Lineal lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 37 KOs) displayed an impressive performance with a ninth round TKO win over a game Michael Katsidis (27-3, 22 KOs). From the onset one could tell it would turn into another classic Marquez performance with the Mexican fighter boxing perfectly until round three. Beginning to feel somewhat confident that the fight was his, Katsidis dropped Marquez in round three with a left hook to the chin. As we have seen from Marquez time and time again the Mexican got up and rebounded by finishing the round with the cleaner power shots and combination’s landed. Katsidis would attempt to keep pressure on Marquez by fighting in the pocket, but as round by round passed he was taking everything Marquez had and not nearly landing enough himself. By round nine, a flurry started by a uppercut wobbled Katsidis legs. Marquez kept the pressure on landing combination after combination, until referee Kenny Bayless saved Katsidis from anymore damage at 2:14 of round nine.
In other action, WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-0, 21 KOs) need no more than one round to dispose of Freddy Hernandez (29-2, 20 KOs). The much quicker and harder hitting Berto cracked Hernandez in the middle of round one with a jab-hook combination that landed in between the guard of his opponent instantly knocking him down to the canvas. Hernandez attempted to get up but was still on shaky ground as referee Russell Mora waved it off at 2:07.
In what kicked off the HBO telecast Jeff Mayweather trained WBA/IBF super bantamweight champion Celestino Caballero (34-3, 23 KOs) lost a ten round split decision to Jason Litzau (28-2, 21 KOs). Caballero highly underestimated Litzau who from the onset brought the fight to the Panamanian. Litzau for his part a 13-1 underdog, landed cleaner power shots and aggressively went after Caballero for most of the fight. His heart, hard work and grit paid off as the judges awarded him a split decision (97-93 96-94, 96-94).
