Pacquiao, Dos Santos Top Saturday Night Fights
Manny Pacquiao wins by decision
by Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao was taken to the limit Saturday night before escaping with a majority decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez in their welterweight title fight.
Pacquiao won on two scorecards, while the third ringside judge had it a draw. It was a narrow escape for the Filipino congressman, who took as much punishment as he got over 12 rounds.
Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez trade punches during their welterweight title fight Saturday in Las Vegas. Pacquiao escaped with a decision win.
The third fight between the two was as close as the previous two, and by the time they finished 12 arounds the outcome was still in doubt. Pacquiao won some rounds with sheer agression, while Marquez won others with brilliant counterpunching, keeping Pacquiao from getting inside.
Marquez was a 7-1 underdog, but it was clear early he would be in this fight. He picked Pacquiao apart with right hands almost every time he tried to get inside, and landed good hard flurries throughout the fight.
Pacquiao was the aggressor throughout, and landed some sharp punches of his own. But when the decision was announced, the crowd booed roundly and, once again Marquez had lost a close fight.
One ringside judge had it a 114-114 draw, while two others favored Pacquiao by 115-113 and 116-112. The Associated Press had it 114-114.
The sellout crowd at the MGM Grand arena threw bottles and cans toward ringside after the decision was announced, with one full can hitting a ringside writer. Marquez, who had been bitter about the scoring in the first two fights, stormed out of the ring.
Pacquiao continued his remarkable run with the win, but it didn’t come easy. He had trouble all night finding his range and, when he did get inside, Marquez often moved to the side and landed a counter right hand.
It was the third close fight between the two men, though this one was fought at 144 pounds instead of 125 as was their first fight seven years ago. That fight was a draw, while Pacquiao won a split decision in the second bout in 2008 at 130 pounds.
“My fans are very happy because they thought I won,” Pacquiao said when asked about the crowd reaction.
Marquez fought going backward all night, and that might have been his undoing. While he landed well at times, Pacquiao was in his face most of the night.
“I got robbed,” Marquez said. “I don’t know what else I can do to win.”
Pacquiao earned a minimum $22 million for the fight, while Marquez got $5 million
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
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Dos Santos Thrilled with Title Win, Pegs Lesnar as Next Contender
By Mike Whitman
Courtesy of the great mma website, www.sherdog.com – the place to go for mma news
Though tabbed as a betting underdog prior to his heavyweight title showdown with Cain Velasquez at UFC on Fox 1, Junior dos Santos now sits atop the UFC’s heavyweight division as the undisputed champion.
The hard-hitting “Cigano” dispatched Velasquez quickly in the UFC’s network television debut at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., taking just 64 seconds to dethrone the previously undefeated jewel of the vaunted American Kickboxing Academy.
“I’m very happy with the result,” said dos Santos at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “Going into the fight, I was a little concerned to go five rounds with Cain, because his cardio is so good. I feel I implemented my game plan well, and I’m happy to be the first person to beat Cain Velasquez.”
The game plan that dos Santos implemented was not a complicated one: keep the fight vertical. Velasquez chose to establish himself early in the standup department and paid the price. While both men connected with feelers early, it was the Brazilian who drew first blood, flooring the champ with an overhand right behind the ear. Dos Santos pounced on his prone opponent and Velasquez was unable to defend the barrage of punches bombarding his skull, cuing referee John McCarthy to stop the contest.
“I love to fight standup. I’m confident in that area,” said dos Santos after his ninth knockout victory. “I was waiting for his kicks and I was looking for the knockout, like in all my fights. My coach tells me I got heavy hands, so I try to use them in the start of fight, because that’s a good time to use [them]. I am 100-percent in that moment, so it’s a good time to use my power. It worked today.”
To those who expected Velasquez — a former NCAA wrestling All-American at Arizona State — to try to out-wrestle dos Santos, Velasquez’s insistence on engaging in the pocket was likely a surprise. However, dos Santos was not shocked by Velasquez’s willingness to stand in the bout’s early going.
“No, [I wasn’t surprised]. He was walking forward, like I thought [he would], and he was putting a little pressure [on me],” said dos Santos. “I don’t know if it was [usually] how he likes to do it, but man, it was a good moment for me.
“I don’t know if you guys are able to [understand how I feel]. I can’t explain how I’m feeling,” dos Santos continued. “It was an important fight for the whole MMA [community] and especially for me and Cain. Now I’m the champion, and it’s amazing. When you’re a positive person and you give your all, good things happen to you.”
Up next for the new champion is a showdown with the winner of December’s demolition derby between Alistair Overeem and Brock Lesnar. While Cigano would not state a preference on whom he would like to face next, he did offer a casual prediction when jokingly pressed by UFC boss Dana White.
“I never choose any opponent, so it doesn’t matter [who wins]. I’m not thinking about that now. I want to go back to Brazil and make a big barbecue for all my friends and training partners,” said dos Santos. “But, of course, I will be watching the fight. I don’t know [who will win], but I think I’ll go with Brock.”
