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Saturday, November 20, 2010
MARTINEZ FLATTENS WILLIAMS IN 2ND
(From ESPN)
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Sergio Martinez proved his point and did it as emphatically as a fighter can do.
Eleven months ago he and Paul Williams waged an epic slugfest -- one of the best fights of 2009 -- that many believed Martinez deserved to win. But Williams got the nod on a majority decision.
In the much-anticipated rematch, however, it was a totally different story. Martinez crushed Williams, knocking him out cold with a single, massive overhand left in the second round for the likely knockout of the year on Saturday night before 5,502 at Boardwalk Hall.
The victory probably locked up fighter of the year honors for Martinez in a 2010 in which he decisively outpointed Kelly Pavlik to win the title and then iced Williams.
Martinez, of course, would love to fight either Pacquiao or Mayweather, even though the size difference would be a problem.
"My plan is to have two or three more fights before I retire and would like to have one of them against Pacquiao or Mayweather," said Martinez, wearing a crown on his head and smiling widely during his television interviews. "I want to listen to all offers and see what comes my way."
But for those believing that maybe Pacquiao or even Mayweather would make the attempt to fight him, forget about it. Sanity among sanctioning bodies will come first.
And DiBella is under no illusions that either will fight Martinez, even though he would certainly love to make either fight.
"If you're Pacquiao would you go near him," DiBella said of the eight-division champion. "Martinez will have a problem making fights because that's how f---ing good he is. I know what I got. I got the best fighter in the world."
If Martinez, blooming at age 35, isn't the best fighter in the world, he's damn close. He blew away an elite fighter with a single punch that was reminiscent of the all-time classic knockout Thomas Hearns authored against Roberto Duran -- also in the second round.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter @danrafaelespn
Saturday, November 13, 2010
PACQUIAO DOMINATES MARGARITO
(Iole Column - Yahoo Sports)
ARLINGTON, Texas – Manny Pacquiao was once again masterful, beating Antonio Margarito so frightfully that Margarito’s face looked as it had been pounded repeatedly by a club.
Pacquiao won a unanimous one-sided decision in a blowout from the opening seconds of the fight to capture the World Boxing Council super welterweight title before 41,734 in-awe fans at Cowboys Stadium.
Pacquiao’s title belt, coming against an opponent who had a 17-pound weight advantage when the bell rang, 165-148, was the eighth in his illustrious career. Pacquiao has won world titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147 and now 154 pounds.
Judges Jurgen Langos had it 120-109, Glen Crocker had it 118-110 and Oren Schellenberger had it 119-109 for Pacquiao. Yahoo! Sports scored it 120-107 for Pacquiao, giving Pacquiao a 10-8 edge in the 10th round when he dominated tremendously.
Margarito, fighting for the first time in the U.S. since Jan. 24, 2009, when he was caught with an illegal knuckle pad in his gloves before a loss to Shane Mosley, was never in the fight. Pacquiao’s speed was blinding and was the difference in the fight.
Pacquiao was hurt when Margarito landed a combination to the ribs, but he spun off the ropes and landed a three-punch combination to the head. Margarito’s right eye was swollen grotesquely, beginning in the fourth. By the 10th round, the left eye was a slit, too.
Pacquiao was looking at referee Laurence Cole late in the fight, asking him to stop it. Pacquiao said he eased off in the 12th round. “I did my best,” Pacquiao said. “He’s strong. He’s a very tough fighter. I can’t believe [he took those punches].”
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, added, “We didn’t lose a round. I wish they had stopped the fight. They probably ruined his career by not stopping the fight.”
ARLINGTON, Texas – Manny Pacquiao was once again masterful, beating Antonio Margarito so frightfully that Margarito’s face looked as it had been pounded repeatedly by a club.
Pacquiao won a unanimous one-sided decision in a blowout from the opening seconds of the fight to capture the World Boxing Council super welterweight title before 41,734 in-awe fans at Cowboys Stadium.
Pacquiao’s title belt, coming against an opponent who had a 17-pound weight advantage when the bell rang, 165-148, was the eighth in his illustrious career. Pacquiao has won world titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147 and now 154 pounds.
Judges Jurgen Langos had it 120-109, Glen Crocker had it 118-110 and Oren Schellenberger had it 119-109 for Pacquiao. Yahoo! Sports scored it 120-107 for Pacquiao, giving Pacquiao a 10-8 edge in the 10th round when he dominated tremendously.
Margarito, fighting for the first time in the U.S. since Jan. 24, 2009, when he was caught with an illegal knuckle pad in his gloves before a loss to Shane Mosley, was never in the fight. Pacquiao’s speed was blinding and was the difference in the fight.
Pacquiao was hurt when Margarito landed a combination to the ribs, but he spun off the ropes and landed a three-punch combination to the head. Margarito’s right eye was swollen grotesquely, beginning in the fourth. By the 10th round, the left eye was a slit, too.
Pacquiao was looking at referee Laurence Cole late in the fight, asking him to stop it. Pacquiao said he eased off in the 12th round. “I did my best,” Pacquiao said. “He’s strong. He’s a very tough fighter. I can’t believe [he took those punches].”
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, added, “We didn’t lose a round. I wish they had stopped the fight. They probably ruined his career by not stopping the fight.”
HAYE STOPS HARRISON - RETAINS WBA HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
MANCHESTER, England (AP)—David Haye stopped Audley Harrison in the third round to retain his WBA heavyweight title Saturday night.
Haye proved too strong for the 39-year-old Harrison, knocking him down in the third round and causing referee Luis Pabon to stop the first all-British heavyweight title bout in 13 years to prevent further punishment.
Haye promised to spoil’s Harrison’s first major title bout a decade after winning the heavyweight gold medal in the Sydney Olympics, and he delivered quickly in his second title defense.
Harrison, bitter at Haye for ignoring him at his lowest point after helping Haye rise to the top, was more than 40 pounds heavier and two inches taller than Haye, but it didn’t matter to the champion.
Harrison barely brushed Haye in a cautious opening and took more than a minute to even throw a punch as the first round ended in jeers from the sellout 20,000-crowd in MEN Arena.
The second round was marginally better as Haye landed a couple of rights on Harrison, who looked fearful and hesitant.
Haye finally unleashed hooks and cuts at the start of the third round, knocking down Harrison, who took an eight count.
When Haye landed more unanswered heavy blows, Pabon moved in to end a lopsided contest at 1 minute, 53 seconds.
“I was patient,” Haye said. “I knew the jeers would turn into cheers.”
Haye gave Harrison a hug as they met for their post-match news conference and said: “Whatever differences we had, that’s in the past.”
“We made sacrifices to get in the ring,” Haye said. “I came off the better man and was always confident I would do. The fact he wouldn’t look in my eye when I got into the ring told me he didn’t want to engage. I like to look in their eyes and say ‘Let’s do this.’ He wouldn’t do that and was looking everywhere but my eyes.
“I put a lot of money on the third round and lot of my friends and family did.”
Harrison left to more boos, but said his defensive style was part of his tactics.
“I went in there believing I could win. I felt it was my moment but wasn’t to be,” he said. “I thought the crowd were booing both me and David Haye and I was comfortable my plan was coming together. But give credit to David. He’s a puncher and we know that. I didn’t freeze out there. I’m not going to put my chin out there. I’m not a gung-ho type of fighter.
“It’s disappointing, but I’ve no excuses. I had a chance at the world title, but I’ve come up short.”
The knockout was Haye’s 23 in 25 wins, against one loss. Harrison dropped to 27-5.
Haye has set his sights on a unification bout with the Klitschko brothers. Wladimir, the IBF champion, looks a more likely option before WBC champ Vitali.
“Once they see the numbers and that I am the main man and there’s nobody else to fight,” said the 30-year-old Haye. “I can’t promise anything. I’ve dealt with these guys before. But I will do everything in my power to make this happen. It has to happen in 2011.”
Haye proved too strong for the 39-year-old Harrison, knocking him down in the third round and causing referee Luis Pabon to stop the first all-British heavyweight title bout in 13 years to prevent further punishment.
Haye promised to spoil’s Harrison’s first major title bout a decade after winning the heavyweight gold medal in the Sydney Olympics, and he delivered quickly in his second title defense.
Harrison, bitter at Haye for ignoring him at his lowest point after helping Haye rise to the top, was more than 40 pounds heavier and two inches taller than Haye, but it didn’t matter to the champion.
Harrison barely brushed Haye in a cautious opening and took more than a minute to even throw a punch as the first round ended in jeers from the sellout 20,000-crowd in MEN Arena.
The second round was marginally better as Haye landed a couple of rights on Harrison, who looked fearful and hesitant.
Haye finally unleashed hooks and cuts at the start of the third round, knocking down Harrison, who took an eight count.
When Haye landed more unanswered heavy blows, Pabon moved in to end a lopsided contest at 1 minute, 53 seconds.
“I was patient,” Haye said. “I knew the jeers would turn into cheers.”
Haye gave Harrison a hug as they met for their post-match news conference and said: “Whatever differences we had, that’s in the past.”
“We made sacrifices to get in the ring,” Haye said. “I came off the better man and was always confident I would do. The fact he wouldn’t look in my eye when I got into the ring told me he didn’t want to engage. I like to look in their eyes and say ‘Let’s do this.’ He wouldn’t do that and was looking everywhere but my eyes.
“I put a lot of money on the third round and lot of my friends and family did.”
Harrison left to more boos, but said his defensive style was part of his tactics.
“I went in there believing I could win. I felt it was my moment but wasn’t to be,” he said. “I thought the crowd were booing both me and David Haye and I was comfortable my plan was coming together. But give credit to David. He’s a puncher and we know that. I didn’t freeze out there. I’m not going to put my chin out there. I’m not a gung-ho type of fighter.
“It’s disappointing, but I’ve no excuses. I had a chance at the world title, but I’ve come up short.”
The knockout was Haye’s 23 in 25 wins, against one loss. Harrison dropped to 27-5.
Haye has set his sights on a unification bout with the Klitschko brothers. Wladimir, the IBF champion, looks a more likely option before WBC champ Vitali.
“Once they see the numbers and that I am the main man and there’s nobody else to fight,” said the 30-year-old Haye. “I can’t promise anything. I’ve dealt with these guys before. But I will do everything in my power to make this happen. It has to happen in 2011.”
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