MARGARITO WINS BUT FAILS TO IMPRESS AGAINST JORGE PAEZ JR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Mar 2016
Antonio Margarito's first ring appearance since December 2011 wasn't a dominant performance, and Bad Left Hook said it ?really wasn't even an inspiring performance, if you're looking for evidence that he's going to be a threat at a world class level again, but it was a very enjoyable slugfest in Mexico City, with Margarito beating Jorge Paez Jr via unanimous decision over 10 rounds.
Scores for the fight were 95-94, 96-93, and 97-93, all for Margarito. BLH had it 95-94, also for Margarito.
The report said Margarito (39-8, 27 KO) fought pretty much like he used to fight, though without the sort of cumulative power he possessed as a welterweight. Fighting Paez (39-8-2, 23 KO) at junior middleweight, Margarito stayed in the pocket with his opponent, with both men giving as good as they got. It was a pretty action-packed fight, largely fought in close quarters, with both fighters' heads rocking around pretty regularly.
In the sixth round, BLH said ?Margarito faced some real adversity, as he was cracked with a couple of clean shots that put him on the canvas. But the 37-year-old Margarito got to his feet, shook it off, and went right back to work. For the rest of the fight, he and Paez, 28, duked it out toe-to-toe. It was a competitive fight all the way, and quite entertaining, something that could be lost in the other narratives surrounding Margarito's comeback.?
Margarito who retired in the 9th round of a WBA super welterweight title fight against Miguel Cotto on December 3, 2011 after taking an unmerciful beating from eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao who eased off in the final two rounds to win a lopsided unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC super welterweight title did not look like a fighter who could create problems for top boxers at 154 or 160 pounds.
Bad Left Hook noted that money fights for Margarito ?would largely all be against fighters who would beat him up, as he took plenty of shots tonight against Paez. A better puncher might have finished him off, even as tough as Margarito has been in his career. So there is the sense of impending doom in this situation; if he is sacrificed to someone younger and stronger, it's going to be ugly. But he can still make for a decent night of TV, at least at this level.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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