This kid stayed focused and continued to adapt and just kept pressing. I live this type of fighter. For all the talk of Hopkins mental toughness tonight, it was DeMarco who never let himself get discouraged.
OK yeah...I kind of forgot about that fight and have been in a fog since the bizarre ending of the main event... How the **** did DeMarco win that??? He had no business doing so, whatsoever. Heart and hard-hatted determination, that's all there is to it really.
I can't believe the General is talking about the main event instead of DeMarco's heroics. Un-****in-believable. What character to get your head boxed off for 10 rounds only to then stop the guy with seconds left in the 11th round of a Championship fight. Big fan.
:nod He's going to hot-potato that title in no time, (not trying to be a dick, but let's not sugar coat it...) but the win itself is spectacular. Linares was a pretty substantial favorite at 1/6, and was hyped to high heaven across this and every boxing board (whereas Tony has never been christened anything except "maybe a pretty good test" for top fighters). To stay committed to task after so many rounds of eating jabs and being made to miss almost everything put out there...and then to recognize when your man is fading and starting to feel your shots and not give any quarter, attacking relentlessly but without stifling yourself or getting overexcited... That was absolutely class all the way by DeMarco in the 11th. If there was a "turnaround of the year" award, he'd be a lock.
Said this in another thread.. SMART SMART fight from demarco. Fight was Rios/Acosta all over again. Demarco took a breather in the 9th and 10th and saved his energy for the end when he knew Linares would be most susceptible, and it paid off big-time. I still feel bad for Linares, though to be honest. A beautiful boxer with fists made of pillows.
The guy showed major composure. It wasn't one lucky punch, he broke Linares the **** down until the ref had to save him. They went from comparing Linares to Ray Robinson to stitching him back together.
Finally a good thread, much props to Linares he slugged it out, and didnt get on his bicycle, WHAT A GREAT ROUND AND FIGHT!!!!! MADE A GREAT NIGHT FOR BOXING