Jingo Quijano
Last round
(continuation)
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR- Pacquiao KO 2 Hatton.
Coming in this fight, one of the issues that begged to be settled was whether Pacquiao could handle the power of a real junior welterweight.
Although he had officially fought at welterweight before against Oscar de la Hoya, the “Pacman” actually came in to the fight heavier than the “Golden Boy” and so there are some who insist that Oscar had weight issues.
Hatton on the other hand, proudly pointed out that was undefeated at 140 lbs., and ergo, he was the stronger fighter.
Not so.
In the first round, Pacquiao clipped Hatton with a right hook and down fell the “Hitman.” He was lucky to survive and hear the bell for that round.
At the start of the second, Hatton was in survival mode. Though he appeared to regain some composure at the halfway mark, Manny’s busy punching bedeviled him from all angles.
With nine seconds remaining, Pacquiao ended matters decisively. A left hook which he seemed to release all the way from General Santos City landed flush on Hatton’s exposed chin.
Down he fell like he’s been shot. Hattonized, is the more appropriate term!
Knockout of the year? Naah. More like gunshot of the year.
Honorable Mention. Carl Froch KO12 Jermain Taylor
UFC 108. Allow me to interrupt our best of 2009 feature to pose this query: What the hell was Thiago Silva thinking when he did not finish off Rashad Evans who was
wobbly and drunk from a right hand with two minutes left in the final round ?
I mean, the dude’s legs were gone and Silva lost the first two rounds. You would have thought it was the right time to throw caution to the wind and go for broke.
Though Evans dominated the first two rounds with his takedowns, Silva appeared fresh and unhurt. Instead, after an unsteady Evans looked ripe for the kill, Silva proceeded to bob and weave like a second rate Anderson Silva and do absolutely nothing, allowing time to run out. The decision of course, went to Evans.
Maddening, if you ask me.
Years from now, if Silva’s career never takes off, he will look back at this fight and realize that he dropped the ball. Hard.
UPSET OF THE YEAR. Shane Mosely TKO9 Antonio Margarito
Circa August 2008. Antonio Margarito was unassailable. After handing Miguel Cotto his first loss via TKO in a brutal war, he was the epitome of Mexican Machismo.
Shane Mosely? He was still good and capable but many suggested he was over the hill and that this fight would confirm that suggestion. After all, Margarito was bigger, taller, stronger and meaner.
Right before the fight, controversy erupted after Shane’s cornerman noticed a foreign substance on the “Tijuana Tornado’s” handwraps which appeared to be similar to plaster of Paris.
His handwraps were removed and he got new ones.
During the first few rounds, the difference in speed and boxing ability was apparent. The Margarito drumbeaters must have been saying- what the hell were we thinking?
Shane jabbed and moved, but when the opening was there he bludgeoned Margarito with right hands. Over and over again.
By the ninth round, the referee had seen enough. He waives it off at 43 second mark.
HONORABLE MENTION. David Haye MD 12 Nikolay Valuev
PUNCHLINE. “I hate her. Parang hindi niya inisip na may pamilya ‘yong tao.”—Jinkee Pacquiao on Krista Ranillo (ABS-CBN Online Beta)
LAST ROUNDS. It’s on Edwin Tero of Mobeli Crafts and a dear friend, the charming Anna Auditor-Villamor who celebrate their birthdays this week. Cheers!
(jingo_quijano@yahoo.com)
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