Moments ago, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas, Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao picked up his eighth world title in as many divisions with a dominant performance, defeating Antonio Margarito, a man who outweiged him by nearly 20 pounds, via unanimous decision. Pacquiao used his superior hand speed to bust Margarito up with flashy combinations. Although Margarito did hurt him once with a body shot, it was probably the only moment of the fight that he ever won. Relive all the action in FightHype's in-depth, minute-by-minute round-by-round results.
PREFIGHT
Antonio Margarito comes out first to a sea of cheers from the crowd. It's amazing to see how much support Margarito has, despite the amount of criticism he's taken throughout the promotion of the fight. Surprisingly, or not given we're in Texas, the boos have already started before Pacquiao makes his way to the ring. The sounds of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" begins to play, a familiar song at Arturo Gatti fights, as a montage of Pacquiao's best victories are shown on the jumbotron. Now the song changes to "You're The Best", a song from the Karate Kid soundtrack, as Pacquiao makes his way to the ring. The boos from the Margarito fans are drowned out as the crowd erupts with applause.
ROUND 1
Pacquiao tries to touch gloves, but Margarito refuses. Both men come out cautious. Pacquiao lands a jab to the body. Margarito lands a jab upstairs. A left to the body lands for Pacquiao. Margarito touches him with his jab again. Pacquiao digs a 1-2 to the body. HARD right hand lands for Pacquiao. A left hand upstairs lands for Pacquiao. Margarito looks extra slow in there next to Pacquiao. Quick 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. HARD right and a left lands for Pacquiao. Jab and a right lands for Pacquiao. Anohter HARD right lands for Pacquiao. Left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Body shot lands for Pacquiao. This is all Manny Pacquiao right now. Margarito just not getting off at all. Easy round for Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 10 Margarito 9
ROUND 2
Pacquiao sticks his jab in Margarito's face. Left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao. Now Margarito catches him with a right. Pacquiao dives in with a quick flurry, but he eats a hard left from Margarito. 1-2 lands for Margarito and Pacquiao bangs his gloves together. Now Pacquiao fires off a quick combo that snaps Margarito's head back. Right upstairs and a left to the body lands for Margarito. Pacquiao digs a 1-2 to the body. Jab lands for Margarito. Pacquiao catches him with a right. Margarito starting to throw caution to the wind. Pacquiao catches him with a right and an uppercut. Margarito snaps his head back with two uppercuts. Overhand left lands for Pacquiao. Better round for Margarito, but a round still won by Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 20 Margarito 18
ROUND 3
Pacquiao lands a quick 1-2 down the middle. Left hand and an uppercut lands for Pacquiao. Right to the body lands for Pacquiao. HARD left hook from Pacquiao rakes Margarito across the face. Margarito lands a right. Pacquiao just picking Margarito apart with quick shots from the outside. HARD left hand down the middle lands for Pacquiao and Margarito smiles. Pacquiao landing with ease in there. Left to the body lands for Pacquiao. Right hand lands for Pacquiao. Margarito digs some slow shots to the body, but he eats a hard right hand from Pacquiao. Round to Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 30 Margarito 27
ROUND 4
Two hard left hands land for Pacquiao. Margarito digs a left to the body. Pacquiao backs up to the ropes and lands four unanswered shots. Right and a left lands for Pacquiao. Nothing coming back from Margarito. Four-punch combo lands for Pacquiao. Again. Wow. Let me know when Pacquiao's opponent shows up. Pacquiao turning up the heat now. Margarito looks shaky. He looks ready to go. Pacquiao landing everythin g right now. Left hand, right hand. Margarito just covers up. Even when Manny backs up to the ropes, Margarito can do nothing. Margarito's face is BUSTED UP with a cut and a swollen eye. Round to Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 40 Margarito 36
ROUND 5
Right hand lands for Pacquiao. Again. HARD right hook from Pacquiao snaps the head of Margarito. Now Pacquiao backs up to the ropes and Margarito finally gets some work done, but Pacquiao is just toying with him. Now Pacquiao unloads a series of hard shots on Margarito. The left hand down the middle can't miss. Uppercut and two right hands land for Pacquiao. Margarito lands an uppercut. Right to the body and a left upstaris lands for Pacquiao. Margarito lands an uppercut. Pacquiao just ties him up. Pacquiao just touching him with his jab...inviting Margarito in to exchange. HARD right and a left lands for Pacquiao. Again. Round to Pacquiao. Margarito should be embarrassed with this performance thus far.
Pacquiao 50 Margarito 45
ROUND 6
HARD left hand lands for Pacquiao. Pacquiao just peppering Margarito with every punch in the book. Right cross lands for Pacquiao. HARD body shot lands for Pacquiao. Right hook lands for Pacquiao. Margarito digs a 1-2 to the body. Pacquiao lights him up again upstairs. Margarito lands a weak left to the body. Hard left hook to the body lands for Margarito and Pacquiao doubles over. He didn't like that one at all. Pacquiao on the run. Left hook lands for Pacquiao. Margarito eats it and digs more shots to te body. Pacquiao escapes and lands some nice shots at the bell. It could get interesting if Margarito can go back to the body. Round to Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 60 Margarito 54
ROUND 7
Pacquiao circling on the outside and picking his shots. Margarito stalking. Right hook and a left hand lands for Pacquiao and he dances away. A little bit of the Ali shuffle from Pacquiao and the crowd erupts in laughter. Hard left hand lands for Pacquiao. Right hand upstairs lands for Margarito. Pacquiao blasts him with some shots upstairs. Margarito digs another right to the body, but Pacquiao makes him pay with some shots upstairs. Margarito lands some uppercuts against the ropes. Pacquiao lands a left and dances away. Both men trade in the corner. Margarito digs some heavy shots to the body. Pacquiao fires a blistering combination in return. Good round, but another one in the bank for Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 70 Margarito 63
ROUND 8
Pacquiao circling on the outside. Right hand lands for Pacquiao. Margarito backs him up to the ropes and lands some hard shots. Pacquiao takes them all and reverses Margarito though. Good exchange. HARD left hook lands for Pacquiao. Margarito backs him up to the ropes again and lands some shots to the body. Margarito digs more shots to the body against the ropes, but Pacquiao looks like he's just taking a break. Right hand lands for Margarito. Pacquiao getting a little tired in there. Both men trade against the ropes. Shades of Margarito vs. Coto. Good round for Margarito. Still not enough to win it, but with 4 rounds left, it could get very interesting down the stretch.
Pacquiao 80 Margarito 72
ROUND 9
Pacquiao backing up, backing up, backing up. Margarito stalking, stalking, stalking. Margarito lands a right on the ropes. Pacquiao lands a looping right. Manny clearly taking this round off as he's just dancing around on the retreat. Margarito lands a left. Pacquiao lands an even harder left. Pacquiao just dancing circles around him flicking him with his left. Now Margarito backs him up to the ropes and lands a right. Pacquiao makes him pay with a big right hook. Not quite as much action in that round, but Pacquiao took it with the bigger, more telling shots.
Pacquiao 90 Margarito 81
ROUND 10
Margarito's eye is practically swollen shut. Both men trade body shots. Pacquiao lands a quick left and a right. Four-punch combo lands for Pacquiao. Another hard left hand lands for Pacquiao. Margarito digs a 1-2 to the body, but he eats some uppercuts from Pacquiao. Pacquiao lands a six-punch combo now. HARD right hand from Pacquiao wobbles Margarito. Another right and a left from Pacquiao backs Margarito up. Margarito on shaky legs in there. Round to Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 100 Margarito 90
ROUND 11
Now Margarito is touching gloves with Pacquiao. LOL. Margarito appears to be in survival mode a bit. He's stalking, but not really throwing anything. Pacquiao has him flinching with every move he makes. Pacquiao just lights Margarito up with quick punches upstairs. Another four-punch combo from Pacquiao lands. Right to the body and a left upstairs lands for Pacquiao. All Manny Pacquiao again. Margarito lands a right, but he eats a right from Pacquiao. Pacquiao drills him with another three-punch combo. Easy round for Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 110 Margartio 99
ROUND 12
Pacquiao peppers him with a 1-2. Margarito just following him around the ring. Pacquiao lands a left. 1-2 lands for Pacquiao. Left hand lands for Pacquiao. Margarito just flicking his jab out, but not hitting anything. Pacquiao just lighting him up with more three-punch combos. Right and a left lands for Pacquiao. Again. Margarito just lands a couple of jabs. He's not even going for broke. Round, and easy win, for Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao 120 Margarito 108
Official judges scorecards: 120-108, 118-110, 119-109
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...AND NEW WBC JR. MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD....MANNY PACQUIAO
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