Mansour remains perfect and decisions Guinn

DOVER, DEL–Amir Mansour remained perfect as he captured the Interim NABO North American title with a ten round beatdown of former contender Dominick Guinn at Dover Downs

The action started out blistering with bith guys trying to land power punches. Mansour got in four hard and quick left hooks on the ropes. A fracas broke out in the crowd in round one. Guinn landed a couple of nice body shots to finish out the opening frame. Round three saw a dominant Mansour lnd some vidious hooks off the body and head of Guinn. In round four, Mansour landed two hard straight lefts to face of Guinn and he quicy followed that up with some nice body work. Mansour landed some hard lefts and rights that slammed into tyhe head of Guinn but the visitor showed a graniye chin and proved why he hadn’t been stopped in his pro career.

Mansour continued to be the boss by landing some hard and quick combinations with both hands. Guinn then went in a defensive shell but still got hit with a lot of hard shots from Mansour. Mansour and Guinn had a furious exchange in the final moments of the bout for which each landed some heavy blows with Mansour getting the better of the action. Mansour did his best to entertain the throngs of his supporters and they went home happy but for the first time since his comeback, Mansour failed to get a stoppage.

Mansour, 223 lbs of Wilmington, Delaware won by scores of 100-90; 100-90 and 99-91 and is now 15-0. Guinn, 227 lbs of Houston, TX is now 33-8-1.

Edgar Santana scored an explosive fifth round stoppage over Omri Lowther to capture the NABA Jr. Welterweight title.

Santana dropped Lowther in round one from a straight right. Lowther started to back Santana up over the next few rounds by focusing on the body then coming upstairs.

The momentum was clearly in Lowther’s favoR WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE, SANTANA LANDED A CRUNSHING LEFT HOOK that sent Lowther to the canvas. Referee Gary Rosato let the fight go on for a brief moment later before stopping the bout at 1:43 of round five.

Santana, 140 lbs of New York is now 26-3 with seventeen knockouts. Lowther, 140 lbs of Toronto, Canada is now 14-4.

Anthony Caputo Smith dropped Steve Walker in round one from a straight right hand that froze him and followed up with a body shot and moments later got him out of there with a combination in the corner in their scheduled four round Light Heavyweight bout.

The time was 2:09 for Smith, 175 lbs of Kennett Square, PA and is now 11-0 with nine knockouts. Walker, 169 lbs of Hannibal, MO is now 25-28.

Ronica Jeffrey scored a six round unanimous decision over Ela Nunez to capture the NABF Super Featherweight title.

Jeffrey came out boxing and landed a hard right on the ropes at the end of round one. Nunez began moving forward trying to land a big power shot.

Jeffrey worked behind a (sometimes double and triple) jab and came behind it with the right. Jeffrey used the ring very nicely as she darted in and out and was always just a step out of the way of Nunez punch attempts. Nunez came at Jeffrey hard to start the final round. Jeffrey was on her horse to start the frame but then came forward and landed a nice three punch combination on the charging Nunez.

Jeffrey, 127 1/2 lbs of Brooklyn, won by scores of 60-54; 59-55 and 59-55 to remain perfect at 8-0. Nunez, 128 lbs of Johnstown, NY is now 9-10-1.

Local favorite Ryan Belasco scored a six round unanimous decision over Fernado Basora in a crowd pleaseing and bloody Lightweight bout.

In round one, Belasco scored a knock down when Basora walked into a jab. Round two saw some big exchanges that got got Basora into the fight. Round three was a back and forth wild three minutes. Basora dropped Belasco with a little right hand in the corner. That only seemed to energize Belasco as he came firing out and ripped off a combination that was ended by a big right hand that sent Basora to the canvas. Basora began to bleed bad from under his left eye but was able to make it out of the round.

Belasco landed a big right and uppercut that ended the fifth which caused Basora’s cut to become more prominent. Knowing that he was behind, Basora went for in the final round and like the previous five, there was some very crowd pleasing moments with both guys landing solid shots. Towards the end of the round, Basora started to bleed from the middle of his forehead.

Belasco, 136 lbs of Wilmington, DE won by scores of 59-54; 59-55 and 58-55 and is now 15-5-3. Basora, 136 lbs of Bronx, NY is now 8-7-1.

Dan Biddle scored a four round unanimous decision over Dan Shull in a Cruiserweight bout.

Both guys traded hard shots that entertained the crowd with Shull landing some surprisingly effective blows but it was Biddle being more active that propelled him to the win.

Scores, were 40-36; 39-37 and 39-37 for Biddle, 189 lbs of Hockessin, DE and is now 8-1. Shull, 189 lbs of Winchester, VA is now 2-13-1.

Omar Douglas remained perfect with a first round stoppage over Corey White in a scheduled four round Lightweight bout.

Douglas dropped White twice with body shots with White not being able to be at the count at 2:25 of round one.

Douglas, 132 lbs of Philadelphia is now 2-0 with one knockout. White, 133 lbs of Cincinnati, OH is now 1-3.

Lamont Singletary needed just sixty seconds to dispose of William Clint Green in a scheduled four round Cruiderweight bout.

Singletary landed a hard combination that was punctiated by a right hand that sent Green down for Gary Rosato’s ten count.

Singletary, 195 lbs of Dover, DE is now 2-0 with two knockouts. Green, 192 lbs of Hannibal, MO is now 1-3




Pacquiao knows and now so does everybody else: The Congressman is a champ.


ARLINGTON, Tex. – Manny Pacquiao’s congregation wore T-shirts that said it all. Say it all.

Manny Knows

Does he ever.

There’s never a hint of doubt in that enigmatic smile and child-like eyes. Pacquiao never doubts. He just believes and on Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium he crushed those doubts and Antonio Margarito with hands that deliver an unrivalled mix of speed and power.

Questions about Pacquiao’s commitment and priorities were everywhere and building for weeks before he would challenge for an unprecedented eighth title, junior middleweight, at a catch weight. He was said to be more of a politician than a puncher since his election to the Filipino Congress. The guessing game was that he wanted a political title more than a boxing one. When he isn’t in the ring, maybe he does.

But at opening bell, this Congressman is still the pound-for-pound champion.

Margarito never had a chance in losing a decision. It was more than unanimous. It was one-sided. Judge Jurgen Langos scored it 120-108. It was 118-100 on Glen Crocker’s card. Oren Schellenbruger had it 119-109. On the 15 Rounds card, Margarito won only one round, the eighth, out of the scheduled 12. Even that one might qualify as a gift to the gutsy Margarito, who withstood a blinding succession of combinations and was clearly finished after the ninth.

“He is a tough fighter,’’ said Pacquiao, (52-3-2, 38 KOs), who said he was hurt by body punch along the ropes in the sixth.

But he is a slow fighter.

That became oh-so-evident quickly.

Seconds after the opening bell, Pacquiao was more effective with a consistent jab and an accurate right that began to expose Margarito’s ponderous lack of speed.

Pacquiao’s right landed, landed and landed in the first round. There it was again in the second, even in the face of a more aggressive Margarito, who landed an uppercut that served as an early warning and a powerful reminder that standing still was a one-way ticket to defeat for the Filipino.

Suddenly, a crowd announced at 41,734 began to witness answers to questions about Pacquiao had done the roadwork. He had. From round-to-round, Margarito moved forward. He knows no other way.

Through at least seven rounds, Pacquiao darted out of the corner, off the ropes, around Margarito as he landed a bewildering array of punches off-balance and always on the fly.

“He is the fastest fighter of our era,’’ Margarito trainer Robert Garcia said. “We’ve never seen anything like him.’’

In the later rounds, Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs) had trouble seeing at all.

In the third round, Pacquiao opened up a cut below Margarito’s right eye with an uppercut. With each round, the swelling grew and it looked as if it began to affect Margarito’s vision. By the 11th, even Pacquaio was concerned. He turned and seemed to ask referee Laurence Cole to stop it.

“My opponent looked bad,’’ Pacquiao said. “I didn’t want to damage him permanently.’’

But damage might have been done to Margarito’s future as fighter. At least, Roach thought so.

Margarito, Roach said, has “the worst corner.’’ Garcia, he said, should have stopped the fight to save Margarito’s career. But Margarito would not quit and said so in the ring after it was over. His pride, his Mexican heritage, would not permit surrender, he said. Still, there was no chance at victory either.

Magarito came into the ring just three pounds lighter than a super-middleweight and 17 pounds heavier than Pacquiao, who at 148 pounds was just one heavier than a welterweight.

Margarito gained 15 pounds between weigh-in and opening bell. He grabbed the water bottle after stepping off the official scale Friday and must have kept room service busy with orders for pasta, more pasta, for the next few hours.

But the early issue involved something that isn’t on any menu. Ephedra, a stimulant, is illegal. Roach suggested that Margarito might have been sprinkling it onto that pasta, or spiking his breakfast cup of coffee with the stuff.

In the end, neither the pounds nor ephedra, not anything else mattered.

But like the T-shirt said Pacquiao already knew that.

A good, sometimes great fight, unfolded while laptops at ringside were abuzz with tweets about a locker room debate initiated by Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach, who asked that Antonio Margarito undergo drug testing for ephedra, an illegal stimulant.

It wasn’t clear who was winning in the locker room.

It also wasn’t clear who was winning in the ring between Philadelphia welterweight Mike Jones (23-0, 18 KOs) and Mexican Jesus Soto-Karass (24-5-3, 16 KOs). In the end, Jones got the nod, a 12-round majority decision, over Soto-Karass.

Jones and Karass brought the crowd to its feet with a toe-to-toe, free-swinging exchange in the second. Jones won the round. For awhile, however, it looked as if had lost the fight. He nearly exhausted himself and Soto-Karass capitalized with stubborn aggressiveness and body shots followed by head-rocking right hands. Judge Serio Caiz scored it 97-93 for Jones. Jones won, 95-94, on Levi Martinez’ card. Gale Van Hoy scored it 94-94, leaving Soto-Karass with a tough loss to go along with bloody cuts near both eyes.

Guillermo Rigondeaux (7-0, 5 KOs), an Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, won a fight, but no fans. They had a new way to spell his name, as in Rigondull.

That’s what his split decision over Panamanian Ricardo Cordoba (37-3-2, 23 KOs) for a World Boxing Association interim junior-featherweight title was: Dull, dull and duller. Did we forget to say dull?

The only cheers were for legendary Roberto Duran, who accompanied Cordoba into the ring. After that, there were yawns, then boos and even the wave, which might have been the most derisive gesture from bored fans awaiting Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito.

For awhile, it sounded as if the restless crowd was watching the Cowboys, who have yet to win a game this NFL season on the home turf beneath the ring.

Rigondeaux escaped with a victory, in part because Cordoba went down on to a knee in the fourth from an apparent body shot. The Cuban won 117-109 on one judge’s card and 114-112 on a second. The third judge scored it 114-112 for Cordoba.

For the first time in days, there were cheers for Brandon Rios, who had been booed for mocking Manny Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach’s Parkinson’s symptoms in a controversial video.

Rios was booed at Friday’s weigh-in.

He was booed when he walked to the ring Saturday for the first fight on the HBO pay-per-view telecast that featured Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito. And booed when he stepped through the ropes. And when he was introduced.

The cheers came later, after Rios (26-0-1, 19 KOs), a super-lightweight from Oxnard, Calif., was declared the winner by TKO over Omri Lowther (14-3, 10 KOs) of Valdosta, Ga.

Rios cut off the ring, cut off every avenue of escape and began to subject Lowther to a withering succession of body punches. In the fifth, a few well-placed head shots brought about the inevitable end for an exhausted Lowther.

An Antonio Margarito sparring partner was beaten up in the gym and beaten Saturday night on the card’s opening bout.

Los Angeles welterweight Rashad Holloway (11-2-2, 5 KOs) lost an unanimous decision to Dennis Laurente (35-3-4, 17 KOs), one of Manny Pacquiao’s fellow Filipinos.

Fellow Filipinos already in their seats at Cowboys Stadium probably hoped that was a good sign for their revered Congressman in a main event scheduled to start six hours after the opener. For Margarito fans, it might have been a sign of what they hope he will do to Pacquiao.

Margarito reportedly hurt Holloway in sparring. One of his injuries was reported to be a dislocated eye socket. Holloway never had a chance against Laurente, who won seven of eight rounds on one card, six on another and five on the third.

In the second bout, Mexican super-lightweight Oscar Meza (20-4, 17 KOs) left no questions, scoring a knockdown in the fourth and final round for a unanimous decision over Jose Hernandez (10-3, 4 KOs) of Dallas.

There were some questions in the third fight. Filipino flyweight Richie Mepranum (17-3-1, 3 KOs) got the favorable answer, an eight-round split decision over Anthony Villareal (10-4, 6 KOs), of Perris, Calif.

Phoenix prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. (9-0, 9 KOs) knocked fellow super-lightweight Winston Mathis (6-3, 2 KOs) of Stockbridge, Ga., down and around, but never much sense into him.

After scoring two knockdowns in the first round, Benavidez sent Mathis up and back onto his heels with a looping right that landed with the impact of bat onto a fastball. Referee Neal Young looked into the hazy daze of Mathis’ eyes. What he saw was obvious: The end.

Young stopped it at 2:24 of the third. But the stoppage angered Mathis, who for a moment raised his hands and ran at Young as if he had decided to continue the fight against a different opponent. Mathis lost that one, too

Notre Dame graduate Mike Lee did to Keith Debow what the Irish used to do to Navy. He mauled him. Lucky for Debow, this one didn’t last four quarters.

It was over at 1:33 of the first round.

Lee’s report record as a light-heavyweight remained perfect (3-0) with his second knockout, which came about as a result of big right hand followed by several more against defenseless Debow (0-3-1), a St. Louis who leaned on a neutral ring post as though it if it were the only thing keeping him up and in the ring.

First-round stoppages began to become a theme in the next bout, the sixth on a card scheduled for 11. Dallas featherweight Robert Marroquin (17-0, 13 KOs) scored the encore, knocking down Mexican Francisco Dominguez (8-8, 7 KOs) twice within 87 seconds for a TKO victory at 1:27 of the first.

It was a swing fight. For super-featherweights Angel Rodriguez (6-4-2, 4 KOs) of Houston and Juan Martin Elorde (11-1, 4 KOs) of the Philippines, it was swing and mostly miss through flour erratic rounds. Rodriguez missed less often Elorde. He scored a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Filipino.

Photo By Cgris Farina / Top Rank