HUMBERTO Soto of Mexico fashioned out a devastating seventh round knockout win over Bobby Pacquiao of the Philippines in a super featherweight fight Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York.
Soto floored Pacquiao in the first round, turned the Filipino's face into a bloody mess before finishing him off with a right hand to the chin and a shot to the body in that fateful seventh.
Manny Pacquiao, Bobby's older brother and one of the most exciting and strongest punchers in the sport today, could only watch helplessly from ringside as Bobby landed on all fours in his corner, hurt, and was counted out by the referee.
Soto, who improved his record 45-5-2 with 26 KO's, is primed to go up against Manny next with his rousing win. Bobby dropped to 27-13-3 with 12 KOs.
Soto was in control of the fight at the onset. Moments before the first round ended, he decked Pacquiao with a left to the back of the head.
Soto pressed the attack in the second round then opened a cut above Pacquiao's right eye.
A right hand from Pacquiao wobbled Soto early in the fourth round and the two exchanged solid shots for the remainder of the round.
But just as Pacquiao was about to get back into the bout with that fourth round rally, Soto again took control of the fight with excellent boxing starting in Round 5.
