Flashy Filipino hammers out lopsided win in Arlington

DALLAS, Texas - Manny Pacquiao captured the vacant World Boxing Council super welterweight title with a punishing 12-round unanimous decision over Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday.

Filipino hero Pacquiao won on all three judges' scorecards as he put a savage beating on Margarito and extended his win streak to 13 straight fights.

"He is really strong," Pacquiao said of Margarito. "I never expected him to be as strong as he was.

"He hurt me in the body and in the face. I am so lucky tonight."

The southpaw Pacquiao used his hand speed and ring savvy to prevail in front of a crowd of over 50,000 despite giving up a 17-pound weight advantage.

Pacquiao has shown little sign of losing speed and power as he moves up in weight to fight bigger and stronger opponents, but he failed to score the knockout on Saturday.

Even so, the bout didn't turn into the same kind of dull affair as Pacquiao's fight against Joshua Clottey at the same venue in March. Unlike Clottey, Margarito came to fight. He paid the price as he suffered a nasty gash under the right eye and had a huge welt that almost closed his left eye.

At one point in the 11th round Pacquiao appeared to look towards referee Laurence Cole as if he was trying to get the ref to stop the fight.

"I feel for my opponent," Pacquiao said. "His eyes (were swollen and cut) and bloody face. I wanted the ref to look at that.

"In 12th round, I wasn't looking for the knockout. My trainer said take it easy."

Pacquiao, 31, entered the ring at 148 pounds while Margarito beefed up from 150 at the weigh-in to 165 pounds by fight time.

Pacquiao dominated Margarito from the outset to capture his eighth title in as many weight classes. He is also the first Asian to hold four or more major world titles.

The Mexican had his moments Saturday and hurt Pacquiao in the eighth round when he landed a left uppercut on the button that snapped Pacquiao's head back.

Margarito was most effective when he had Pacquiao on the ropes, but he failed to capitalize on his big height and weight advantage.

At 5-foot-11 (1.8m), Margarito had a 6 1/2-inch (16.7cm) reach advantage and a 4 1/2-inch height advantage.

"We were going good until I got caught," Margarito said. "And then that is when the problems started coming."

Asked if he thought of quitting because of the punishment he was taking, Margarito said, "No, no way. I am Mexican and we fight until the end."

Pacquiao earned close to $15 million while Margarito collected about $6 million.

It was Margarito's first fight in the United States since serving a one-year suspension after he got caught with plaster-filled hand wraps in his gloves prior to a fight against Shane Mosley.

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 11/15/2010 page11)