ALinChainz
06-26-2005, 11:23 AM
A round-by-round account of Floyd Mayweather's sixth-round TKO over Arturo Gatti to become the new WBC junior welterweight (140-pound) champion Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Mayweather, of Grand Rapids, Mich., improves to 34-0 with 23 KOs. Gatti, of Jersey City, N.J., falls to 39-7 with 30 knockouts.
On the undercard, Vivian Harris (25-2-1, 17 KOs) of Brooklyn was knocked out by Colombian Carlos Maussa (19-2, 17 KOs) in the seventh round. Maussa connected with a left hook to the chin, which left Harris staggering backward and falling to the canvas. He was unable to beat the 10-count, resulting in Maussa becoming the new WBA junior welterweight champion.
Also, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (20-0, 15 KOs) of Culiacán, Mexico, scored a fourth-round TKO of Ruban Galvan (21-7-2, 9 KOs) of Hammond, Ill., in another 140-pound tilt. The referee stopped the fight at the 2:22 mark of the round.
Saturday's fight night at the Boardwalk opened with Ivan Calderón (23-0, 5 KOs) of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, defending his WBO minimumweight (105-pound) title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Gerardo Verde (13-2, 10 KOs) of Mexico City.
Round 1
The fight starts slowly, both fighters standing their ground. Mayweather gets in several lefts. Gatti returns fire with a right uppercut. Mayweather has a slight edge in the round, demonstrating his quickness. Gatti still tries to keep Mayweather at a distance, holding out his left. Gatti appeared to let his guard down after looking at the referee, enabling Mayweather to score a knockdown with a left.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-8.
Round 2
Mayweather continues to build on his success from the previous round, catching Gatti with several combinations. Gatti fights gamely, though Mayweather has the momentum. Mayweather slips in rights and lefts almost at will. Gatti hasn't landed a big shot at this point, while Mayweather is scoring easily with a number of combinations and jabs.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 3
Mayweather continues his dominance, his speed and strength affecting Gatti. Mayweather is sticking and moving with the left jab, moving about the ring. Mayweather sizes up Gatti with the left, using the right with economy. Both fighters are warned for low blows. Mayweather sticks the left-right combination yet again in the final minute.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 4
Gatti attempts to corner Mayweather, who easily escapes. Mayweather is settling in, picking his spots, having established the tone of the fight. Gatti has not been able to penetrate Mayweather's defenses, while Mayweather scores heavily with two seperate flurries that rock Gatti. Another right-left by Mayweather lands. Gatti still pursues in spite of Mayweather's assault. Two rights by Mayweather land just before the round ends.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 5
Mayweather scores with a left off the bat. Gatti, admonished by his trainer for looking for the one big punch, gets in a left to the body. Mayweather methodically sticks to his game plan, backing up when necessary, then moving in to box. Gatti's left jab is blocked. The referee warns Mayweather for flaring a forearm to Gatti's face. Another left and a right by Mayweather land, followed by another short right. Gatti launches a big right that misses. Mayweather scores again with two rights at the end of the round
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 6
Gatti stalks Mayweather, who is in control at this point. Mayweaher's left keeps Gatti at bay. Mayweather backes up, but manages to land a right and a left in the process. A flurry of head and body shots rock Gatti, but Gatti's still standing. Three straight rights by Mayweather snap Gatti's head back. Mayweather lathers on the punishment, and Gatti remains standing, and keeps coming back to box gamely. Mayweather is scoring at will.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-8.
The fight is stopped before the seventh round begins. Mayweather wins by TKO.
ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=209468 9)
Mayweather, of Grand Rapids, Mich., improves to 34-0 with 23 KOs. Gatti, of Jersey City, N.J., falls to 39-7 with 30 knockouts.
On the undercard, Vivian Harris (25-2-1, 17 KOs) of Brooklyn was knocked out by Colombian Carlos Maussa (19-2, 17 KOs) in the seventh round. Maussa connected with a left hook to the chin, which left Harris staggering backward and falling to the canvas. He was unable to beat the 10-count, resulting in Maussa becoming the new WBA junior welterweight champion.
Also, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (20-0, 15 KOs) of Culiacán, Mexico, scored a fourth-round TKO of Ruban Galvan (21-7-2, 9 KOs) of Hammond, Ill., in another 140-pound tilt. The referee stopped the fight at the 2:22 mark of the round.
Saturday's fight night at the Boardwalk opened with Ivan Calderón (23-0, 5 KOs) of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, defending his WBO minimumweight (105-pound) title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Gerardo Verde (13-2, 10 KOs) of Mexico City.
Round 1
The fight starts slowly, both fighters standing their ground. Mayweather gets in several lefts. Gatti returns fire with a right uppercut. Mayweather has a slight edge in the round, demonstrating his quickness. Gatti still tries to keep Mayweather at a distance, holding out his left. Gatti appeared to let his guard down after looking at the referee, enabling Mayweather to score a knockdown with a left.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-8.
Round 2
Mayweather continues to build on his success from the previous round, catching Gatti with several combinations. Gatti fights gamely, though Mayweather has the momentum. Mayweather slips in rights and lefts almost at will. Gatti hasn't landed a big shot at this point, while Mayweather is scoring easily with a number of combinations and jabs.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 3
Mayweather continues his dominance, his speed and strength affecting Gatti. Mayweather is sticking and moving with the left jab, moving about the ring. Mayweather sizes up Gatti with the left, using the right with economy. Both fighters are warned for low blows. Mayweather sticks the left-right combination yet again in the final minute.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 4
Gatti attempts to corner Mayweather, who easily escapes. Mayweather is settling in, picking his spots, having established the tone of the fight. Gatti has not been able to penetrate Mayweather's defenses, while Mayweather scores heavily with two seperate flurries that rock Gatti. Another right-left by Mayweather lands. Gatti still pursues in spite of Mayweather's assault. Two rights by Mayweather land just before the round ends.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 5
Mayweather scores with a left off the bat. Gatti, admonished by his trainer for looking for the one big punch, gets in a left to the body. Mayweather methodically sticks to his game plan, backing up when necessary, then moving in to box. Gatti's left jab is blocked. The referee warns Mayweather for flaring a forearm to Gatti's face. Another left and a right by Mayweather land, followed by another short right. Gatti launches a big right that misses. Mayweather scores again with two rights at the end of the round
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-9.
Round 6
Gatti stalks Mayweather, who is in control at this point. Mayweaher's left keeps Gatti at bay. Mayweather backes up, but manages to land a right and a left in the process. A flurry of head and body shots rock Gatti, but Gatti's still standing. Three straight rights by Mayweather snap Gatti's head back. Mayweather lathers on the punishment, and Gatti remains standing, and keeps coming back to box gamely. Mayweather is scoring at will.
ESPN.com scores it: Mayweather 10-8.
The fight is stopped before the seventh round begins. Mayweather wins by TKO.
ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=209468 9)