LAS VEGAS — Juan Manuel Marquez needed about three rounds to get used to his new weight class. After that, he was nothing but bad news for Joel Casamayor.
Marquez won his lightweight debut Saturday night, stopping linear champion Casamayor for the first time in the Cuban’s career with a dynamic flurry late in the 11th round.
Marquez (49-4-1, 36 KOs) moved up to lightweight in hopes of landing a third bout with Manny Pacquiao after going 0-1-1 against the Filipino pound-for-pound king. Marquez proved the extra five pounds didn’t bother him in a comprehensive win over Casamayor (36-4-1), the 37-year-old Cuban champion who has unofficially ruled the division since beating Diego Corrales two years ago.
Marquez was slow and tentative in the first three rounds, allowing Casamayor to take charge. When Marquez finally got aggressive, Casamayor wasn’t able to keep up — but Marquez left no doubt in the final minute of the 11th, first flooring Casamayor with a right hand to the chin.
Marquez was relentless after that, landing several big blows before a glassy-eyed Casamayor went down for good on consecutive right hands with about 7 seconds left.
Marquez is among boxing’s top talents, but the 34-year-old is running out of time to join the sport’s elite stars — and he was surpassed in the hearts of many Mexican fans recently by welterweight Antonio Margarito, who stopped Miguel Cotto to become the boxing-mad nation’s highest-profile champion.
Casamayor holds none of the major title belts, but has beaten both the late Corrales and Nate Campbell, who holds the other three 135-pound title belts after upsetting Juan Diaz last March. Casamayor appeared to be in decline in recent fights, winning a questionable decision over Jose Armando Santa Cruz and struggling in a win over Michael Katsidis last spring.
He still presented a stiff challenge for Marquez in his first lightweight bout. Few fighters have ever looked good against Casamayor’s array of head butts, elbow blows and generally awkward left-handedness — but Marquez managed to do it.
Marquez began the fight with extreme caution, showing none of the cavalier showmanship of his two lively fights with Pacquiao. Casamayor was happy to pick away with left-handed shots while controlling the first three rounds.
But Marquez opened a cut above Casamayor’s right eye in the fourth round, and he turned the physical tide with a persistent jab and a higher work rate.
Mexican fans dominated the MGM Grand crowd, booing Casamayor heartily — but Casamayor has loved being the villain since winning his gold medal at the Barcelona Games 16 years ago.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
