Boxing News magazine 12.5.2011 Download pdf

MANNY PACQUIAO won a very clear
and decisive unanimous decision over
former champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley
on Saturday night in Las Vegas - and,
as expected, it was a comprehensive
performance.
It was similar to most of Pacquiao's last
eight bouts, as far back as his dominating
technical knockout of Oscar De La Hoya in
December 2008. Pacquiao's speed, energy
and creative punching angles, on top of his
numbing punching power, put Mosley in the
same position De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto
and Antonio Margarita found themselves in
when faced with their whirlwind opponent.
They had no answers for the sustained
attack and all seemed surprised at his
punching power, speed and aggression.

I'VE just watched Darren Barker win the
European tide and what an inspiration he is
to all boxers out there. To come back like that
after the traumatic 12 months he's endured
speaks volumes for his fighting spirit.
I can't speak highly enough of this young
guy. Not for him trash-talking or badmouthing
his opponents - he just gets on with his job and
takes care of business, not even bothering to
take part in the obligatory staredown.
And how refreshing to see a boxer that can
really BOX without trying to take the other
guy's head off with every punch!

WBO light-flyweight champion
and two-time conqueror of Ivan
Calderon, Giovani Segura is
moving up a division. The strong,
powerful California-based Mexican
is in negotiations to challenge
compatriot and WBO fly boss Julio
Cesar Miranda next month.

EVANDER HOLYFIELD, a career high
i6st 2lbs, stopped Brian Nielsen, at I7st
his second lightest ever, in the 10th of a
scheduled non-title 12-rounder billed as
"Legends of the Ring" on a pay-per-view
in Denmark (Sauerland promoting).
Nielsen, 46 and back after 10 years,
was down in the third and looked just as
"shot" as expected. Holyfield was no ball
of fire himself and appeared to hold back
as the Dane, cut and marked up, soaked
up a steady beating without getting hurt.
Evander, 48, slowed in the eighth and
ninth but after complaints of headbutts
from Nielsen in the 10th the ex-champ
finally opened up and Nielsen was in his
own corner taking a beating when referee
Fabian Guggenheim stopped it at 2-49.
Brian protested and the crowd booed but
the ref did the right thing, ending a fight
that never should have started.

EXPERIENCE proved the telling factor on
this Steve Wood promotion at the Sports
Centre as Leyland southpaw Chris Johnson
(lost 6 3/4lbs) completed a successful first
defence of his Central Area welterweight
title, a fourth-round stoppage victory
putting paid to the hopes of Barnsley
challenger Neil Beevers (lost 5 i/2lbs).
Had anyone asked my thoughts
beforehand I'd have opined that the
muscular Beevers would have been my pick
if there was to be an early finish, with the
Johnson's chances of victory improving the
further things went.