LAS VEGAS?You know it was a scintillating, extremely close and controversial boxing decision when you?re questioning yourself two days later.
For, example, we are in the midst of a nasty ?Family Feud? right here at your favorite boxing web site. Colleague John Chavez, he the young tiger and me the treacherous but crafty oldtimer, nearly got into a fistfight at the Pacquiao Official Victory Party in the wee hours of Sunday morning here?and leave it to our Pinoy ace, Hermie Rivera, to egg the wanna-be combatants on. Hermie just loves bloodbaths, i guess.
John and I, vehemently disagreeing as to who really won, nearly rumbled in The Rum Jungle. Hey, the drinks were copious and emotions were running high. A cooler head prevailed when, of all people, Mike Tyson?s crazy sidekick, Steve ?Crocodile? Fitch intervened and broke it up. Last I saw of the combative Chavez he was headed to his suite with two comely ladies?how sweet is that? Two bacherlorettes and a bachelor on a mission.
By that time, I was so wrecked I couldn?t tell if they were Pinay or Pakistanis but?oops, I forgot, what happens in Vegas?
Chavez and I had a peace cocktail and that was that. But the internecine feud rages on and we will do BoxingConfidential Radio Review of the scoring, yours, mine and the three judges in a minute or so. Colleague Ricardo Lois predicted a Megamanny victory but scored it for Juan Ma.
So our verbal combat continues. Our house is so divided, I hope it still stands while we ride this one out.
Where I?m really second-guessing myself (and my 114-113 Pacman score in agreement with judge Tom Miller) is Round 11. My notes read: ?MP hit low (?), complains?JM lands another lead right hand to MP face?Serious vision problems for both (eye cuts)?MP lands thudding left hook at bell??
I was tortured in trying to decide who won that round. First, I said Marquez, then I said Pacman and then I decided to mark it, 10-9 for Marquez.. Sitting next to me, Gabe Montoya of Doghouse also had it for Marquez. I doubted myself only on this round.
That knotted my score at 104-104 but I saw Pacquaio clearly winning the final round and thus the fight.. It was a wild finish to a wild fight.
I gave Marquez Rounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and 11.
I gave Pacman Rounds 3 (10-8 for the KD), 4, 7, 9, 10 and 12.
I had zero ?crossouts,? meaning no round where I put down a score and then went back and changed it. In that sense, Chapter 2 was much easier to score than their fight of four years ago.
On the other hand, I also had that one even in rounds, 6-6, with the edge obviously being Pacman?s 10-6 advantage for scoring three KDs in the opening round.
Ike and Mike, bread and butter, gin and tonic. Some things just go together.
Some people do also?Ali-Frazier, Gatti-Ward, Marquez-Pacquiao.
After 24 rounds, my rounds total is 12-12 push. But the four knockdowns make all the difference.
This is boxing, not a tea party. This is fighting, not a debate.
How did you score it?
