Margarito stops Lujan in ten; keeps Cintron PPV alive.
All Photo: German Villaseñor.
Main Events / espn2 results from the Adrian Phillips Ballroom, Atlantic City, NJ.- 2-18-05
By German Villaseñor & Neil Grossman.
In the main event, in the Mexican Antonio Margarito kept his spot as the defending champion in the upcoming April 23rd Main Events / espn PPV vs the interim champion, the undefeated Kermit Cintron by stopping the number two challenger, the previously once beaten Argentinian Sebastian Lujan in the tenth round.
Coming off a controversial 154 LB. loss attempt vs Daniel Santos last september for the WBO title, Margarito showed better defense and his usual variety of shots, coupled with better footwork and conterpunching skills to slowly break down and dispose of a very dangerous, wily and somewhat unorthodox Lujan, who proved to be a live wire from the first bell on.
Lujan came off throwing bombs with both hands, landing on Margarito's side and jolting the champion in the first frame, the champion moved side to side and by the end of the 2nd round, Lujan looked to be completely gassed out, as he all but threw the proverbial kitchen sink at him.
Margarito started to land his vaunted uppercuts behind a nice jab which kept the shorter Lujan at bay for most of the round, Margarito fought at a less than his usual breakneck pace, as Lujan proved to be a bundle of danger as he not only came in with both fists flying, but his head right nehind them coming in close to headbutting Margarito the bout.
Vicious body shots further slowed Lujan, who briefly came very much alive in the mid-rounds, as Margarito lost control of his shots and went toe to toe flailing with his shots wide, much like he had done in the Santos rematch.
His corner got him back to counterbox once more behind the jab, body shots and repeated left hooks and a particularly hard right overhand right which busted Lujan's ear by the ninth round.
A trickle of blood appeared on Lujan's left ear, and almost instantly a couliflower ear followed right in front of the near capacity crowd bewildered who looked on as the ear grossly continued to turned red and black until further landed shots on it in the tenth round round made the top of his ear split in two as everyone gasped in near horror at the sight of it forcing the ref to halt the bout for the doctor to take a look, which was nullified by Lujan's own corner as they threw in the towel to save their fighter further punishment in the bout.
Margarito will take a couple weeks off and be back in the gym right away to gear up for his showdown vs Kermit Cintron on April the 23rd in Las Vegas, NV.
Cottley - Martinez end up in a no-contest.
On the espn2 televised co-feature of the night, the game Steven Martinez suffered a cut over his left eye in the opening rounds of his welterweight bout vs Joshua Cottley due to an accidental clash of heads and a no-contest be declared the result as the bout didn't even reach the end of the third round.
2003 boxingladiators.com