Boxing News 2011: Vitali Klitschko KOs Odlanier Solis

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Vitali Klitschko retained his WBC heavyweight title with a late first-round knockout of Odlanier Solis, who injured his knee in the fall and insisted it was that -- and not the champion's punch -- that ended the fight Saturday.

Klitschko's right to Solis' left temple staggered the Cuban, who wobbled back then fell on his back and clutched his right knee.

Solis managed to beat the count but was unsteady on his feet as referee Jose Guadalupe Garcia of Mexico called the fight.

"It was a full blow," Klitschko said in the ring, with the crowd in Cologne's indoor arena booing.

Klitschko's punch came in the final second of the first round, after Solis hit him on the chin with a right.

"It was definitely my knee," Solis said, also in the ring. "It could be that I took a wrong step."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6237456

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• Odlanier Solís may be fighting Vitali Klitschko at just the right time (guardian.co.uk)
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Boxing News 2011: Donaire stops Montiel in second round

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Coming into the fight, Donaire and Montiel were both on the pound-for-pound list and bidding for upward mobility, but it was Donaire who bashed his way a step closer to being recognized as one of the very best fighters in the world behind Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino countryman he idolizes.

With the booming knockout, Donaire won a title in a third weight class and gave the Philippines another victory in its burgeoning boxing rivalry with Mexico. Donaire was a longtime flyweight champion -- the same division where Pacquiao began his historic run -- and also had won an interim junior bantamweight belt.

But he had outgrown the 115-pound division and moved up to bantamweight in December, where he crushed former titlist Wladimir Sidorenko in four rounds to send a message to the division.

He sent another one against Montiel, who wound up in the hospital as a precaution after such a thudding knockout.

"I knew we both had the punching power to knock each other out," Montiel said. "I made the first mistake and I paid for it."

Did he ever. But Donaire said it was no surprise to him. He said that he had envisioned a second-round knockout.

"I told [trainer] Robert Garcia in camp before Christmas it would be a second-round knockout. I had a premonition," Donaire said.

That's exactly what he got.

"It was the speed. That was my main key. The openings he gave me was all I needed," said Donaire, a native of the Philippines who moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when he was 10.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6140820

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Boxing News 2011: Montiel, Donaire battle for supremacy

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The fight poster that adorns the light boxes throughout Mandalay Bay advertises the much-anticipated showdown between unified bantamweight titleholder Fernando Montiel and top-10 pound-for-pound fighter Nonito Donaire. Near the top, above their photos and under the words "World Championship," the poster reads, in big, bold letters: "Mexico vs. The Philippines."

Besides crowning the top bantamweight in the world, the fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday night (HBO, 9:45 ET/PT) is all about nationalistic pride in the latest installment of a growing rivalry between the boxing-mad countries.

"This fight between Nonito Donaire and Fernando Montiel -- everybody who follows boxing knows it will be a great fight, but the interesting thing for me about this fight [is] the countries where these fighters come from, the Philippines and Mexico," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. "There is almost frenzy about this fight. I was informed that in the Philippines there are two one-hour [television] specials promoting the fight, and they are expecting a huge audience on Sunday morning, which is their time equivalent of when the fight will be aired.

"In Mexico, there is tremendous anticipation and great media coverage. It is my hope that the enthusiasm that is coming from the Philippines and Mexico permeates in the United States, that people that follow boxing and casual sports fans watch this fight on HBO because it truly will be a great fight for the sport of boxing."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6134944

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Boxing News 2010: Manny Pacquiao unanimous winner

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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Manny Pacquiao more than made up with speed what he lacked in size.

Giving away both pounds and inches, boxing's little superstar turned Antonio Margarito into a bloody and nearly blind fighter with a dizzying array of punches Saturday night in a lopsided decision victory that wasn't close from the opening rounds on.

In a spectacular performance before a delighted crowd of 41,734 at Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao cemented his claim to being the best fighter in the world by dominating the bigger but slower Margarito almost from the opening bell.

Pacquiao won round after round, opening a cut on Margarito's cheek, closing his right eye, and turning his face into a bloody mess.

The punches came quickly, and they came often. Margarito was plenty game as he tried to stalk Pacquiao around the ring, but every time he got close Pacquiao would land a four- or five-punch combination that snapped his head back and stopped him in his tracks.

The beating was so thorough that the congressman from the Philippines turned to referee Laurence Cole several times in the 11th round, imploring him to stop the fight. It went on, though, even though Margarito had no chance to win.

"I can't believe that I beat someone this big and this strong," Pacquiao said. "It's hard. I really do my best to win the fight."

Pacquiao moved up in weight yet again to take on Margarito, a natural welterweight with a reputation for ruggedness in the ring. And rugged he was, though he took a beating all night long at the hands of a faster and seemingly more powerful opponent.

"There was no way I was gong to quit. I'm a Mexican, we fight until the end," Margarito said.

Pacquiao won every round on one scorecard, 120-108, and was ahead 119-109 and 118-110 on the other two. The Associated Press had it a 120-108 shutout.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/news/story?id=5804295

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• Pacquiao wins WBC title on points (news.bbc.co.uk)

Boxing News 2010: Margarito will receive further punishment in the ring

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In terms of competitiveness, this is a terrible matchup. In terms of action, it’s a dream come true –- although the action will be brutally one-sided.

We saw what happened when Margarito, minus the doctored gloves, fought Mosley in January of last year. A 37-year-old who soon afterward showed that he has declined destroyed the rugged Mexican, brutally knocking him out in the ninth round.

And now he’s fighting Pacquiao? The Filipino marvel is 31 and in his prime. He might or might not punch as hard as Mosley at welterweight -- Miguel Cotto would probably lean toward the former -– but he clearly is faster and better than Mosley at this point in their careers.

And forgive the cliché but styles really do make fights. Could Margarito have a better style for Pacquiao? He knows how to fight one way: He stalks his opponent, walking directly into danger. Somewhere Pacquiao is licking his lips in anticipation.

Some might point to Margarito’s pummeling of Cotto as an example of what the Mexican is capable of doing to a quick, talented fighter. That was more than two years ago, though. Margarito looked ordinary against journeyman Roberto Garcia in his only fight since California revoked his license.

Many will point out the size factor: Margarito is a big, strong welterweight while Pacquiao is probably a natural junior welterweight.

How many times do we have to go over this? Size is only a factor when the talent level of the fighters is roughly equal. In this case, the gap in talent is wider than the ocean that separates Mexico and the Philippines.

Pacquiao probably can’t take Margarito out with one punch -– who could? -– but the sacrificial lamb will be hit by an accumulation of punches that almost assuredly will leave him a bloody heap on the canvas before the end of the scheduled 12 rounds.

Imagine a man walking into the whirling propeller of a plane. That’s what’s in store for Margarito.

For the record, I don’t wish this on Margarito. The fact he was about to fight Mosley with loaded gloves was borderline criminal and certainly reprehensible but he’s a friendly guy. You want to believe him when he says he didn’t know –- even if you’re convinced he did.

However, when Pacquiao tears him to pieces, a part of all the angry people who don’t believe he deserves this opportunity, will smile and think to themselves: “He had that coming.”

http://www.ringtv.com/blog/2256/margarito_will_receive_further_punishment_in_the_ring/

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