PACMAN DESTROYS SOLIS, DARLENE UP NEXT! MIJARES SCHOOLS ARCE; VILORIA LOSES; CONCEPCION RETAINS CROWN!
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 15 Apr 2007
Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao demolished Mexican Jorge Solis in the eighth round of their scheduled 12-rounder, successfully defending his WBC International superfeatherweight title in front of close to 15,000 fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao encountered initial difficulties against the taller Solis, who kept using his jab against the lefty congressional candidate. As the rounds wore on, however, Pacquiao's power proved to be the deciding factor as Solis slowly wilted under the two-fisted assault, going down twice in the fateful round.
Official time was 1:16 of the the eighth, as referee Vic Drakulich counted out Solis after his second trip to the canvas.
Pacquiao started strongly in the first three rounds. A low blow by Solis on Pacquiao's left leg bothered the latter, but the Pinoy icon wins the fourth round. Solis came back by taking the fifth.
A Solis headbutt has hit Pacquiao in the sixth, and Solis went down but it was ruled as a slip by the referee. Solis was badly punished in the sixth and was on the verge of a knockdown.
Pacquiao took the seventh frame, before scoring the two knockdowns the following round.
"I felt the urgent need to finish him off after I got cut. I felt he ws feeling my power, so I exploited that," Pacquiao said in a post-fight interview.
Pacman was ahead in all judges' card at the time of the stoppage on scores of 69-65, 68-65 and 69-64 when Drakulich counted Solis out, according to www.boxingconfidential.com big boss Michael Marley, a true scholar of the game.
The Filipino icon also said that he will immediately return to the country, as he takes care of his congressional aspirations in a bid to knock out the incumbent Darlene Antonino-Custodio in the May 14 polls.
In a civil war, Cristian Mijares shook the boxing world with a clinical upset win over the hugely-popular Jorge Arce via a one-sided unanimous verdict.
Scores were 119-109, 118-110, and 117-111 all for Mijares, who came into the fight a 2-1 underdog.
Fil-Am Brian Viloria took a heart-breaking loss at the hands of Mexican Edgar Sosa, absorbing a majority decision defeat minutes ago in their 12-round scrap.
Scores were 115-113 twice for Sosa, while the third judge had it a draw at 114-114.
According to ringsider Rolando Hiso from Chicago, Viloria looked flat all throughout, and was in trouble in the last couple of rounds although both fighters had busted faces after the fight.
"Wala, talagang wala si Brian ngayon," observed Hiso when asked what happened to Viloria.
Filipino Bernabe 'Real Deal' Concepcion retains his WBC Youth superbantam title with a hard-earned unanimous decision over American Benjamin Flores.
All three judges, according to ringside sources, saw the fight for the Aljoe Jaro-managed Concepcion via scores of 97-93, 97-93, 96-94.
Superstar Manny Pacquiao was given a special pray-over during a mass this morning attended by friends and relatives before Pacman plunges into action against Mexican Jorge Solis at the Alamodome.
The 10AM mass was officiated by Fr. Marlon Beof of New York, the same priest who has been celebrating masses for Pacquiao in his recent ring battles, and attendance was limited to friends this time, according to sources.
No political figure was in attendance, but those who attended the mass included Pacquiao's wife Jinkee, Cebu promoter Rex 'Wakee' Salud and Lala Roque, Team Pacquiao dentist Ed De la Vega, Jeng Gacal, composer Lito Camo, Eric Pineda, Rey Golingan, Cris Aquino, Dyan Castillejo, Justin Fortune, Team Pacquiao therapist Jeff De Guzman, as well as crews of GMA and ABS-CBN.
Pacquiao weighed-in at 132 this morning, and was expected to be around 135 lbs when he goes up the ring to demolish Solis.
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach arrived San Antonio, Texas at 2PM and immediately proceeded to see Pacquiao. Roach later did what he does best--being in Pacquiao's corner with Justin Fortune and Buboy Fernandez.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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