Pacquiao leaves no doubt

In a devastating show of force, International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao blasted Jorge Eliecer Julio of Colombia into submission at 1:09 of the second round to retain his crown at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis last Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila time).

Julio, nicknamed "El Conquistador," never had a chance. He was a sitting duck for Pacquiao’s jarring right jab-left straight combinations. Julio’s Latino "macho" instincts proved to be his undoing as he engaged the hard-hitting Pacquiao in a toe-to-toe brawl without once backing off. He paid dearly for his courage.

Pacquiao, making the second defense of the title he wrested from Lehlo Ledwaba in Las Vegas last year, tore into Julio from the onset. Obviously, his plan was to go for an early knockout. Pacquiao didn’t want to take chances–he quickly beat Julio to the draw.

It was action-packed, brief as the fight was. Pacquiao deftly circled to Julio’s left, avoiding the Colombian’s vaunted left hook, and uncorked dizzying 1-2s while on the move. Julio found no standing target and couldn’t locate an angle to harpoon Pacquiao who had little trouble landing his power shots.

Julio tried to counter but Pacquiao eluded his punches by bending his body backwards or swiveling his head like he had a spring for a neck. Julio got in a few licks but because Pacquiao was constantly slipping and sliding, he just couldn’t connect solid. Trainer Freddie Roach’s influence was evident.

Pacquiao fought with poise–he bobbed, weaved, sidestepped, and dictated the tempo. Julio couldn’t get untracked.

As the first round came to a close, Pacquiao uncorked a left cross that struck Julio on the jaw and buckled his knees. The Colombian was lucky to stay on his feet. The bell came to his rescue.

Julio, who’d never been stopped, came out shaky for the second round and Pacquiao knew it. Like a shark lured by the smell of blood, Pacquiao moved in for the kill. A left straight sent Julio down on his back. Referee Bill Clancy’s count reached seven when he got up. Pacquiao didn’t ease off. He stormed Julio along the ropes and a barrage sent the former two-time world titlist for another count–this time, he rose at four.

Because the three-knockdown rule was not in effect, Pacquiao figured he had to put Julio to sleep or push him to the brink of defenselessness to end it.

Bracing for another onslaught, Julio raised both hands to protect his face as Pacquiao flailed away. Julio, known to switchhit to confuse opponents, couldn’t adjust his style since he was under attack–he couldn’t launch an offensive with Pacquiao all over him. As Julio leaned on the ropes, Pacquiao hammered the side of his body. That forced Julio to lower his guard. Suddenly, Pacquiao shifted his assault to the head and Julio reeled back on impact. Clancy had seen enough and stepped in to halt the carnage.

Julio never got to display his arsenal. Pacquiao did to the Colombian what he did to Ledwaba. He jumped the gun on him, hurt him early, and never gave him a chance to set up.

Promoter Murad Muhammad, who holds Pacquiao’s U.S. rights, leaped into the ring to embrace Pacquiao when it was over. There were dollar signs in Muhammad’s eyes. Pacquiao’s win was witnessed by millions tuned in on satellite TV all over the world. He wasn’t only impressive, he was spectacular.

The boxing website secondsout.com described Pacquiao as "magnificent" and "classy."

Julio, 33, had lost only thrice before–to world champions Junior Jones and Johnny Tapia and Mexican contender Adan Vargas–all on points. He was a 1988 Seoul Olympian who victimized Filipino.