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The oldest recap we have of Margarito is of a great match he had with Paul Williams. Here is the original recap of that match.

HBO World Championship Boxing Recap



July 14, 2007

The Home Depot Center-Carson, California



This is part 2 of a 2 part recap of the HBO event from Saturday July 14, 2007. The event was done WrestleMania II style with half in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which was covered in part 1, and this part covers the Carson, California portion of the show. HBO is reporting that over 8,000 tickets have been sold to this portion of the event, somehow making it a sellout in a soccer stadium, with several empty seats.

1. WBO Welterweight (147 pounds) 12 Round Championship Match:

Antonio Margarito (34-4 (1 NC), 24 KO's, 145.75 pounds) (c) vs. Paul Williams (32-0, 24 KO's, 145.5 pounds)

Margarito won this title in a match for the vacated belt, via round 10 TKO versus Antonio Diaz on March 16, 2002. The previous champion Daniel Santos had vacated the title to move up in weight after going to a no contest with Margarito. That match on July 21, 2001, ended in round 1, because of a vicious accidental clash of heads that cut open both boxers. Neither boxer was able to continue, and both went to the hospital. Margarito and Santos met again on September 11, 2004 for Santos' WBO Championship at 154 pounds, while Margarito still held his title at 147 pounds. In their second meeting, Santos won a split technical decision, when the match was stopped during round 10 because of a cut above Margarito's right eye. the cut was caused by an unintentional clash of heads and the stoppage came amidst a Margarito comeback. It is the only loss for the champion since he was 18-years-old. An interim champion, in Kermit Cintron, was crowned in Margarito's absence, and Margarito's greatest victory came in defeating, the then undefeated, Cintron. Margarito scored 4 knockdowns in the match to win the title unification match, via round 5 TKO on April 23, 2005, and re-affirm his hold on the title.

Margarito turned pro at the age of 15-years-old on January 14, 1994. Since then, he has become regarded as one of the most avoided boxers in the sport. His last loss at 147 pounds, was a 10 round unanimous decision defeat in his adopted hometown of Tijuana, Mexico on February 26, 1996, when he was 17-years-old, to a crafty 27-year-old American boxer. Margarito is regarded as a boxer who can defeat the best in the weight class, but offers potential opponents little financial incentive to risk the loss. Reportedly, both Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. turned down an $8 million payday to face Margarito.

Margarito is taking this match as a mandatory title defense. There was a deal in place for him to face Miguel Cotto in Madison Square Garden, on Cotto's annual trip there the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day Parade, but Margarito was forced to pull out to defend his title. Zab Judah took Margarito's spot in the match, and was paid a $1 million base for the match, and received a share of the PPV revenue (the July 5, 2007, Wrestling Observer Newsletter has the exact number of buys). Margarito with a win tonight will receive $1,506,250, which should be less then Judah made in his loss. It will still be Margarito's biggest purse to date. The champion has been promised by his promoter, Bob Arum's Top Rank, a title unification match with Cotto, after he wins this match.

Margarito, however has had a number of problems with Top Rank, but chose to resign with the promotion recently or face potential legal action and career limbo to change promoters. The champion is the number 2 ranked contender to Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s Ring Magazine Championship at 147 pounds. Margarito has been ranked by Ring Magazine at 147 pounds for the last 313 weeks (the longest of anyone on the list). Despite the long winning streak and championship reign at 147 pounds, the promotion has recently called fellow Top Rank client, Cotto, the best 147 pounder in the world. Margarito has received half as many matches as fellow Top Rank boxer, Cotto, since January 2004. All of this means less money to the American born boxer. Margarito is making only his eighth defense of this title tonight, after more then 5 years as champion.

Margarito is coming off of a 12 round unanimous decision victory over the number 8 ranked Ring Magazine contender at 147, Joshua Clottey. To further validate his frustration with Top Rank, the over 8 months between that match, on December 2, 2006 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and this one, is his fastest turn around between matches, since April 2005. In his last match, Margarito set the CompuBox record for punches thrown in a contest at any weight class, 1,675 (the previous record was 1,596), averaging around 140 punches thrown per round. Margarito set a record for the weight class with 197 punches thrown in the 180 second long round 5.

Margarito is a 6 to 5 betting favorite going into the match, according to HBO. His style involves throwing tons of punches. He also holds the number 3 (1197) and 5 (1157) all time record for punches thrown in a match at 147 pounds, both done in under 10 full rounds.

Williams after a very brief amateur career, made his professional debut at the age of 18-years-old, on July 21, 2000. He is physically gifted for a boxer at 147 pounds, possessing a wingspan of 82" long. For comparison purposes, the huge 6' 6" tall Heavyweight Champion, Dr. Wladimir Klitschko, only has an 81" long wingspan. The challenger has been lightly tested until recently, with the round 10 TKO win over Walter Matthysse (which is less impressive, in lieu of what happened in the match with Cintron) at The Home Depot Center on May 27, 2006. The challenger's other big win was an August 19, 2006, knockout victory over a past his prime, Sharmba Mitchell. Williams scored 4 knockdowns in the match on his way to the round 4 knockout, in Reno, Nevada. Williams' last match that earned him the title shot, was a round 6 TKO victory over Sanots Pakau on November 4, 2006, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. A late sub Pakau, while 27-3-1 going into the match was 3-3 in his last 6 matches, losing the last two by knockout. The 251 day layoff between that match and this one tonight, will be the longest of his professional career.

The challenger is also an action packed boxer. In round 5 of his victory over Pakau, Williams threw the seventh most punches in a round ever recorded for a welterweight (154). He, recorded the second best number of total connects in a round for the weight class (81). Williams, also put up the second best power connect total in a round for the weight class and seventh best of any weight class in the round (73). The number 10 ranked contender to the Ring Magazine Championship at 147 pounds will try and out slug, Williams in this match.

Margarito is the older boxer at 29-years-old, while Williams is 25-years-old. Margarito is very large for a Welterweight at 5' 11" tall. Williams is a genetic marvel making this weight class at his size, standing at least 6' 1" tall. The boxers arm length is relatively even with Williams having a 0.5" reach advantage when his arm is measured from the armpit to the end of the fist at 25.5" long, to Margarito's 25" long arms measured the same way. However, when it comes to wing span Williams holds an advantage of 82" long, to 73" long over the champion. Both boxers have gained a lot of weight since rehydrating after the weigh-in, and unofficially Margarito will weigh 157 pounds, when the match begins. Unofficially, Williams has gained nearly 17 pounds, and will be up to 162 pounds by the time the match starts (a three weight class swing). Margarito will box out of the orthodox stance, while Williams will box using the southpaw stance.

The unified rules of boxing are in effect for this match. The judges are from Ohio, and two are from California. Harold Lederman will be keeping unofficial score for HBO, remotely from Atlantic City.

Blistering pace for Williams to open round 1. Not everything landed for Williams, but there was a lot of punches thrown. It is doubtful he can keep this up, especially since he has the "happy to be there" look on his face, and may blow out his energy early. Williams wins round 1, 10-9. Lederman scored it the same. In round 1, Williams threw 114 punches, and landed 21 of them. In round 1, Margarito threw 42 punches, and landed, only 4 of them. Williams wins round 2, 10-9. Lederman has it the same on his scorecard. There is so much action in these first 2 rounds, that this is a much watch on replay. Williams threw 106 punches in round 2. Williams wins round 3, 10-9. Williams is likely ahead after 3 rounds, 30-27. Whatever, tape measure was used on Williams needs to be checked, because he is bigger then the numbers they have listed for him. The champion looks like tiny compared to Williams, at least 4" shorter and the arm length difference appears more like 6" per appendage then 0.5" difference. Lederman scored round 3 for Williams 10-9, and has him winning the match, 30-27.

Williams wins round 4, 10-9. He has thrown over 100 punches in every round, so far. Lederman awards Williams round 4, 10-9. With 19 seconds to go in round 5, Margarito goes down from a slip. It is correctly ruled that, and the action is restarted with 12 seconds to go in the round. Slightly less action from Williams, but still plenty to win round 5, 10-9. Larry Merchant scored round 5 for Margarito, but Lederman gave it to Williams, 10-9. Williams wins a very close round 6, 10-9. Margarito did some very good work in round 6 to the body of Williams. The champion had his best success of the match on the inside going to Williams body, then going upstairs. Williams leads on my scorecard after 6 rounds, 60-54. Through 6 rounds Williams has landed 124 of the 599 punches he has thrown, for a 22% connect percentage. Margarito has landed 64 of the 246 punches he has thrown, for a 26% connect percentage. Lederman scored round 6 for Williams, 10-9, and has Williams ahead on his scorecard, 60-54.

Round 7 is the best of the match for Margarito, and probably good enough to win it, 10-9. Lederman scored round 7 the same way. To open round 8, there is a little bit of swelling beginning to form, under the right eye of Williams. Between rounds 7 and 8 Williams received a warning for holding, which he has not been doing much. The referee is letting the crowd effect him in this match, and almost every warning has gone against Williams with most of the infractions perceived by the referee, imaginary in nature. Williams might barely win round 8, 10-9. Lederman scores round 8 for Margarito, 10-9. In round 8, Williams landed 30 of the 104 punches he threw. In round 8, Margarito landed 21 of the 58 punches he threw, according to CompuBox. Williams wins an exciting round 9, that saw both boxers standing in front of each other and trading punches from bell to bell, 10-9. Williams leads on my scorecard through 9 rounds, 89-82. Lederman scores round 9 for Williams, 10-9, and has the challenger ahead in the match 88-83. Merchant has it for Williams, 87-84. No matter what, the champion is in serious jeopardy of losing his title.

Williams wins round 10, 10-9. There has been nothing, but constant action in this match. It may be a blowout on the scorecards, but this is a must see match. Lederman scores round 10 for Margarito, based on some very strong work by the champion in the final 20 seconds of the round, 10-9. With over a minute to go in round 11, there is a cut opening up above the left eye of Williams. Round 11 is huge for Margarito, 10-9. There is a real chance of a come from behind knockout in the final round. Whenever, Williams gets in trouble his reaction is to throw more punches, rather then think defensively. This is the first championship match of Williams career and that was the first round 11 of his career. Lederman scores round 11 for Margarito, 10-9. Williams pulls away to win round 12, 10-9, and presumably the match, on my scorecard, 118-110. Williams threw 125 punches in round 12, his highest output of the night. Lederman scored round 12 for Williams, 10-9, and the match for the challenger, 116-112.

The official decision as read by the "Classy" Jimmy Lennon, Jr.: 116-112, 115-113, 115-113, all for the winner by unanimous decision, and new WBO Welterweight Champion of the World, Paul "The Punisher" Williams. The win moves the Williams to 33-0, with 24 of those wins coming by way of knockout. Williams threw 1256 punches in victory.

The crowd is booing and Margarito is laughing in disbelief.

The final CompuBox numbers for this match are astounding. Margarito landed 155 of the 571 punches he threw, for a 27% connect percentage. The final numbers put up for Williams on the screen are incorrect, but he landed at least 243 of the 1256 punches he threw. Williams averaged throwing more then 100 punches per round.

In Williams' post match interview, he said he wanted Cotto. If the new champion were unable to get Cotto, he would like Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

In Margarito's interview, he said he was robbed. Margarito believes he was ahead after the first 9 rounds, when on the most generous scorecard he would have been down 87-84. Margarito said that he landed the harder punches which is why the decision is a robbery.

Both of the California judges had the 115-113 scorecards. They both awarded the final round to Williams, which proved to be the deciding factor.

The second half of this show is great and an extra effort should be made to watch it, when it replays.