pac landing. Marg looks done! Will he quit? PAC 10-9, Pac 90-81.
Round ten: Pac doing it easy, comes out looking for KO of tired Mex fighter. Landing shots here and there, while Marg’s eye closes and he takes a beating. 30 seconds to go, Marg in trouble. Will he make it? Yes, PAC 10-8.
Round eleven: Marg mouth busted up, bruised under both optics. Looks like beaten man. Needs KO, tells MD he is OK. Comes out looking like walking dead man. Little pac just throwing combo after combo, and landing. Marg taking beating, fight should be stopped by referee Cole. heads clash, Marg forcing the fight, but catching. Ref tests Marg’s vision, passes. Marg shows heart, Pac shows skill. PAC 10-9. Pac 110-98.
Round twelve: Having not lost a round, Pac is near brilliant. Little guy kicking the s*it out of bigger man. Right, left, as it was from the first round on, hooks, combos, Pac is showboating all over Marg. Dogging Marg, it’s over as Manny wins final round and shutout. 120-107 on my card.
OFFICIAL SCORES: 120-108, 118-110, 119-109
Great win for Pac, amazing in that he, with the exception of a punch here and there, went almost untouched for 12 rounds. My 120-107 scores means I gave Manny a 10-8 round ten. Pac, Duran, Leonard, you can mention him with those greats folks.
“Ring Talk News Service”