A Couple of Stand-Up Guys Battle to a Draw

It was so basic it was beautiful.

A simple right jab followed by a thunderous and heavy-handed left cross.

The left-handed and furiously fast-starting Manny Pacquiao used the 1-2 combination with stunning success against Juan Manuel Marquez in the first round of their world featherweight title fight on Saturday night, dropping the World Boxing Assn. and International Boxing Federation champion three times.

It was so basic it was beautiful ... Take II.

Marquez, a notoriously slow starter who was still glassy-eyed throughout the second round, recovered in time to counter Pacquiao’s strategy with a simple adjustment -- pick off the left by raising his right glove.

The champion, who was miffed at the attention the challenger had been getting as the new media darling and a 9-5 betting favorite, dominated the next half-dozen or so rounds, though Marquez never knocked the always-busy Pacquiao off his feet.

So it was only natural -- and raised no howls of disgust or protest from the weary MGM Grand Garden crowd of 7,129 -- when a draw was announced.

A thing of beauty indeed.

After 12 action-packed rounds -- they combined to throw 1,186 punches with Marquez landing 29% (158 of 547) and Pacquiao 23% (148 of 639) -- judge Burt Clements scored the bout 113-113, Guy Jutras had it 115-110 in favor of Marquez, and John Stewart scored it 115-110 for Pacquiao. The Times had it 113-112 for Marquez; Associated Press had it 113-113.

With the draw, Marquez retained his belts and his record moved to 42-2-1.

“In the first round I got careless and got hit with a right hand,” said Marquez, who bled from both nostrils from the first round on and was obviously still feeling the effects of the trio of lefts that dropped him.

“The plan was to box carefully and I didn’t do it. I was disoriented after the first round but once I got my head clear I thought I won all the other rounds, except possibly one round.”

The only point of contention was Clements’ scoring the first round 10-7 for Pacquiao, while the other two judges scored it 10-6. Had Clements followed suit, Pacquiao would have been victorious.

It was that close a fight. One that calls for a rematch (Marquez said he did not need one, while Pacquiao wants it).

It was also one that inspired nationalistic fervor, with the Mexican fans serenading Marquez in his comeback with a sing-song, “Si, se puede” (“Yes, we can”), as he landed scoring blows, mostly counter rights to the face.

And just as many flags of the Philippines filled the arena as those of Mexico.

“Obviously I thought I won and I didn’t think it was close,” said a disappointed Pacquiao, who broke down in tears after a post-fight interview with a Filipino television station. His record moved to 38-2-2.

“In the second round, I had pain in my right hand and blisters on my right foot in the sixth.

“I thought I took [Marquez’s] fight away from him.”

He just couldn’t take his belts.

*

In the semi-main event, Miguel Cotto went 12 rounds for the first time in his career and won a unanimous decision (117-111, 115-113, 116-112) against Lovemore N’Dou to retain his World Boxing Council international super lightweight title.

The victory improved Cotto’s record to 20-0 and set him up for a world championship fight, as he is now the No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger for the WBA and IBF titles and can also fight for the vacant World Boxing Organization belt.

Against N’Dou (37-7-1), though, Cotto seemed sluggish at times and did not follow up on scoring combinations.

“This is what I need if I’m going to step up to the next level,” said Cotto, whose left eye was swollen midway through the fight and left him susceptible to N’Dou’s wild, overhand rights. “I need fights like this.

“I was willing to take [punches] if I could get to the body.”