There is a good chance that the once-disgraced Margarito gained some new respect tonight in his losing effort; he was incredibly brave, never backed down from Manny, and just kept looking to land the big shots he felt could turn the tide.
As the rounds added up in the action-packed fight, the awe over Manny Pacquiao grew. To be quite honest, you can forget Floyd Mayweather Jr. He proved it once more tonight at Cowboys Stadium.
Saturday's fight was for the WBC pound title—the eighth different weight class in which Pacquiao has been a world champion. It's one thing to sit back and take on all challengers in one division. But to challenge yourself, keep moving up in weight and winning like Pacquiao does is absolutely incredible. Pacquiao had every reason to not be at percent for this fight. After all, Margarito isn't the same fighter he was just two years ago against Cotto, as Sugar Shane Mosley proved with a ninth-round technical knockout in January He could have also had a letdown after the second attempt at securing a fight against Mayweather fell through.
But he plowed right along, picked up another win and now sits waiting to see if Mayweather is the last true challenge left in a historic career. Boxers try their best to keep away and all distractions while training for fights. Sometimes there can be family drama, problems with trainers or promoters, or even issues with the law.
Pacquiao is a larger-than-life figure in the Philippines, and so it's hard to go anywhere without drawing a crowd. The spotlight intensified even more in May when he won a seat in Congress.
While trainer Freddie Roach expressed concerns about preparation for this fight, saying how behind they were and that Pacquiao wasn't ready, obviously none of this came back to haunt him. Very few in boxing—let alone any sport—could handle that. Every great boxer has had a great trainer. Saturday's win marked just the latest for Pacquiao and his longtime trainer, Freddie Roach.
The two have proven to be a perfect combination, in part because of Roach's straight-forward, no-nonsense approach and ability to get the most out of his star pupil. Pacquiao has been very open in stating that Margarito wraps his own hands, and his denials of not knowing they were packed with a hard substance were absurd. Pacquiao wants someone impartial in the dressing room with Margarito to watch him wrap his hands.
If you believe that he will be packing pavement with his punch and can connect against Pacquiao, then the 25 to 1 odds look pretty sweet, but don't look for that to happen.
Pacquiao by Decision 28 to 1. Pacquiao is the more talented of the fighters and he will win this match, but can Margarito go the distance? Margarito will absorb considerable punishment in the middle rounds but he will continue to stalk his dynamic prey with a swollen face. The two will exchange vicious combinations to the thrill of the 70, inside Cowboys Stadium.
Pacquiao will land the sharper — perhaps harder — punches but his face will bear marks from the combat at the close of the round. Roach will once again caution his fighter against the macho stuff, this time with more urgency, and Pacquiao will once again obey his trainer by using his legs more than his fists in rounds nine and Margarito will land some punches but Pacquiao will keep his back off the ropes and clearly outbox his bigger, surging adversary.
The championship rounds of the bout will expose how much each fighter wants the victory and how good or bad their camps were. Margarito will bull Pacquiao to the ropes, where they will go tit for tat, landing head-spinning power punches and crippling body shots. The crowd will be on its feet for the duration of the dramatic 12th round as Margarito closes hard and a tired, but defiant Pacquiao exhibits the heart of a champion. Dettloff: Why a Margarito victory would be good for boxing.
Margarito clearly energized by his second chance. Pacquiao behind in training? Doesn't matter. Pacquiao sluggish for final day of training in Philippines. Is Pacquiao now milking his past success? How will fans and the media react to a Margarito victory? Gym Notes: tough sparring session proves Margarito is not a shot fighter. Gym Notes: I haven't seen it yet, but word is Margarito's looking good. Pacquiao in Baguio City: Serious sparring, boundless energy.
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