mexicanjunior
01-02-2009, 04:57 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=3800364
Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez had already etched their names in boxing history with their back-to-back junior featherweight wars in 2007.
Marquez, the former bantamweight champion, had moved up in weight to challenge Vazquez for the title in their first explosive confrontation in March and won the fight of the year candidate via seventh-round TKO when Vazquez could not continue because of a serious nose injury. Had the fighters not faced each other again in 2007, the bout might have stood the test of time as the year's best.
Five months later, however, their August rematch trumped the first fight. This time, Vazquez regained the title via sixth-round knockout in a battle that was even more sensational, ferocious and action-packed than the first installment. It was universally hailed as the fight of the year.
Fans were bracing for another hot fight when Vazquez and Marquez met again on March 1, 2008 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., the site of their first bout almost one year to the day earlier. At the top of telecast, Showtime's Steve Albert set the stage.
"If the tiebreaker between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez turns out to be the fight of the year, it won't surprise a single boxing fan," Albert said. "That's because Vazquez-Marquez I and II were bloody and brutal battles that featured power punching, knockdowns, changes in momentum and the highest level of skills."
So how could the rubber match possibly meet the incredibly high standard set by the first two encounters? It seemed impossible, yet the Mexican stars found a way to exceed every expectation by delivering an extraordinary battle for the ages, a bout that had all of the drama, excitement, blood, heart and skill of their first two fights -- and then some -- not to mention so many more rounds of sustained action.
In the end, it was Vazquez who sealed the razor-thin split-decision victory on the strength of a 12th-round knockdown seconds before the final bell, allowing him to hang on to the 122-pound world championship in an electrifying give-and-take thriller.
The instant classic was a raging battle with blistering action throughout, and it placed the Vazquez-Marquez rivalry into the pantheon of boxing's greatest trilogies alongside such famous pairings as Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe, Tony Zale-Rocky Graziano, Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales and Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward.
Is it any surprise, then, that Vazquez-Marquez III was also the clear choice as the 2008 ESPN.com Fight of the Year?
From the opening round, when the fighters began to trade furiously, you could sense it was going to be another special fight. After one big exchange, Albert had the feeling, too. "Here we go again," he said.
Marquez appeared to take the early rounds, including the fourth, which proved to be a round of the year candidate. Marquez dropped Vazquez in the round, but he was rocked himself later in the frame.
Back and forth they went all night, although Vazquez was narrowing the scores through the middle rounds and Marquez was docked a point for a low blow in the 10th after receiving multiple warnings from referee Pat Russell.
It all set the stage for an epic finish. Sensing correctly that he needed the 12th round, Vazquez was all over Marquez in the bruising stanza. Finally, with seconds remaining, Vazquez sent Marquez staggering into the ropes, which kept him from going down, and Russell calmly and rightfully ruled it a knockdown just before the final bell.
"This crowd was treated, as we all were, to a very special night of boxing," Showtime's Al Bernstein said as the crowd cheered.
What made it so special, besides the awesome action, is that unlike most trilogies, each of the Vazquez-Marquez fights, which came uninterrupted by other bouts for either man, exceeded the previous fight. That is unheard of.
"The historical significance of the trilogy is still sinking in," Vazquez said a month after the fight. "None of us will know the true impact until several years from now, but I truly believe that this trilogy will stand the test of time. I think it will be remembered for many, many years."
Other unforgettables:
Antonio Margarito TKO11 Miguel Cotto, July 26 at Las Vegas
Of all the national rivalries in boxing, few generate as much passion as Mexico versus Puerto Rico, and this awe-inspiring fight took its place among the rivalry's greatest bouts. From the moment the welterweight title fight was signed until the moment Cotto took a knee for the second time under a heavy assault in the 11th round -- with his uncle and trainer, Evangelista Cotto, throwing in the towel to finish it -- the fight surpassed the considerable expectations heaped upon it. "That is a modern boxing classic," HBO's Max Kellerman gushed at the fight's conclusion. Although Margarito landed shots early, the faster Cotto stayed in control and outboxed him in a fast-paced fight. But the granite-chinned Margarito, with his relentless pressure, walked Cotto down, seemingly turning the tide in the sixth round. Bleeding from his mouth and nose, Cotto was beginning to fade until finally taking that second knee under a hail of blows for his first defeat. With both eyes swollen, Margarito was smiling nonetheless after winning one of the most anticipated, and subsequently best, fights of the year. "An epic fight with an epic conclusion," HBO's Jim Lampley said moments after the stoppage. "The first loss of Cotto's career and another triumph for Mexico in the ongoing war with Puerto Rico." It was the sort of fight that makes putting up with all the political nonsense in boxing tolerable -- because every now and then you get to watch something truly special.
Manny Pacquiao W12 Juan Manuel Marquez II, March 15 at Las Vegas
Almost four years after their epic draw for the featherweight championship, Pacquiao and Marquez finally met again in a junior lightweight championship bout and delivered a sensational fight. The showdown between two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world had everything fans could have hoped for. Simply put, it was another tremendous battle filled with skill and will, blood and heart. As the ninth round came to a close, HBO's Lampley exclaimed, "They trade shots. What a war! Both men trying desperately to win the round!" But the truth is, it went like that all night. In the end, the controversial split decision could have gone either way, but the outcome didn't spoil the spectacle. There was blazing action throughout, and all but two rounds were tightly contested -- the third, in which Pacquiao nailed Marquez with a left hand to knock him down, and Marquez's big 12th round.
Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham, Dec. 11 at Newark, N.J.
On paper, the cruiserweight world championship fight figured to be an excellent one given the boxers' contrasting styles. But who could have expected a late-year epic, the greatest fight in the brief history of Versus-televised boxing and a title bout that ranked not far behind the first Evander Holyfield-Dwight Muhammad Qawi battle as the division's most exciting fight? Adamek earned the split-decision victory on the strength of three knockdowns (in the second, fourth and eighth rounds), but Cunningham dished out tremendous punishment of his own -- including the all-action fourth, when he battered the iron-chinned Adamek for nearly the entire round before getting clipped and going down late. For 12 rounds, there was terrific ebb and flow and loads of furious exchanges.
Chad Dawson W12 Glen Johnson, April 12 at Tampa
Whoever you thought won this light heavyweight title battle, we can all agree that it was a dynamic action battle. There was sustained, two-way action throughout the bout between the young star, Dawson, and the older warhorse, Johnson. Dawson preferred to box, but Johnson was a master at drawing him into a physically grueling war of attrition that took its toll on both men. Although Johnson was 39 and Dawson 25, it was the older man who showed surprising energy late in the bout, walking Dawson down and nearly knocking him out in the frenzied 10th round. But Dawson grew up big-time by surviving a number of rough patches to claim the disputed decision. Here's what wasn't up for dispute: It was one hell of an entertaining scrap. "Ten seconds remaining in an outstanding fight," Showtime's Albert said as the curtain came down on the thriller. "And the crowd slowly getting up, applauding and saluting two great warriors."
Jorge Arce TKO9 Rafael Concepcion, Sept. 15 at Mexico City
If you've ever seen Arce in a fight that didn't feature flying leather, please let us know. In front of a roaring crowd on Mexican Independence Day, Arce gave his countrymen -- including ringside observers Antonio Margarito, Israel Vazquez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Jose Luis Castillo -- a memorable slugfest as he and Panama's Concepcion pounded away at each other with a vacant interim junior bantamweight title at stake. The toe-to-toe dogfight featured Concepcion hurting Arce in the fourth round and Arce appearing on the verge of going down multiple times before charging back in the middle rounds. Finally, an exhausted Concepcion wilted and retired on his stool after the ninth round. No fancy analysis needed. These fighters simply tried to kill each other.
Joel Casamayor TKO10 Michael Katsidis, March 22 at Cabazon, Calif.
If Katsidis is on the card, you can pretty much be assured a slugfest. But folks had their doubts about the quality of this bout because Casamayor, defending the lineal lightweight championship, had looked awful in his previous fight and had been known to stink out his opponents. So the sheer thrills and drama of this slugfest came as a surprise. It started fast, with Casamayor dropping Katsidis twice in the first round, and the excitement never let up. Katsidis fought his way back into the bout and was beginning to wear down Casamayor, who was then knocked out of the ring and onto the apron by a body shot in the sixth round. Katsidis led on two scorecards heading into the 10th when Casamayor knocked him down with a left Katsidis never saw. With his big heart Katsidis continued, but after he ate another flush shot referee Jon Schorle called off the exhilarating bout and Katsidis suffered his first defeat. Moments after the stoppage, HBO's Kellerman summed it up perfectly: "What a shocking turn of events," he said. "When it looked like, by the fourth or fifth round, that Katsidis was beating the fight out of Casamayor, that the script was being written that the young, new fighter on the scene was going to emerge as lightweight champion -- for the old lion to pull off that kind of knockout was incredible."
Carl Froch W12 Jean Pascal, Dec. 6 at Nottingham, England
With a vacant super middleweight belt on the line, Froch and Pascal tore into each other from the opening bell as if their lives depended on it. Although there were no knockdowns, both ate numerous flush shots in a cracker of a fight that was as good a bout as the United Kingdom had to offer all year. Froch stormed toward Pascal in the opening moments of the fight in a scene reminiscent of the opening round of the classic Marvelous Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns fight. Pascal and Froch traded clean blows throughout the match and were both clearly spent heading into the championship rounds. Both showed enormous heart to stay on their feet until the final bell.
Amir Khan TKO5 Michael Gomez, June 21 at Birmingham, England
One fight before Khan was stunningly knocked out by Breidis Prescott, the lightweight prospect survived a rough battle with Gomez. Khan came out fast and floored Gomez in the first round, but Gomez is a warrior with a history of exciting fights. He wasn't going down without a fight, especially on his 31st birthday. He stormed back to drop Khan in the second round of the fierce fight. "Gomez bravely will not take a backward step," ITV's John Rawling exclaimed as the fourth round came to a close. "This is almost like a 'Rocky' film for its intensity of two men throwing savage shots." In the fifth, Khan dropped Gomez with a body shot, then sent him reeling into the ropes with a right hand and a closing flurry that forced referee John Keane to end a pulse-pounding fight.
Rogers Mtagwa KO10 Tomas Villa, Nov. 7 at Tucson, Ariz.
This brawl between featherweight journeymen will always be remembered as the last great fight in the eight-year-plus history of Telefutura's "Solo Boxeo" series, which, ironically, was canceled on the same day these men delivered a gripping fight -- one of the best in the show's history. Both had their moments in a match that featured back-and-forth action all night. In the ninth round, Villa dropped Mtagwa with a right hand and looked to have him out ... only for Mtagwa to survive and come roaring back in the 10th, knocking down Villa three times to seal a dramatic victory.
Jose Reyes KO4 Ivan Valle, March 28 at Kissimmee, Fla.
If you're the type to stay up late on Friday nights to watch boxing on Telemundo, you were nicely rewarded with this wild lightweight donnybrook. Do you like knockdowns? Well, this one served up six in fewer than four full rounds of action. Both men were on the deck three times in a seesaw battle. Reyes finally knocked Valle down for good with a short left hand in the opening seconds of the fourth. But before that final punch, Reyes decked Valle twice in the first, Valle rebounded to knock Reyes down in the same round, and Valle added knockdowns in the second and third rounds. There were so many knockdowns in this outstanding brawl, it was hard to keep track.
Chazz Witherspoon TKO8 Adam "The Swamp Donkey" Richards, Nov. 15 at Nashville
What a shame that this heavyweight slugfest wasn't televised in the U.S. But the folks who turned out for the Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy card, as well as those viewing the international telecast, got an unexpected treat. Richards set a fast pace from the outset and Witherspoon was happy to go along as they slugged it out in a grinding battle. They traded hard shots at close range all the way, neither boxer looking to run or hide. Eventually a tiring Richards succumbed when Witherspoon landed a series of blows, including a thudding uppercut. Richards didn't go down, but he was out on his feet when referee Bill Clancy called it off. When it was over, Witherspoon knew he could have made it easier on himself by using boxing skills instead of brawling. "I was trading with him and I shouldn't have," he said. "I'm a warrior at heart, and sometimes that is my problem." Maybe for Witherspoon, but not for us.
Steven Luevano D12 Mario Santiago, June 28 at Las Vegas
Featherweight titleholder Luevano isn't known for action fights, but he found himself in a dandy against Santiago, which was overshadowed by Manny Pacquiao's historic performance against David Diaz in the main event. Luevano and Santiago exchanged knockdowns in the second round, but Santiago got the better of the two-way action in the early rounds before tiring. Meanwhile, Luevano withstood some big blows but got stronger as the entertaining scrap wore on. In the end, they were deservedly even on the cards with a rematch necessary.
It's hard to argue with his choice, the Vasquez-Marquez fight was greatness but I think I would put Cotto-Margerito ahead of it only because it lived up to all the hype going in...
Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez had already etched their names in boxing history with their back-to-back junior featherweight wars in 2007.
Marquez, the former bantamweight champion, had moved up in weight to challenge Vazquez for the title in their first explosive confrontation in March and won the fight of the year candidate via seventh-round TKO when Vazquez could not continue because of a serious nose injury. Had the fighters not faced each other again in 2007, the bout might have stood the test of time as the year's best.
Five months later, however, their August rematch trumped the first fight. This time, Vazquez regained the title via sixth-round knockout in a battle that was even more sensational, ferocious and action-packed than the first installment. It was universally hailed as the fight of the year.
Fans were bracing for another hot fight when Vazquez and Marquez met again on March 1, 2008 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., the site of their first bout almost one year to the day earlier. At the top of telecast, Showtime's Steve Albert set the stage.
"If the tiebreaker between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez turns out to be the fight of the year, it won't surprise a single boxing fan," Albert said. "That's because Vazquez-Marquez I and II were bloody and brutal battles that featured power punching, knockdowns, changes in momentum and the highest level of skills."
So how could the rubber match possibly meet the incredibly high standard set by the first two encounters? It seemed impossible, yet the Mexican stars found a way to exceed every expectation by delivering an extraordinary battle for the ages, a bout that had all of the drama, excitement, blood, heart and skill of their first two fights -- and then some -- not to mention so many more rounds of sustained action.
In the end, it was Vazquez who sealed the razor-thin split-decision victory on the strength of a 12th-round knockdown seconds before the final bell, allowing him to hang on to the 122-pound world championship in an electrifying give-and-take thriller.
The instant classic was a raging battle with blistering action throughout, and it placed the Vazquez-Marquez rivalry into the pantheon of boxing's greatest trilogies alongside such famous pairings as Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe, Tony Zale-Rocky Graziano, Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales and Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward.
Is it any surprise, then, that Vazquez-Marquez III was also the clear choice as the 2008 ESPN.com Fight of the Year?
From the opening round, when the fighters began to trade furiously, you could sense it was going to be another special fight. After one big exchange, Albert had the feeling, too. "Here we go again," he said.
Marquez appeared to take the early rounds, including the fourth, which proved to be a round of the year candidate. Marquez dropped Vazquez in the round, but he was rocked himself later in the frame.
Back and forth they went all night, although Vazquez was narrowing the scores through the middle rounds and Marquez was docked a point for a low blow in the 10th after receiving multiple warnings from referee Pat Russell.
It all set the stage for an epic finish. Sensing correctly that he needed the 12th round, Vazquez was all over Marquez in the bruising stanza. Finally, with seconds remaining, Vazquez sent Marquez staggering into the ropes, which kept him from going down, and Russell calmly and rightfully ruled it a knockdown just before the final bell.
"This crowd was treated, as we all were, to a very special night of boxing," Showtime's Al Bernstein said as the crowd cheered.
What made it so special, besides the awesome action, is that unlike most trilogies, each of the Vazquez-Marquez fights, which came uninterrupted by other bouts for either man, exceeded the previous fight. That is unheard of.
"The historical significance of the trilogy is still sinking in," Vazquez said a month after the fight. "None of us will know the true impact until several years from now, but I truly believe that this trilogy will stand the test of time. I think it will be remembered for many, many years."
Other unforgettables:
Antonio Margarito TKO11 Miguel Cotto, July 26 at Las Vegas
Of all the national rivalries in boxing, few generate as much passion as Mexico versus Puerto Rico, and this awe-inspiring fight took its place among the rivalry's greatest bouts. From the moment the welterweight title fight was signed until the moment Cotto took a knee for the second time under a heavy assault in the 11th round -- with his uncle and trainer, Evangelista Cotto, throwing in the towel to finish it -- the fight surpassed the considerable expectations heaped upon it. "That is a modern boxing classic," HBO's Max Kellerman gushed at the fight's conclusion. Although Margarito landed shots early, the faster Cotto stayed in control and outboxed him in a fast-paced fight. But the granite-chinned Margarito, with his relentless pressure, walked Cotto down, seemingly turning the tide in the sixth round. Bleeding from his mouth and nose, Cotto was beginning to fade until finally taking that second knee under a hail of blows for his first defeat. With both eyes swollen, Margarito was smiling nonetheless after winning one of the most anticipated, and subsequently best, fights of the year. "An epic fight with an epic conclusion," HBO's Jim Lampley said moments after the stoppage. "The first loss of Cotto's career and another triumph for Mexico in the ongoing war with Puerto Rico." It was the sort of fight that makes putting up with all the political nonsense in boxing tolerable -- because every now and then you get to watch something truly special.
Manny Pacquiao W12 Juan Manuel Marquez II, March 15 at Las Vegas
Almost four years after their epic draw for the featherweight championship, Pacquiao and Marquez finally met again in a junior lightweight championship bout and delivered a sensational fight. The showdown between two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world had everything fans could have hoped for. Simply put, it was another tremendous battle filled with skill and will, blood and heart. As the ninth round came to a close, HBO's Lampley exclaimed, "They trade shots. What a war! Both men trying desperately to win the round!" But the truth is, it went like that all night. In the end, the controversial split decision could have gone either way, but the outcome didn't spoil the spectacle. There was blazing action throughout, and all but two rounds were tightly contested -- the third, in which Pacquiao nailed Marquez with a left hand to knock him down, and Marquez's big 12th round.
Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham, Dec. 11 at Newark, N.J.
On paper, the cruiserweight world championship fight figured to be an excellent one given the boxers' contrasting styles. But who could have expected a late-year epic, the greatest fight in the brief history of Versus-televised boxing and a title bout that ranked not far behind the first Evander Holyfield-Dwight Muhammad Qawi battle as the division's most exciting fight? Adamek earned the split-decision victory on the strength of three knockdowns (in the second, fourth and eighth rounds), but Cunningham dished out tremendous punishment of his own -- including the all-action fourth, when he battered the iron-chinned Adamek for nearly the entire round before getting clipped and going down late. For 12 rounds, there was terrific ebb and flow and loads of furious exchanges.
Chad Dawson W12 Glen Johnson, April 12 at Tampa
Whoever you thought won this light heavyweight title battle, we can all agree that it was a dynamic action battle. There was sustained, two-way action throughout the bout between the young star, Dawson, and the older warhorse, Johnson. Dawson preferred to box, but Johnson was a master at drawing him into a physically grueling war of attrition that took its toll on both men. Although Johnson was 39 and Dawson 25, it was the older man who showed surprising energy late in the bout, walking Dawson down and nearly knocking him out in the frenzied 10th round. But Dawson grew up big-time by surviving a number of rough patches to claim the disputed decision. Here's what wasn't up for dispute: It was one hell of an entertaining scrap. "Ten seconds remaining in an outstanding fight," Showtime's Albert said as the curtain came down on the thriller. "And the crowd slowly getting up, applauding and saluting two great warriors."
Jorge Arce TKO9 Rafael Concepcion, Sept. 15 at Mexico City
If you've ever seen Arce in a fight that didn't feature flying leather, please let us know. In front of a roaring crowd on Mexican Independence Day, Arce gave his countrymen -- including ringside observers Antonio Margarito, Israel Vazquez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Jose Luis Castillo -- a memorable slugfest as he and Panama's Concepcion pounded away at each other with a vacant interim junior bantamweight title at stake. The toe-to-toe dogfight featured Concepcion hurting Arce in the fourth round and Arce appearing on the verge of going down multiple times before charging back in the middle rounds. Finally, an exhausted Concepcion wilted and retired on his stool after the ninth round. No fancy analysis needed. These fighters simply tried to kill each other.
Joel Casamayor TKO10 Michael Katsidis, March 22 at Cabazon, Calif.
If Katsidis is on the card, you can pretty much be assured a slugfest. But folks had their doubts about the quality of this bout because Casamayor, defending the lineal lightweight championship, had looked awful in his previous fight and had been known to stink out his opponents. So the sheer thrills and drama of this slugfest came as a surprise. It started fast, with Casamayor dropping Katsidis twice in the first round, and the excitement never let up. Katsidis fought his way back into the bout and was beginning to wear down Casamayor, who was then knocked out of the ring and onto the apron by a body shot in the sixth round. Katsidis led on two scorecards heading into the 10th when Casamayor knocked him down with a left Katsidis never saw. With his big heart Katsidis continued, but after he ate another flush shot referee Jon Schorle called off the exhilarating bout and Katsidis suffered his first defeat. Moments after the stoppage, HBO's Kellerman summed it up perfectly: "What a shocking turn of events," he said. "When it looked like, by the fourth or fifth round, that Katsidis was beating the fight out of Casamayor, that the script was being written that the young, new fighter on the scene was going to emerge as lightweight champion -- for the old lion to pull off that kind of knockout was incredible."
Carl Froch W12 Jean Pascal, Dec. 6 at Nottingham, England
With a vacant super middleweight belt on the line, Froch and Pascal tore into each other from the opening bell as if their lives depended on it. Although there were no knockdowns, both ate numerous flush shots in a cracker of a fight that was as good a bout as the United Kingdom had to offer all year. Froch stormed toward Pascal in the opening moments of the fight in a scene reminiscent of the opening round of the classic Marvelous Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns fight. Pascal and Froch traded clean blows throughout the match and were both clearly spent heading into the championship rounds. Both showed enormous heart to stay on their feet until the final bell.
Amir Khan TKO5 Michael Gomez, June 21 at Birmingham, England
One fight before Khan was stunningly knocked out by Breidis Prescott, the lightweight prospect survived a rough battle with Gomez. Khan came out fast and floored Gomez in the first round, but Gomez is a warrior with a history of exciting fights. He wasn't going down without a fight, especially on his 31st birthday. He stormed back to drop Khan in the second round of the fierce fight. "Gomez bravely will not take a backward step," ITV's John Rawling exclaimed as the fourth round came to a close. "This is almost like a 'Rocky' film for its intensity of two men throwing savage shots." In the fifth, Khan dropped Gomez with a body shot, then sent him reeling into the ropes with a right hand and a closing flurry that forced referee John Keane to end a pulse-pounding fight.
Rogers Mtagwa KO10 Tomas Villa, Nov. 7 at Tucson, Ariz.
This brawl between featherweight journeymen will always be remembered as the last great fight in the eight-year-plus history of Telefutura's "Solo Boxeo" series, which, ironically, was canceled on the same day these men delivered a gripping fight -- one of the best in the show's history. Both had their moments in a match that featured back-and-forth action all night. In the ninth round, Villa dropped Mtagwa with a right hand and looked to have him out ... only for Mtagwa to survive and come roaring back in the 10th, knocking down Villa three times to seal a dramatic victory.
Jose Reyes KO4 Ivan Valle, March 28 at Kissimmee, Fla.
If you're the type to stay up late on Friday nights to watch boxing on Telemundo, you were nicely rewarded with this wild lightweight donnybrook. Do you like knockdowns? Well, this one served up six in fewer than four full rounds of action. Both men were on the deck three times in a seesaw battle. Reyes finally knocked Valle down for good with a short left hand in the opening seconds of the fourth. But before that final punch, Reyes decked Valle twice in the first, Valle rebounded to knock Reyes down in the same round, and Valle added knockdowns in the second and third rounds. There were so many knockdowns in this outstanding brawl, it was hard to keep track.
Chazz Witherspoon TKO8 Adam "The Swamp Donkey" Richards, Nov. 15 at Nashville
What a shame that this heavyweight slugfest wasn't televised in the U.S. But the folks who turned out for the Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy card, as well as those viewing the international telecast, got an unexpected treat. Richards set a fast pace from the outset and Witherspoon was happy to go along as they slugged it out in a grinding battle. They traded hard shots at close range all the way, neither boxer looking to run or hide. Eventually a tiring Richards succumbed when Witherspoon landed a series of blows, including a thudding uppercut. Richards didn't go down, but he was out on his feet when referee Bill Clancy called it off. When it was over, Witherspoon knew he could have made it easier on himself by using boxing skills instead of brawling. "I was trading with him and I shouldn't have," he said. "I'm a warrior at heart, and sometimes that is my problem." Maybe for Witherspoon, but not for us.
Steven Luevano D12 Mario Santiago, June 28 at Las Vegas
Featherweight titleholder Luevano isn't known for action fights, but he found himself in a dandy against Santiago, which was overshadowed by Manny Pacquiao's historic performance against David Diaz in the main event. Luevano and Santiago exchanged knockdowns in the second round, but Santiago got the better of the two-way action in the early rounds before tiring. Meanwhile, Luevano withstood some big blows but got stronger as the entertaining scrap wore on. In the end, they were deservedly even on the cards with a rematch necessary.
It's hard to argue with his choice, the Vasquez-Marquez fight was greatness but I think I would put Cotto-Margerito ahead of it only because it lived up to all the hype going in...