In a surprising twist of events, former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito returned to action unveiling a new set of tools as he outboxed Roberto Garcia over the course of 10 rounds to earn a lopsided unanimous decision. Keeping the majority of the action in the center of the ring behind a series of stiff jabs, Margarito danced and circled on his toes, throwing combinations that forced Garcia to just cover up. Although a lot of Margarito's punches were blocked by Garcia, the fact that he was the busier fighter, combined with the occasional big punches he would land, left the judges with no other choice but to score each round for the former champion. At times, it appeared as though Margarito was doing his best to avoid any meaningful exchanges with Garcia, who made it clear very early in the fight that he did not respect Margarito's power. It was a performance reminiscent of Oscar De La Hoya's bout with Felix Trinidad. Check out all the action in FightHype's round-by-round results.
ROUND 1
Margarito comes out firing his jab. Garcia covers up and presses forward. Margarito doing a good job of circling Garcia behind his jab. Left hook to the body and one upstairs lands for Margarito. Garcia lands a hard right hook. They trade jab. They trade shots to the body. Right hand down the middle lands for Margarito. Garcia doubles up on his jab. HARD right hand lands for Margarito and Garcia is down. He takes the count. Margarito tries to jump on him. Uppercut lands for Margarito. Garcia backs him up with a left hook. Uppercut and another hard right hand lands for Margarito. Garcia smiles, but he buckled. Margarito digs some shots to the body. Round to Margarito.
Margarito 10 Garcia 8
ROUND 2
Margarito sticks the jab in the face of Garcia. Right hand lands for Margarito. Garcia covers up. Another right hand lands for Margarito. Garcia triples up on his jab; not much on it. They trade jabs. Now they trade body shots. Garcia continues to smile at him. Right hand lands for Garcia. HARD 1-2 lands for Margarito. Garcia backs up. Nice three-punch combo lands for Margarito. Round to Margarito.
Margarito 20 Garcia 17
ROUND 3
Garcia looks like he wants to turn up some pressure now as he walks Margarito down. Uppercut lands for Garcia. Margarito digs two uppercuts of his own to the body. HARD left hook and a right hand lands for Garcia, and Margarito smiles. Left hook lands for Garcia. Again. Margarito throwing some sloppy uppercuts. Garcia talking some smack to him as he continues to walk him down. They trade jabs. Right hand lands for Margarito. Left hook lands for Garcia. Nice 1-2 lands for Garcia. Margarito lands a right down the middle. Margarito digs a left to the body. Right hand lands for Margarito, but he eats a left from Garcia in return. Close round, but I give it to Margarito.
Margarito 30 Garcia 26
ROUND 4
Margarito going to the body more now. Garcia lands a 1-2 upstairs. Right hand lands for Margarito. Another 1-2 lands for Margarito. Margarito looks like he's trying to get this fight over with early as he unloads a barrage of punches. Garcia weathers the storm and presses forward. Two HARD right hands to the body land for Margarito. Nice 1-2 lands uptairs for Margarito. Garcia needs to start doing something in there instead of smiling. Garcia loading up on that left hook, but it's not finding the target. Margarito digs some shots to the body. Another missed left hook for Garcia. Round to Margarito.
Margarito 40 Garcia 35
ROUND 5
Margarito continues to circle around Garcia in the center of the ring, landing jabs and right hands. Garcia lands a hook upstairs. Uppercut lands for Margarito. Two more jabs land for Margarito. Garcia just smiles. To his credit, he is blocking a lot of punches, but some are getting through too. Nice three left hooks land for Garcia. Margarito shrugs it off and keeps firing away. Right hand to the body lands for Garcia. Right hand upstairs lands for Garcia. Margarito throws a barrage of punches to the gloves of Garcia. Round to Margarito, who's simply outworking Garcia, whether the punches are landing or not.
Margarito 50 Garcia 44
ROUND 6
Garcia quick to jump in the chest of Margarito. Some nice left hooks land for Garcia. Margarito backs away. Garcia making it ugly for Margarito in there...mauling him and whaling on any part of him. NICE right hand lands for Garcia. Margarito smiles. Garcia talks smack to him, banging on his stomach and still walking him down. HARD 1-2 lands for Garcia and Margarito begins to dance away on his toes as he smiles. Some jabs land for Margarito. Garcia jumps on him and digs some shots to the body. Margarito holds on. Right hand lands for Garcia. That left hook of his is getting closer. NICE uppercut lands for Margarito. Right hand lands for Margarito to end the round. Good round. Close round. I give it to Garcia for landing the harder shots, but Margarito could have taken it in the end there.
Margarito 59 Garcia 54
ROUND 7
Uppercut and a right lands for Margarito. Garcia looks unfazed. Margarito still dancing around on his toes and outboxing...yes...outboxing Garcia. Jab, jab, jab from Margarito. Garcia tries to walk him down. Margarito's back touches the ropes and then he dances away. Garcia stalking. Neither man landing much, but when they do, it's Margarito who's landing more. Upperecut lands for Margarito. Garcia just eats it, walks him down and roughs him up on the inside. HARD uppercut lands for Margarito...best punch of the round. Margarito sticking the jab out there and showboating a lot, waving his hands side to side as if to say, "you don't know which way I'm coming or going." Round to Margarito.
Margarito 69 Garcia 63
ROUND 8
Garcia comes out fast looking to land some big punches. Garcia roughs him up to the body on the inside. Margarito covers up. Both men trading on the inside; Garcia firing looping shots while Margarito focusing on uppercuts. Right to the body lands for Margarito. Garcia gets a warning for pushing down his head. Nice left cross lands for Margarito. Right hand down the middle lands for Margarito. Garcia lands a left hook. Garcia digs a couple more left hooks to the body. Now the ref takes a point from Garcia for charging in with his head. Margarito dances away and lands a quick 1-2. Round to Margarito.
Margarito 79 Garcia 71
ROUND 9
Stiff left hand lands for Margarito. Garcia presses forward. Both men getting warned for the roughhousing in there. Margarito just walking all over the ring as Garcia tries to figure out how to cut the ring off. Margarito is literally running all around the ring, laughing and smiling. Now this is what you call "running" in boxing. Garcia lands a couple of stiff jabs. Margarito flicks his jab at him and lands a bolo punch. Another bolo punch, he smiles, shrugs and dances away. This is crazy to see Margarito boxing like this.
Margarito 89 Garcia 80
ROUND 10
An energized Garcia comes out fast, wailing away at Margarito. Margarito weathers the attack. Garcia walks him down, but he's smothering his own punches. Margarito still on his toes, landing a quick 1-2 before dancing away. A frustrated Garcia has another point deducted for roughhousing in there. Margarito jabs and dances away. Round to Margarito.
Margarito 99 Garcia 89
Official judges scorecards: 99-89, 100-88, 99-90
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...ANTONIO MARGARITO
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