Just when you thought that Manny Pacquiao couldn?t find a way to inspire more superlatives, he does just that.
In many ways, Antonio Margarito achieved everything he wanted from a strategic standpoint. First, he pressed the action almost every second of every round. Second, he managed to corner the fleet-footed Pacquiao more often than any other recent opponent. Third, after a slow start, the ?Tijuana Tornado? whipped up five consecutive rounds of 70 or more punches. Finally, as you will read later, he established several new records of success against boxing?s pound-for-pound best.
But in the end the laws of nature and boxing were applied in most brutal fashion, for Typhoons always trump Tornadoes. Because of that, Pacquiao added another divisional belt to his already overstuffed trophy case and an additional line to his extraordinary legacy.
As Pacquiao carved up Margarito like a Thanksgiving turkey, the concerns surrounding Margarito?s 17-pound in-ring advantage, the dressing room gamesmanship, his consuming cupfuls of coffee with artificial sweetener and Hydroxycut-gate was overwhelmed by Pacquiao?s subsequent technical and numerical brilliance. Pacquiao won 33 out of 36 rounds on the scorecards with a spellbinding blend of magnificent maneuverability, potent power-punching precision and endless reserves of stamina and concentration.
The CompuBox numbers only serve as confirmation of Pacquiao?s unquestioned command. ?The Pac Man?s? whirlwind attack produced a 474 of 1,069 performance overall (44 percent) to Margarito?s 229 of 817 (28 percent) and a dazzling 411 of 713 in power punches (58 percent) to Margarito?s 135 of 312 (43 percent). Because neither man is a known jabber, the jab numbers were inconsequential in terms of the result (63 of 356, 18 percent for Pacquiao; 94 of 505, 19 percent for Margarito).
Pacquiao?s 474 connects are the eighth highest ever recorded in CompuBox?s 25-year history (see CompuBox 400-plus club). His 411 power shots ? an average of 34 connects per round ? are nearly 20 more than the junior middleweight average of 12.5.
Margarito began the bout by committing to the jab and he enjoyed an unusual amount of success as he registered double-digit connects in the first two rounds and topping off at 15 connects in the seventh. But those jabs could not keep Pacquiao from storming in, landing a high percentage of his power shots and nipping out before Margarito could effectively retaliate.
Pacquiao?s stunningly accurate power punching was most responsible for the result. Unleashing 59.4 power shots per round ? far more than the 33.7 junior middleweight norm ? Pacquiao topped the 50 percent mark in all but the second and third round.
On four occasions Pacquiao exceeded 60 percent power accuracy ? the fourth (43 of 62, 69 percent), the fifth (40 of 60, 67 percent), the 10th (57 of 89, 64 percent) and the 11th (51 of 75). Conversely, Margarito topped 50 percent just twice ? in rounds four (10 of 18, 56 percent) and the seventh (29 of 55, 53 percent).
In the final three rounds, Pacquiao rolled up a preposterous 135-18 advantage in power connects and it would have been even more lopsided had Pacquiao not shown mercy in the 12th.
A round-by-round examination showed that Pacquiao swept all 24 rounds in terms of total connects and power connects while the taller Margarito prevailed in jab connects 6-4-2.
In his 28th fight tracked by CompuBox, Pacquiao established several new personal records:
* Single round total connects: 64 in round 10 (old record 55 during round three against Erik Morales) * Single round power connects: 57 in round 10 (old record 51 during round three against Erik Morales) * Single round power punches thrown: 89 in round 10 (old record 86 during round two against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba) * Total connects: 474 (old record 336 against Miguel Cotto) * Total power connects: 411 (old record 276 against Miguel Cotto) * Total power attempts: 713 (old record 682 against Joshua Clottey)
Also, Pacquiao established six new marks as Margarito?s 18th CompuBox tracked opponent ? and he did them again and again. He broke Antonio Diaz?s records of 39 total connects and 30 power connects seven times, snapped Sebastian Lujan?s 71 power attempts in a round three times and smashed Paul Williams? records for total connects (288), power connects (205) and power attempts (650).
The courageous Margarito landed 229 total punches. Pacquiao?s four previous opponents (Clottey, Cotto, Hatton and delaHoya) landed a combined 379 punches. Outclassed as he was, Margarito still established new standards of success against Pacquiao. He twice broke Erik Morales? 29 total connects in a round in back-to-back stanzas (31 in the seventh and 34 in the eighth) and twice exceeded Agapito Sanchez?s 84 punches thrown in a round (85 in round two and 95 in round eight). He twice tied Sanchez?s mark of 52 thrown jabs (rounds two and nine) and topped Oscar Larios? round three record of 24 power connects (29 in round eight) and 719 power punches in a fight (817). Finally, Margarito launched the most jabs of any Pacquiao opponent (505), breaking Larios? 377.
The round that best captured Margarito?s frustration was in the eighth when he set the new record for punches landed against Pacquiao with 34. Pacquiao responded with a sizzling 42 of 91 performance that proved to be a back-breaker. From then on, Margarito?s vigor steadily ebbed while Pacquiao continued to blaze his way into history.
Will the pull of politics be too strong for Pacquiao to resist or will that elusive superfight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally be made? ?Money?s? legal troubles may render that question moot but should Mayweather elude those legal obstacles the same way he avoided punches in the ring, Pacquiao-Mayweather is THE next most logical step for both men ? and for boxing itself. But if that can?t be done, the winner of the Sergio Martinez-Paul Williams rematch would offer another ?impossible? mountain for Pacquiao to climb or, if he wants to move down, the deep pool of talent at 140 awaits.
