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Las Vegas ? When two of the game's best counterpunchers meet in the ring, as in chess, the most intelligent wins ? and Juan Manuel Marquez proved that is the case by outwitting and out-punching the wily veteran Joel Casamayor before finishing him off in the 11th round with two devastating knockdowns at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila).
Marquez, who snatched Casamayor's Ring Magazine lightweight belt, needed four rounds to figure out his opponent, who seemed intent on imposing his bigger frame to the new lightweight entrant.
From the 5th round onwards, however, Marquez became more aggressive and more timely on his counterpunches, beating the befuddled Casamayor most of the time.
"As I said before this fight, whoever is the most intelligent wins this fight, and I prove that tonight," Marquez told the media at the post-fight press conference.
"I figured this would be a tough fight until the end. I was watching out for myself, and I knew how to neutralize his left hand. I threw all my combinations, because I knew I couldn't win with just my right hand," he added.
"I fought as a champion, but Marquez was the best this night," Casamayor said.
When asked to compare Marquez' power at lightweight with his bigger opponents, Casamayor said it was Marquez' combination and accumulation of punches that did him in.
Marquez was asked if he is now looking forward to fighting a third fight with Pacquiao to which he replied that "since Pacquiao is fighting De La Hoya in December, I will fight anyone that my promoter wants."
Marquez' promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, said that Marquez will take a well-deserved rest for now.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, for his part, said he believes Pacquiao and his team will never want to fight Marquez again.
After the 10th round, the judges scorecards were very close with Patricia Morse Jarman and Paul Smith had it 95-95 even, while Glenn Feldman had 97-93 for Marquez.
The punch stats had Marquez ahead in the total punches connected (160 to 122) and power punches connected (125 to 83) although Casamayor was ahead in total punches thrown (552 to 516).
Marquez will celebrate the Mexican Independence Day on a high note together with his fellow Mexicans, who filled the MGM Garden Arena to give him an all out support.
Undercard
In the main undercard Vernon Forrest turned the tables on Sergio Mora, who beat him in their first fight when he had weight problems.
Forrest got back his WBC super welterweight belt and declared that he is open to rubbermatch with Mora.
In other results, promising Golden Boy prospect Victor Ortiz (22-1-0 17KOs) of Mexico finished off Roberto David Arrieta (30-14-4 13KOs) of Argentina in five rounds in a light welterweight battle. Julio Cesar Garcia (41-4-0 35KOs) got poolaxed by Danny Perez (33-5-0 17KOs) of their super middleweight battle.
In a non-TV bout, undefeated Indonesian prospect Daud Cino Yordan (22-0-0 16KOs) proved too sleek and wily for the bullying Antonio ?Barrio? Meza (24-5-1 16KOs) of Mexico as he won by majority decision.
