MAYWEATHER/HATTON: JEFF LACY V. PETER MANFREDO, JR.

by The Prophet, ProphetFighting

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LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 1

Merchant dismisses this fight as the "losers bracket of the Joe Calzaghe elimination tournament". Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy was once a next big thing before his loss to Calzaghe. He hasn't fought in almost a year following shoulder surgery. Drunken Brits start up a chant again. Nothing happening so far in the fight--Manfredo moving well, Lacy trying to establish a jab. Lamps mentions a rumor that Manfredo had strep throat as recently a week ago. Lacy trying to use his superior size, Manfredo moving well. Very close round. I'll give it to Manfredo since he's trained by Freddy Roach. 10-9 Manfredo...

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 2

Manfredo outworking Lacy so far, Lamps raises the possibility of "ring rust" following his year long layoff. Manfredo still moving well. Manny Steward suggests that Lacy work his left jab. Merchant is in a pissy mood tonight--he heckles Lacy thusly: "Someone did some pretty impressive matchmaking to get Lacy to the point where people thought he'd actually be a star." Ouch! Manfredo again 10-9, 20-18 for the fight...

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 3

Between rounds they showed Hatton receiving prefight instructions. His trainer basically questioned the ref's integrity. Steward suggests that Lacy fights "like a weightlifter in boxing gloves". Larry Merchant sounds like he wishes he was drunk at a bar somewhere. Lamps keeping his mouth shut and letting Larry and Manny carry the load. Manfredo boxing better, in the last minute Lacy starts to work effectively to the body. Lamps brings out his comparison that working the body is like running the ball in football. Good exchange at the end, Lacy's best round and I'll throw him a bone and give him the round. 10-9 Lacy, Manfredo leads 29-28 through three...

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 4

Big Lacy right catches Manfredo and knocks his opponent to the canvas. Manfredo covering up, can't see if or how badly he's hurt. Trading shots in the middle now which favors Lacy. Steward says that Manfredo doesn't "look confident". Lacy scores to the body. Lacy may have punched himself out for now as he's trying to use his size and strength to bull him around. Shades of Randy Couture against Gabriel Gonzaga, minus the cage. Brits start the soccer chant. Fight ends, Lacy's round. 10-8 due to the knockdown. Lacy now leads 38-37.

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 5

Lamps helpfully explains that the drunken Brits are singing/slurring something about "there's only one Ricky Hatton". Over on SPIKE, Mac Danzig dominates Tom Speer winning by first round rear naked choke. Clay Guida/Roger Huerta up next. Boring round so far with Manfredo moving better and Lacy mostly missing with power shots. Lacy catches Manfredo with something of a clubbing forearm but it does no real damage. Nice right by Lacy. At the beginning of the round Merchant makes some lame joke about "there's only one Ricky Hatton" and Lampley leaves him twisting in the wind for at least a half minute before trying to bail him out. Nice flurry by Lacy late gives him the round. 48-46 through 5

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 6

Lacy's trainer says he needs to "light that fire". Even money that it brings about a "Doors" reference. Manfredo scoring to open the round. Manny Steward taking both fighters to task for their half assed performances. Steward now talking about the Kelly Pavlik/Jermain Taylor rematch and its much more interesting than the events transpiring in the ring. Manfredo trying to channel Randy Couture for his own benefit as he's appearing to go for a Greco-Roman takedown. Manfredo gets the round, though no one really deserved it. 10-9 Manfredo, Lacy still up by a point 57-56 on my card...

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 7

Harold Lederman has the fight 57-56 as well. Manfredo the busier fighter, Lacy looks really tight and tentative. Kenny Bayliss now calls time so Freddy Roach can fix some loose tape on his gloves. Merchant and Lampley bitching about the quality of the undercard and rightfully so. Manny Steward talking about Manfredo's "insecurity" again. Lacy lands a couple of uppercuts and is starting to move Manfredo backwards. Lacy's round 10-9, 67-65 Lacy....

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 8

Merchant gripes that Manfredo "spends more time looking at the clock than his opponent" as the last round ends. Merchant griping about the undercard killing the crowd. Two fighters basically pushing each other around the ring with an occasional ineffective punch. This tempo favors Lacy, but he sure ain't putting on a show. Nice left hook by Lacy. Back to the pushing around the ring thing. Nice takedown by Lacy as the round ends. Lacy by default 10-9, 77-74 Lacy through 8....

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 9

More pushing, Manfredo looks a little better. Lampley just said that Jeff Mayweather deserved credit for being different than Roger and Floyd Sr. He then said that Jeff was "mild mannered and literate". More grappling and pushing. Steward suggests that Manfredo "doesn't care". Manfredo doing better this round and Lacy's been cut. Bayliss calls it due to an accidental headbutt. Lampley is so bored that he tries to make a rhyme out of a "butt on a cut". Merchant tries to act interested in the fight. Manfredo's round 10-9, 86-84 Lacy still leads.

LACY VS. MANFREDO ROUND 10

Once again the crowd cheers the announcement that its the last round. Merchant admits that he hasn't been paying attention, but he can see how it would be really close. Merchant may be the smartest guy in the room for *not* paying attention to this snoozefest--maybe he's watching the UFC on SPIKE. Larry wakes up long enough to heckle Lacy for his "Left Hook" moniker. More of the pushing and punching again, Lamps calls Manfredo a "glorified journeyman". Manny Steward has the fight even, though he doesn't say whether he's been paying attention. Manfredo's round 10-9 making Lacy a narrow victor by a 95-94 count. Decision is forthcoming...

DECISION:

Lupe Contreras has trouble being heard over the rowdy British drunks...95-94, 96-93, 97-92 for Jeff Lacy in one of the least impressive unanimous decisions you'll ever see. New post coming up for the main event...

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