Boxing News 2011: Donaire stops Montiel in second round

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
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

Image via Wikipedia
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 2011: Manny Pacquiao's visit 'unforgettable'

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Manny Pacquiao stopped traffic outside the White House on Tuesday, during a whirlwind tour of the nation's capital that included meetings with President Barack Obama and Sen. Harry Reid.

The Filipino boxing sensation was crossing the street near the White House when several drivers, trying to snap photos of Pacquiao with cell phones, caused a multicar pileup, Pacquiao publicist Fred Sternburg told The Associated Press. Nobody was hurt in the accident.

Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee, spent time talking boxing and basketball with the President, along with a bit of business. Pacquiao was elected representative of the Sarangani province nine months ago in national elections in the Philippines and has taken the new job as seriously as he does boxing. He's already explored building the area's first provincial hospital.

"This is an unforgettable moment in my life," Pacquiao said earlier in the day.

The eight-division world champion posed with Obama for several photos, including a boxing pose, in the Oval Office, Sternburg said. The President gave him three grocery bags full of light blue M&M's with the presidential seal, along with a watch adorned with the seal, and said he hopes to someday visit the Philippines.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6125339

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Boxing News 2010: Manny Pacquiao unanimous winner

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

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

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

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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Boxing News 2010: Pacquiao vs Clottey fight disappoints boxing fans

Image by mario_d via FlickrMANILA, Philippines – Perhaps spoiled by previous Manny Pacquiao knockouts, only a handful of people from the crowd at SM Megamall Cinema 10 were left applauding and rising from their seats even before the decision, declaring the Filipino boxer the winner, was announced.
“Of course, expectations were not met. It was still a little exciting, though,” said Loy Kaloso, who works for a bank in Pasig City.
He wasn't among those who walked out but Kaloso admitted the fight was not the most exciting one.
“(Joshua Clottey) did not put up a fight. He was playing it safe,” he said, adding that Pacquiao's fight against Miguel Cotto in November was more thrilling.
Only a smattering of applause greeted the announcement that Pacquiao had won by unanimous decision over Clottey although some cheers rang out as Pacquiao was seen celebrating his victory.
http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20100314-258617/Pacquiao-vs-Clottey-fight-disappoints-boxing-fans