Once the Caballero-Litzau fight is over, I will begin the play-by-play.
First fight coming up.
Welterweight Division
Freddy HERNANDEZ - Andre BERTO
Scheduled for 12 rounds of boxing.
Coming up within the half hour or so.
ROUND 9:
Marquez comes out throwing the jab, flicking it out there as Katsidis tries to come in with hooks. Marquez getting pressured but continues to land the better and harder shots. Marquez sticking in a snapping jab. A right over the top for Marquez lands. A big combination for Marquez lands and Katsidis' face begins to drip blood. An uppercut for Marquez lands and Katsidis looks hurt and tired. Big combinations up the middle land for Marquez, really snapping Katsidis' head back. Katsidis stumbling around the ring. Another combination forces the referee to stop the action.
Winner, STILL WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION, Juan Manuel Marquez!
ROUND 8:
Marquez comes out circling, throwing the jab out there. Marquez coming in and throwing in a combination. Both men trade jabs, Katsidis getting the better shot in. Both men trade left hooks. A jab for Marquez gets in. A 1-2 for Katsidis gets partially blocked, but slips in enough. A left hook misses for both as Marquez moves away. Marquez ripping to the body, then going into an uppercut up stairs. Katsidis getting his punches blocked and Katsidis continues to eat counter shots. Katsidis busier this round, landing solid shots. A nice clipping left hand for Katsidis with Marquez against the ropes. A big left for Katsidis and a bigger right hook for Marquez. A thudding left hook for Marquez lands to the body and a left hook up stairs punctuates the round.
77-74, Juan Manuel Marquez.
ROUND 7: Half-way through the fight, Marquez looks to start off with the jab. Katsidis coming in and lands a solid combination in close, though nothing devastating. Marquez counters and moves away. Katsidis landing a few right hands in a row as Marquez backs away. Marquez is against the ropes and nails Katsidis with a few shots right down the pike. Marquez going again to the body and then coming up top right before dodging two shots. Two big 1-2 shots for Marquez find a home. A big right hand for Marquez gets in on the side of Katsidis' face. A hook to the body for Marquez once again hits. Marquez getting a few combination shots in and Katsidis fires back. Marquez then returns the favor to end the round.
68-64, Juan Manuel Marquez.
ROUND 6:
Katsidis comes out with a jab to the body. Marquez circling, looking to counter. Marquez against the ropes, landing a stiff shot and then getting away. Katsidis lands a decent uppercut, and Marquez gets in a few shots as he backs away. Katsidis missing with a big uppecut and Marquez waits for him to come in and rips to the body. Katsidis lands a left hook that is unreturned, but Marquez waits for Katsidis to come in and catches him with a few hooks. A left for Katsidis lands, then Marquez lands a crisp counter left hook of his own. Marquez continues to slam hooks into the body of Marquez. Marquez takes a few shots, including a right hand. Marquez comes back with three left hands to the head. Marquez backing away, sticking some jabs in Katsidis' face. Katsidis closes the round with a few shots, but Marquez gets in a few shots. Katsidis' left eye beginning to swell shut.
58-55, Juan Manuel Marquez.
ROUND 5:
Katsidis looking to come forward, but Marquez sticks a few jabs out there. A shot to the body for Katsidis is partially blocked. Marquez looking for his shots, both men trading hooks. Both taking them well. Katsidis trying to go to the body with a right hand and landing. Marquez backs away a lands a hook up stairs. A uppercut for Katsidis finds the mark, but Marquez continues to dig to the body with a left hook and a few jabs up stairs as he backs away. Katsidis missing a few jabs and when he comes back in, Marquez lands a solid shot to the chest. Marquez landing an uppercut and Katsidis returns with a short hook. Katsidis warned for holding Marquez' head down. Marquez getting in close and Marquez begins to clip Katsidis with combination shots to end the round strong.
48-46, Juan Manuel Marquez.
ROUND 4:
Marquez starts the round off with another jab. An uppercut for Marquez snaps Katsidis' head back. The jab keeps getting there for Marquez as Katsidis walks into it. A right for Katsidis lands, but Marquez continues to find a home for his speedy combinations. Marquez continuing to control the action as Katsidis looks to mix it up on the inside. Marquez keeps going back to the jab and Marquez lands the combination. Marquez lands a two punch combination to the body and moves back with a jab i the face of Katsidis. A 1-2 for Marquez finds the mark and Katsidis again seems to be willing to get a little wild. Marquez getting the better of all exchanges and landing hard shots to close the round.
38-37, Juan Manuel Marquez.
ROUND 3:
Katsidis seems to want to find his range from further out, Marquez waiting to counter. Marquez steps in with a jab to the body that is brushed aside. Katsidis comes in and gets a right hand muffled. A hard left hook from Katsidis drops Marquez. Marquez seems worried. Katsidis seems eager to finish the fight right here. A left hook lands for Katsidis and Marquez is looking for his openings. Marquez seems fine now and is countering a lot better. Marquez jabbing, get his whits about him. A shot to the body from Katsidis gets a warning from the referee. Another chopping left hook for Katsidis lands but Marquez takes it better and Marquez is landing right up the middle as Katsidis is getting a bit wild with his delivery. A great body shot with the left lands for Marquez. Marquez lands an incredible combination to end this exciting round.
28-28, Draw. (Round is still scored a 10-8 round for Katsidis.)
ROUND 2:
In between rounds, Katsidis is told to remain calm. Marquez is told to watch for counter shots. Marquez working behind the jab, circling his man. Katsidis trying to find his angles. Katsidis fails at going to the body and Marquez counters up stairs. Katsidis trying to rush in now, feeling the need to respond. Marquez lands two left hooks, partially blocked up top then nails the body. A right hand for Katsidis grazes the head of Marquez. Three uppercuts for Marquez hits the gloves of Katsidis, one getting through at the end of the combination. Katsodos coming in and Marquez seems to be fine with it, landing the combinations in close. Katsidis rips to the body, then a right up top. Marquez lands a few shots and Katsidis comes back with a few right hands that find the mark. Katsidis missing with the right hand. As the round comes winding down, Marquez lands a beautiful combination that punctuations the round. In that round, Marquez landed the most shots on Katsidis that has ever been recorded by CompubBox.
20-18, Juan Manuel Marquez.
ROUND 1:
Both men looking like they are in good shape. Katsidis looks ripped and ready to go. Marquez looking fresh and ready. Both men face up in the middle of the ring. Marquez looking to stick the jab. Katsidis looking to jab, Marquez landing a hook in return. Marquez now working behind the jab. Katsidis keeping his shots in close, and Marquez firing a decent shot over the top. A combination for Marquez finds the mark and Katsidis sticks a shot in the face of Marquez. A few body shots for Marquez land to the body. Marquez is warned for being a bit low with his shot and Katsidis lands a jab. Marquez sticks the jab and Katsidis gets a hook partially blocked. A few punches get in for Marquez and Katsidis attempts to fire back. Marquez is warned again for hitting him low. Katsidis is nailed with a 1-2 as the round ends.
10-9, Juan Manuel Marquez.
Up next....
WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Juan Manuel MARQUEZ - Michael KATSIDIS
Scheduled for 12 rounds of actions.
Both men are coming to the ring. Round 1 coming up.
ROUND 1:
Both men look in shape and the size difference is fairly evident, with the advantage going to Hernandez. Speed obviously in Berto favor. Berto coming forward, sticking out a speedy jab, nothing major landing. Hernandez looking to stick out his own jab, getting blocked. Berto stepping forward, looking for his angles, Hernandez waiting in the pocket. Hernandez landing a glancing jab. Berto sticking in a jab of his own through the guard. Freddy now trying to come in, Berto moving back and looking to counter. A big right cross drops Hernandez and the referee stops the fight.
Winner, ANDRE BERTO.