Manny Pacquiao Hands Margarito a Vicious Beating To Win

By Mark Vester

At Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Manny Pacquiao (52-3, 38KOs) handed out a vicious beating on route to winning a twelve round unanimous decision over Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27KOs). Pacquiao wins the WBC junior middleweight title - a record eight divisional title. The scores were 119-109, 120-108 and 120-108.

The big size difference was clear when they came out to the ring for the first round. Margarito had rehydated to 165-pounds since the weigh-in, while Pacquiao had only gone up to 148. Margarito was working a long jab. Pacquiao landed some good punches in spurts. They didn't bother Margarito at all. Pacquiao's faster hands continued to get in during the second round. Margarito landed two uppercuts and Pacquiao took them well. In the third, Margarito was getting hit with the left hand. Margarito got him against the ropes, but Pacquiao used his faster hands to fight him off.

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The fourth round was vicious as Pacquiao began to unload with power shots from both hands. He busted up Margarito's face and opened up a cut under his left eye and made his nose flow red. Margarito got Pacquiao against the ropes in the fifth and landed punches to the body. It didn't take long for Margarito to unload with combinations in return. In the sixth, Margarito began to stage a rally as he started to land some punches and got Pacquiao against the ropes with some combos to the body. Pacquiao was still landing some hard counters. Pacquiao boxed circles around Margarito in the seventh and they traded in the final ten seconds.

In the eight, Margarito again got Pacquiao against the ropes with hard punches. Pacquiao fought him off with hard punches from both hands. Pacquiao appeared to be a little tired in the ninth. Pacquiao landed some big hooks in the final minute. Margarito was getting beaten up again in the tenth round. He was stunned by a right hook in the final minute but Pacquiao didn't have enough time to finish him off.

The eleventh was more of Pacquiao beating on Margarito and he swelled up both of the Mexican's eyes badly by this point. Margarito's eyes were nearly shut. The twelfth saw Pacquiao hold back a little bit as he punished Margarito until the final bell.