By Rick Reeno
On the undercard:
Brian Viloria (18-0, 12KOs) won the WBC mini flyweight title by way of first round knockout over Eric Ortiz (24-5-1, 16KOs). All it took was one big right hand and Ortiz was down and out. He tried to make it up, but had no legs and stumbled back down.
Super welterweight Vanes Martirosyan (4-0, 1 KO) defeated Gerardo Prieto (4-3-1) by way of a six round decsion. Scores of 60-54 on all three cards.
bantamweight Rey Bautista (15-0, 12KOs) defeated Felix Flores (13-6-1, 11 KOs) by way of three round TKO.
Super lightweight Hector Leyva (2-0) defeated David Rodela (2-1-1) by way of a fourth round TKO.
Right now they are doing a promo about Freddy Roach as a trainer.
The Pacquiao fight should start in about ten minutes.
Both Pacquiao and Velazquez weigh 140 pounds tonight.
Velazquez is making his way down to the ring to a very loud crowd reaction from the Mexican fans in the arena.
Pacquiao is now coming down to a large crowd reaction from the Filipino boxing fans.
Loud Mexico chant is breaking out as Michael Buffer starts announcing the names of both fighters. Dr. Lou Moret is the ref, two judges from the United States and one judge is from Mexico.
Round 1 - Slow jabv by Velazquez, hard left by Pacquiao. Velazquez calling out Pacquiao to fight. Both men miss big shots. Uppercut by Pacquiao, right hand by Velazquez backs Pacquiao up. Bodyshots by Velazquez and another hard bodyshot by Velazquez. pacquiao misses two left hands and Velazquez lands a right hand. Big Mexico chant breaks out. Big right by Velazquez. Another right hand lands for Velazquez. Scored the first for Velazquez.
Round 2 - HBO gave the first round to Velazquez. They start trading punches in the beginning of the round. Pacquiao goes for the jab, Velazquez with a right. The two men trade more punches, nothing big lands for either man. Both men are throwing on the inside, neither mand landing anything big. ref breaks them. Bodyshot for Velazquez. Huge left by Pacquiao. Another left for Manny and Velazquez lands a right hand. Manny jabbing. Big Mexico chant. Left hand for Manny. Velazquez chasing Manny and the two men go to war at the end of the round. Huge shots being landed by both men. Crowd is on their feet. Second round was close, scored for Manny.
Round 3 - HBO gave the last round to Velazquez. Right hand by Velazquez. Pacquiao misses a few punches. Left hand by Pacquiao. manny misses a left and Velazquez lands a combo. Hard left by Manny and another. Both men jabbing to the body. Big left pushes Velazquez back, Manny rushes in and Velazquez lands a combo followed by a right. Scored a close round for Pacquiao.
Round 4 - HBO gave the last round to Pacquiao, HBO has corrected the screen and they gave the second round to Manny as well. Big left for Manny, Velazquez with a big right hand. Left hand and an uppercut by Pacquiao. Manny chant breaks out. Left hand by Manny and a right hand. Combo by Pacquiao. Both men missing punches. They tie up and the ref breaks them. Combo by Manny. Scored the round for Pacquiao.
Round 5 - The pace has slowed down. Both fighters are going with the jab. Manny really starting to put on the heat with big punches to the head of Velazquez. Right hand by pacquiao. Big left hand by Pacquiao. A right by Pacquiao sends Velazquez back. Round for Pacquiao.
Round 6 - Both men are jabbing. Manny's jab is really getting to Velazquez. Big exchange and Manny is blasting away with his right hand. Combo by Manny. Huge right hook stuns Velazquez bad. Manny beating on Velazquez against the ropes with big right and left hands. Manny beating on him against the ropes and Velazquez goes down to the floor at the bell and looks very hurt. Ref is counting and the fight is over, ref has stopped the fight. Manny Pacquiao with a huge 6th round knockout win. Velazquez stopped for the first time in his career.
Erik Morales vs. Zahir Raheem is coming up next.
Right now HBO is doing a promo for Erik Morales and his life growing up.
Morales weighs 148 pounds tonight and Raheem is 150 pounds tonight. Both men are coming in closer to junior middlweight than lightweight.
Raheem is coming down with a crown on his head and is getting boos from the Mexican fans in the crowd.
Morales is getting a huge reaction from the Mexican fight fans.
Round 1 - Both men come out slow. Morales is blocking Raheem's jab. Raheem is trying to jab to the body, left hook by Raheem. Straight right by Morales. Big combo by Raheem and right by Raheem. Another right backs Morales up. Speed of Raheem is bothering Morales. Another right by Raheem and a combo by Raheem. Short hook on the inside by Raheem. Big Mexico chant. Short right by Morales. Round 1 scored for Raheem.
Round 2 - HBO gave the first to Raheem. Raheem jabbing to the body of Morales. Raheem making Morales miss and steps to the side. Morales looks very off-balance tonight. Big right by Morales and Raheem answers with a huge combo and another combo that backs Morales up. Raheem with a huge right hand. Morales charges Raheem and both fighters fall down. They are up and Raheem lands a good right. Left by Raheem. Another round for Raheem.
Round 3 - HBO scored the last round for Raheem. Raheem jabbing. Morales jabbing to the body. Raheem reaching with a combo and lands a hook to the body. Right hand by Morales. Raheem lands 4 punches on Morales. The two men exchange punches and Raheem is getting the better of the exchange. Morales jabs to the body. Big bodyshot by Raheem and a left hand upstairs. Another round for Raheem.
Round 4 - HBO gave the last round to Raheem. Morales is now backing up and looking to counterpunch Raheem. Huge right lands for Raheem. Uppercut backs up Raheem, but Erik misses the other punches and now Erik missing more shots as Raheem backs him up with the jab. Combo by Morales. Right hand for Morales. Erik to the head and shoots to the body. I think Erik may have stolen a close round by controlling the final minute or so of the round.
Round 5 - HBO gave the last round to Morales. Raheem landing the jab at will. Big right by Raheem knocks Erik's head back. Huge right by Raheem as Morales backs up. Morales with a right. Big right hand sends Morales stumbling back into the ropes and appears hurt. Raheem lands a big combo and falls on a wet spot on the ring floor. Two big rights by Raheem. Raheem is dominating Morales right now. Huge round for Raheem.
Round 6 - HBO gave the last round to Raheem. They are fighting on the inside. A right hand wobbles Raheem back. Raheem says it was a slip. Huge Mexico chant. Huge shot to the body by Raheem and a left hook upstairs. Raheem falls to the floor from slipping on the ring floor. Morales with a combo. Combo by raheem. Bodyshot by Morales. Another round for Raheem.
Round 7 - Raheem is jabbing and now lands a bodyshot. Raheem is now punchig less and moving away as Morales is chasing him around and missing shots as Raheem is countering. Another round for Raheem.
Round 8 - Right hand by Raheem, huge bodyshots by Raheem. Raheem countering Morales. Morales with a combo and Raheem hits him back with a combo. Raheem with a right hand. Morales is searching for answers and cant find them. Another round for Raheem.
Round 9 - Raheem is now school Morales with punches from the distance and landing punches. Morales lures Raheem in and lands an uppercut. Morales misses a punch upstairs and Raheem lands two big punches to the head of Morales. Morales is starting to slow down. Another round for Morales.
Round 10 - HBO has it like me, 8 round to 1, for Raheem. Morales is just waiting on Raheem and not rushing. Morales with a left hook. Raheem just throwing punches and punches. Short right by Raheem and a straight left. Right hand by Morales and a left hook. The two men are exchanging punches and Morales is missing. Big left hook by Raheem backs Morales up. Another round for Raheem.
Round 11 - HBO gave Raheem the last round. Raheem knows he has the fight won and is jabbing Morales away and moving. Morales is chasing, but is unable to land any big punches. Good combo by Morales and Raheem tells him to come on. Morales is chasing Raheem around the ring and trying to land the big right hand. Good right hand for Morales. Two more big right hands and Raheem's buckled and his hand touched the canvas, the ref does not call it a knockdown. Morales wins the round.
Round 12 - Morales wins the last round on HBO's card. Raheem is staing away. Left hand by Morales. Right and another right by Raheem. Raheem with a bodyshot and a straight right. Morales with a left, Raheem with a combo and a straight right hand. Another round for Raheem.
Fight is over. I have Raheem winning ten of the twelve rounds. Official scores are coming up.
Here are the scores, 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. The winner ZAHIR RAHEEM!!!!!!!!!!!! Huge upset, no Pacquiao vs. Morales rematch.