EVEN THE THIRD ONE IS A CHARM: CASAMAYOR-KATSIDIS CAPS MARCH MEGA-FIGHTS
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 24 Mar 2008
Cabazon, CA -- The month of March 2008 has been a good one for the Golden Boy Promotions, at least from the stand point of success in boxing promotions.
On March 2nd, they held the Israel Vasquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy at the Home Depot Center at Carson, California. The fight without a doubt could be the fight of the year or at least one of the top five at the year?s end.
Then, they were involved with the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez thriller at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas last week-end. That too could easily be on the top five.
Last night at the Morongo Casino Resort at Cabazon, California they had their third promotions for the month. It was the fight between Joel Casamayor of Cuba (via Miami) and Michael Katsidis of Australia.
Even the third one was a charm.
The fight although a couple or rounds shorter than the previous two mentioned above, is just as thrilling and just as exciting. It could also be a sure candidate for fight of the year.
The only difference between last night?s fight and the other two was the fact that it was decided by the fighters themselves. The judges did not have an opportunity to have a final say because it ended via a TKO.
Thus, there was no controversy and no whining at the post fight press conference.
Joel Casamayor once again proved that in the business of boxing, power and experience can sometimes rule over speed and youth. His battle with Katsidis was a tough see-saw rumble with each fighter rocking each other. Casamayor started it with a couple of knockdowns in the first round both delivered by his left hand.
The 36-year old Casamayor then continued his assault on the younger Katsidis doing damage on his right eye and stunning him with power shots that seem to come from nowhere. At that point it appeared that the end would soon be coming.
Much to the surprise of Casamayor, Katsidis came back strong on the next succeeding rounds to a point where up to the time before the knock out came, Katsidis was leading in the scorecards of two of the judges by an identical score of 84-83. The third judge however, had him behind, 82-85.
Powerful body shots in the 4th really hurt Casamayor and the same powerful shots in the 6th knocked him out of the ring. But he was able to recover and continue to fight.
Thereafter, Casamayor again took control but a shot he fired ?south of the border? made referee Jon Schorle deduct a point from him.
The 10th, Katsidis appeared determined to take control of the fight by raining combinations on Casamayor. As fate has it, a counter left hook from Casamayor caught Katsidis flush on the face and drop him in a neutral corner. Casamayor sensing that the tide suddenly turn, endlessly pummeled Katsidis after he stood up, forcing Schorle to step in and stop the fight. Time: 30 seconds in the 10th round.
Casmayor?s victory earned him the WBO Interim Lightweight title and he kept his Ring Magazine diadem.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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