YOU?VE heard all the predictions, analyses, commentaries. Can?t wait till Sunday? That makes two of us.
So relax, kick back and grab a cold one as the Last Round offers you a ringside seat to not just one, but three possible scenarios for Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito.
FIRST. With the malevolent intent of capitalizing on Margarito?s notoriously slow starts, Manny starts out fast.
Right away he establishes his advantage in hand speed and lands several of his patented southpaw straights.
Margarito retorts with a grin and proceeds to advance behind a slow jab and some hooks, but finds Manny to be an elusive target.
The same pattern repeats itself in the second and third rounds, but Margarito starts to connect with the occasional uppercut. No cause for worry though as Manny seems to take the blows well.
Roach decides to unveil the game plan. Margarito comes forward in straight lines and so Manny moves adeptly from side to side- his lateral movement giving him angles to unleash some rapid fire combos.
Margarito finds himself flummoxed by Manny?s punches which seem to come from all sides.
In the sixth, one-trick Tony decides he can?t hang with Manny in the center of the ring and decides to tie him up and bully the smaller fighter into corners. Manny gives him the rope to hang himself as the taller man has inexplicably decided to part with his height and reach advantage by stooping down to brawl.
Manny decides to unleash some devastating uppercuts that bloody Marga-cheato?s mouth.
The round ends with the crowd on their feet after Manny batters the ?Tijuano Tornado? along the ropes right before the bell.
Seeing that his man has had enough, trainer Robert Garcia saves him from the ignominy of a knockout loss and instructs him to stay on the stool as the bell rings for the eighth round.
SECOND. The fighters play out the quintessential feeling-out first round and spend plenty of time circling each other. The only meaningful blow that lands is a left straight from Manny which lands smack on Margarito nose before the round ends.
Both fighters pick up the pace in rounds 2 to 5, with Margarito getting aggressive and Manny countering and dancing out of harm?s way. So far, Pacquiao is up 5-0 due to his ring generalship and punch accuracy.
In the sixth, Manny lands a looping left on Margarito and the latter wobbles. The crowd erupts but the lanky Mexican warrior wisely ties up Manny and the remainder of the round features more grabbing and hugging.
In the seventh, sensing that he way behind on the scorecards, Margarito starts to take more chances. He bullies Manny along the ropes and gets some shots in, but Manny fires back. Even round.
In the eighth, what Pacman fans dread the most happens. Just as Manny backs up after a clinch, Margarito clips him on the chin with an uppercut.
Not much torque behind it, but the leverage enjoyed by the nearly six feet tall Margarito generates enough power and Manny goes down. He gets up wobbly at the count of 7. Freddie Roach is screaming himself hoarse.
Margarito pounces on the Pacman but the latter ties him up and hangs on for dear life.
The bell rings just as Buboy Fernandez starts tearing his hair out.
Energized by the knockdown, Margarito presses the action but Manny has recovered enough to resume boxing his charging opponent and counters beautifully. Still, Margarito?s aggression wins him the round.
The same pattern repeats itself in the tenth and eleventh. The last round is a fight-of- the- year candidate. Both men elect to pour it all to leave a lasting impression on the judges. Tough round to score.
To the collective relief of Manny?s fans all around the globe, the Pacman wins it by a unanimous two-point margin on all cards.
THIRD. Manny starts off brilliantly in the first three rounds, dispelling all innuendos about his lack of preparation for this fight.
He boxes beautifully and repeatedly spears Margarito with that left straight that doesn?t seem to miss. However despite all the punches landed, Margarito seems impervious to it all and continues to stalk the smaller fighter.
He picks up the pace in the fifth round and tags Manny with the occasional jab followed by a looping right. Manny continues to stick and move.
In the sixth and seventh rounds, Margarito?s forays become bolder and bolder while Manny?s output decreases. Close fight so far.
The eighth round is all Margarito as he begins to assert his size and power. In contrast, Manny seems wilt under the searing pressure exerted by the ?Tijuana Tornado.?
Margarito continues his assault in the ninth and tenth rounds. Manny desperately fights back but he seems winded and lethargic. Still, his championship poise carries him through most of the exchanges, but it is not enough to fend off the streaking Mexican.
The frenetic pace continues in the eleventh and twelfth rounds, but Manny counters brilliantly to keep Margarito at bay. However, the judges have it all for the proud Mexican warrior by unanimous decision.
LAST ROUND. It?s on my charming kumare, Trina Zosa-Tan who celebrates her birthday this week. Cheers!
