Great Fights at the Mandalay Bay...........

There is a definite sense of hope that a Nonito Donaire-Fernando Montiel clash will push forward despite all of the surrounding drama connected to the two fine pugilists. Montiel’s leg injury following his recent auto accident seems to be less serious than expected and Donaire’s lone hurdle appears to be this December 4th’s bout with former champion Wladimir Sidorenko in Anaheim, California.
February 19th is the tentative date for the bantamweight face off and AOL Fanhouse/*********** correspondent Lem Satterfield recently reported that the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada appears to be promoter Bob Arum’s ideal choice for the fight.
The Mandalay Bay once seemed to be the premier venue for world class boxing in Las Vegas around the turn of the century before the MGM Grand seemed to take over years later. A quick look back in time shows just how many world class fighters and notable events have passed through the casino of the years, with some fights exceeding expectations and others failing to deliver quite as much.
Continue on to the slideshow for a look back at the fighters who have helped play a key role in the success of the Mandalay Bay including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Felix Trinidad, Fernando Vargas, Diego ‘Chico’ Corrales and countless others…
Manny Pacquiao TKO 9 David Diaz
June 28th, 2008
Pacquiao would return three months later as he moved up in weight and challenged Chicago’s David Diaz for his WBC lightweight crown. In what can be best described as a savage beating, Pacquiao battered Diaz for nine one sided rounds before dropping him for good in the ninth.

Manny Pacquiao SD 12 Juan Manuel Marquez
March 15th, 2008
In a rematch to their thrilling first encounter that ended up a draw, Manny Pacquiao edged out Mexico City’s Juan Manuel Marquez in a barnburner of a fight. Pacquiao scored a knockdown in the 3rd round and survived a hellacious mid round onslaught by Marquez as he pulled out a split decision victory. To this day Marquez claims the victory was truly his.
Juan Manuel Marquez UD 12 Marco Antonio Barrera
March 3rd, 2007

In what was an excellent, tactical battle between two veterans of the ring, Marquez seemed to fight with a little bit more spirit and vigor than his Mexican counterpart in capturing a decision. Marquez was recovering from the heartache of losing his WBA featherweight title to Chris John a year earlier in Indonesia by moving up in weight and going after Barrera’s WBC junior lightweight crown. The victory showed Marquez still had plenty to offer inside of the ring.

Shane Mosley TKO 10 Fernando Vargas
February 25th, 2006
People in Southern California had been speculating about a Mosley-Vargas clash for quite some time and when the two former champions met it was a bout people met with open arms despite each man being removed from their prime. Vargas was aggressive and Mosley through beautiful combinations in a fight that exceeded expectations. The fight would be stopped in the 10th round due to grotesque swelling on Vargas’ right eye.

Jermain Taylor UD 12 Bernard Hopkins
December 3rd, 2005
Jermain Taylor shocked the boxing world when he captured the middleweight crown by defeating Bernard Hopkins in July of 2005 but not everyone was sold on his performance after he faded late and was bullied by the Philadelphia veteran in the championship rounds. Taylor attempted to erase all doubts in their December rematch but the fight was uneventful and again extremely close. Taylor walked away with a unanimous decision by scores of 115-113 across the board but did little to improve his stock.

Diego Corrales TKO 10 Jose Luis Castillo
May 7th, 2005
In an absolutely brutal fight, Corrales and Castillo went at each other mercilessly for ten pulsating rounds. The action was thrilling and many people claim it was one of the best fights they had ever witnessed. Corrales was dropped twice in the 10th but would buy more time for himself after spitting out his mouthpiece and eventually turn the tables and stop Castillo moments later. A questionable finish but a remarkable fight.
Antonio Tarver TKO 2 Roy Jones
May 15th, 2004
In one of this past decade’s most shocking outcomes, Antonio Tarver crushed Roy Jones with a single left hand that landed flush on the chin. The two men had fought a spirited battle six months earlier in which Jones walked away with a majority decision and Tarver had been dying for a rematch. Jones was regarded as the world’s best fighter, a man some thought unbeatable, and his career went south afterwards.
Winky Wright UD 12 Shane Mosley
March 13th, 2004
Shane Mosley will always be admired for his willingness to face all challenges but he seemed to make a mistake in turning down a third fight with Oscar De La Hoya and facing Wright instead. Mosley was pushed around the ring for twelve rounds and couldn’t break through Wright’s shell defense as he lost a clear decision. It was a definite coming out party for the St. Petersburg, Florida fighter.

Joel Casamayor TKO 6 Diego Corrales
October 4th, 2003
Diego ‘Chico’ Corrales suffered a horribly one-sided loss to Floyd Mayweather in January of 2001 and later served 14 months in prison after opting for a plea bargain on charges that he abused his pregnant wife Maria, but the boxing world was still awaiting his return. He came back in early 2003 and built his way towards a big showdown with Casamayor. It was wild fight, one in which Corrales hit the deck early, and he would eventually lose the fight after a cut inside of his mouth was deemed to severe for him to continue.
Floyd Mayweather UD 12 Jose Luis Castillo
December 7th, 2002
In his first fight at lightweight, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had trouble before finally pulling out a decision and defeating Jose Luis Castillo in April of 2002. Later in the year Floyd would set the record straight by clearly winning the rematch. Castillo was little known then but would go on to have tremendous success following his fights with Mayweather.
Oscar De La Hoya TKO 11 Fernando Vargas
September 14th, 2002
Fernando Vargas always seemed to have an obsession with Oscar De La Hoya and was finally granted a crack at the Golden Boy in the fall of 2002. Despite a strong start in which he punished his older foe against the ropes, Vargas would fade late as De La Hoya began to take the fight over. A left hook dropped Vargas in the 10th and De La Hoya finished matters in the 11th.

Lewis KO 4 Hasim Rahman
November 17th, 2001
In April of 2001 Lewis suffered an embarrassing knockout loss to Hasim Rahman in South Africa and was dying to get his revenge. Seven months later the London fighter would get his wish as he crushed Rahman with a single right hand in the 4th round. It was a dramatic finish for a fighter who always had his way in rematches.
Felix Trinidad TKO 12 Fernando Vargas
December 2nd, 2000
In an absolutely thrilling fight, Trinidad would floor Vargas twice in the first round and seemed well on his way towards a quick knockout victory. Vargas would keep his composure, floor Trinidad in the 4th and fight with tremendous heart down the stretch but it wasn’t enough. A sweeping left hook from Trinidad floored Vargas again to start the 12th and two knockdowns later the fight was over. A triumphant victory for Trinidad and a bitter learning lesson for young Vargas.

Lennox Lewis UD 12 David Tua
November 11th, 2000
In what can be looked at as more of an event than a real fight, heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis out jabbed plodding David Tua over twelve uneventful rounds. Heading into the fight Tua created some suspense because of his explosive punching power but he simply wasn’t able to find the target in a definite disappointment.
Fernando Vargas UD 12 Ike Quartey
April 15th, 2000
It what can be looked at as the finest performance of his career, young Vargas proved his mettle in outfighting and outthinking proven veteran Quartey in a make or break fight. Both men had much to prove heading into the contest, with Vargas coming off of a disputed victory over Winky Wright and Quartey returning following a split decision loss to Oscar De La Hoya, but this night belonged to the Aztec Warrior.

Erik Morales SD12 Marco Antonio Barrera
Feb 19th, 2000
Marco Antonio Barrera’s career hadn’t been the same since suffering a pair of losses to Junior Jones but he made a grand return against fierce rival Morales in their first fight. The two Mexicans hacked away at each other mercilessly and despite losing a split decision, Barrera marked his comeback to the sport with a great performance full of heart.

Felix Trinidad UD 12 Oscar De La Hoya
September 18th, 1999
The battle between the unbeaten welterweights harkened memories to the early days of Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns but the fight itself was far fro scintillating. De La Hoya seemingly took control over the fist half of the fight before the Puerto Rican star turned up the heat in the championship rounds, ultimately pulling out a close decision. With confetti raining down, De La Hoya simply shook his head in shock as he surrendered the first loss of his gloried career.

Paulie Ayala UD Johnny Tapia
June 26th, 1999
In one of the year’s finer fights, Fort Worth, Texas’ Paulie Ayala pulled out a unanimous decision over Johnny Tapia, albeit under debated circumstances. The action was fierce from the get go as Ayala walked away with the WBA Bantamweight crown but there were many in attendance who felt it was really Tapia’s night.

 

snap :good

 

soon as i see ur name i knew ud write that. ur wrong tho, ortiz VS peterson wil be the next great fight:deal