Fire Quinito rounds up all the must-read links from the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight so you could have more time pondering if PNoy made the right choice breaking up with Shalani and dating Liz Uy.
Scott Christ, Bad Left Hook: "We're witnessing something truly special. The NBA can keep LeBron James. Manny Pacquiao is at this point the most amazing athlete in all of sports. I stand by that statement."
Dan Rafael, ESPN.com: "Margarito was massive compared to him, making Pacquiao's performance that much more impressive. Margarito was 150 pounds officially, but rehydrated to 165 on fight night. And besides outweighing the little guy by 17 pounds, Margarito also held a 6-inch reach advantage and 4½-inch height advantage."
Tim Starks, The Queensberry Rules: "Antonio Margarito was anywhere from a 6-1 to 4-1 underdog, and he lost almost every single round on the scorecards. But that doesn't take away from the exquisite execution of the expected execution. For Pacquiao's first fight, he weighed 106 pounds, and that was reportedly with stones in his pockets. He weighed 148 pounds Saturday. Margarito weighed 165. Differentials in weight like that have happened before and the smaller man has won, but it's still remarkable for a junior flyweight-to-welterweight to beat up a super middleweight as badly as Pacquiao beat up Margarito."
Ron Borges, Boston Herald: "Pacquiao was in control from the first punch to the last, his hand speed making Margarito look like what he always has been - a ponderously resilient man whose chin was his greatest asset. Last night it was, however, his co-conspirator because it forced him to take punishment no man should have to endure."
Michael Rosenthal, The Ring: "Pacquiao landed two-, three-, four-punch combinations seemingly at will and avoided taking blows unless he purposely stepped into the path of danger, a pattern that left Margarito’s face a grotesque mess. His skin was bright red, his eyes were swollen shut and blood dripped from a deep cut under his right eye. It was exhilarating and gruesome at the same time. It was exhilarating because of the explosiveness and efficiency of Pacquiao’s work. I was in absolute awe at what I saw, a once-in-a-lifetime athlete whose ability is a true gift to boxing fans. It was gruesome because a brave man was being beaten to a pulp by the fast hands of a killer. Even those disgusted with Margarito’s role in the hand-wrap scandal had to feel sorry for him during the last few rounds of the fight, which should’ve been stopped to prevent further suffering."
Barry Horn, Dallas Morning News: "Unwilling to surrender under a 1,069-punch barrage, Margarito, 32, was complicit in his own destruction. Referee Laurance Cole said he began looking for a way to stop the bludgeoning in the 10th round, but Margarito continued in an attempt to battle back. When Cole administered an impromptu battlefield eye exam in the 11th, Margarito, his eye swollen almost shut, managed to make out the correct number of fingers. "
Paul Strauss, East Side Boxing: "Manny was gracious in victory and credited Margarito's courage. He expressed disbelief in how much punishment Margarito was able to absorb. He acknowledged having motioned to Referee Laurence Cole to stop the fight in the tenth and eleventh rounds, because Tony was a sitting duck. He also acknowledged that he lightened up in the twelfth and didn't go for the knockout."
Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times: "The marvelous Manny Pacquiao did it again. The 98-pound weakling kicked sand in the big guy's face. Yet another Paul Bunyan was chopped down, although this one, a tough and game Antonio Margarito, never allowed anyone to yell 'Timber.'"
ESPN Dallas: "Antonio Margarito, the Mexican super welterweight beaten badly by Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night, suffered a fractured orbital bone to his face and was expected to stay in the hospital for observation through at least Sunday night, an executive with Margarito's promotions company said. Margarito, who lost in a lopsided, 12-round decision, was taken directly to the hospital via ambulance after the fight to have cuts to his face examined."
Bryan Armen Graham, Sports Illustrated: "There are so few mountains left to climb. But it's hard to imagine Pacquiao, at the height of his physical peak (and earning potential), would choose to walk away -- even though Roach and Pacquiao's mother have suggested just that. Just one name remains, hanging on the reddening horizon. Mayweather."
Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports: "Somewhere Floyd Mayweather had to be watching this beatdown. He had to be watching this incomparable talent defy all known properties of size and strength. And he had to feel reassured about his recent career decisions. For Mayweather, ducking Manny Pacquiao has never seemed so smart. If Mayweather has any brains – and for all his fool’s antics, he most certainly does – he’ll keep dodging the superfight the world wants. All the motivation he needs is to look at those busted-up cheeks of Antonio Margarito."
Dan Rafael, ESPN.com: "Margarito was massive compared to him, making Pacquiao's performance that much more impressive. Margarito was 150 pounds officially, but rehydrated to 165 on fight night. And besides outweighing the little guy by 17 pounds, Margarito also held a 6-inch reach advantage and 4½-inch height advantage."
Tim Starks, The Queensberry Rules: "Antonio Margarito was anywhere from a 6-1 to 4-1 underdog, and he lost almost every single round on the scorecards. But that doesn't take away from the exquisite execution of the expected execution. For Pacquiao's first fight, he weighed 106 pounds, and that was reportedly with stones in his pockets. He weighed 148 pounds Saturday. Margarito weighed 165. Differentials in weight like that have happened before and the smaller man has won, but it's still remarkable for a junior flyweight-to-welterweight to beat up a super middleweight as badly as Pacquiao beat up Margarito."
Ron Borges, Boston Herald: "Pacquiao was in control from the first punch to the last, his hand speed making Margarito look like what he always has been - a ponderously resilient man whose chin was his greatest asset. Last night it was, however, his co-conspirator because it forced him to take punishment no man should have to endure."
Michael Rosenthal, The Ring: "Pacquiao landed two-, three-, four-punch combinations seemingly at will and avoided taking blows unless he purposely stepped into the path of danger, a pattern that left Margarito’s face a grotesque mess. His skin was bright red, his eyes were swollen shut and blood dripped from a deep cut under his right eye. It was exhilarating and gruesome at the same time. It was exhilarating because of the explosiveness and efficiency of Pacquiao’s work. I was in absolute awe at what I saw, a once-in-a-lifetime athlete whose ability is a true gift to boxing fans. It was gruesome because a brave man was being beaten to a pulp by the fast hands of a killer. Even those disgusted with Margarito’s role in the hand-wrap scandal had to feel sorry for him during the last few rounds of the fight, which should’ve been stopped to prevent further suffering."
Barry Horn, Dallas Morning News: "Unwilling to surrender under a 1,069-punch barrage, Margarito, 32, was complicit in his own destruction. Referee Laurance Cole said he began looking for a way to stop the bludgeoning in the 10th round, but Margarito continued in an attempt to battle back. When Cole administered an impromptu battlefield eye exam in the 11th, Margarito, his eye swollen almost shut, managed to make out the correct number of fingers. "
Paul Strauss, East Side Boxing: "Manny was gracious in victory and credited Margarito's courage. He expressed disbelief in how much punishment Margarito was able to absorb. He acknowledged having motioned to Referee Laurence Cole to stop the fight in the tenth and eleventh rounds, because Tony was a sitting duck. He also acknowledged that he lightened up in the twelfth and didn't go for the knockout."
Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times: "The marvelous Manny Pacquiao did it again. The 98-pound weakling kicked sand in the big guy's face. Yet another Paul Bunyan was chopped down, although this one, a tough and game Antonio Margarito, never allowed anyone to yell 'Timber.'"
ESPN Dallas: "Antonio Margarito, the Mexican super welterweight beaten badly by Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night, suffered a fractured orbital bone to his face and was expected to stay in the hospital for observation through at least Sunday night, an executive with Margarito's promotions company said. Margarito, who lost in a lopsided, 12-round decision, was taken directly to the hospital via ambulance after the fight to have cuts to his face examined."
Bryan Armen Graham, Sports Illustrated: "There are so few mountains left to climb. But it's hard to imagine Pacquiao, at the height of his physical peak (and earning potential), would choose to walk away -- even though Roach and Pacquiao's mother have suggested just that. Just one name remains, hanging on the reddening horizon. Mayweather."
Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports: "Somewhere Floyd Mayweather had to be watching this beatdown. He had to be watching this incomparable talent defy all known properties of size and strength. And he had to feel reassured about his recent career decisions. For Mayweather, ducking Manny Pacquiao has never seemed so smart. If Mayweather has any brains – and for all his fool’s antics, he most certainly does – he’ll keep dodging the superfight the world wants. All the motivation he needs is to look at those busted-up cheeks of Antonio Margarito."
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