Antonio DeMarco’s Fairy Tale Ending

TKO Against Jorge Linares in “Fight of the Night”

This is the face of a champion.

Bloodied. Bruised. Battered.

This is the face of Antonio DeMarco, who in his war against the tough Jorge Linares somehow staged a come-from-behind triumph that brought the crowd to its feet Saturday night at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

As the co-main of the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson scrap on the “Believe It or Not!” HBO PPV broadcast presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions, the two warriors were vying for the vacant WBC Lightweight Championship.

The dramatic ending to the DeMarco (26-2-1, 19 KOs)–Linares (31-2, 20 KOs) clash gave the spectators what it wanted–and needed–during a night that turned out to bring out the good, the bad and the ugly in the sport. Sandwiched between 52-year-old Dewey Bozell’s (an ex-prisoner falsely convicted) victory and what turned out to be a two-round fiasco in the anticipated Hopkins–Dawson bout, the southpaw’s TKO win stole the show and saved the day.

This fight, scheduled for 12 rounds, offered all the clichés in boxing…but in a good way.

A pair of gladiators willing to go out on their shield, these two pugilists went toe to toe, mano y mano, cara a cara. Face to face in combat with no quit from either side. Blood, guts and glory. Intestinal fortitude, pure and simple.

Linares’ fists found their way to the mug of DeMarco’s time and time again as CompuBox showed the percentages heavily favoring Linares–with the exception of the 11th round. But leading up to the ultimate ending, Tony’s white trunks were splattered and stained from the blood of his nemesis.

Cut twice during their battle, the power-punching Linares, in his purple trunks and pink gloves, still kept up his attack even while the blood continue to stream from the slice to his seemingly-broken nose and bleeding eye. Seizing on the opportunity, DeMarco showed his heart, will and tenacity in not backing down and never giving up even though he was always behind on the cards.

The sharp, speedy and aggressive Linares now has famed trainer Freddie Roach in his corner and was leading on all three official scorecards heading into the championship rounds. The Venezuelan had showcased his lightning handspeed and supreme movement but the game tilted in round 11. DeMarco kicked it up a notch to full-blast mode coming at his foe with a new intensity.

And with his gloves, the “underdog” in the fight prevailed in his persistence to claim the title.

The crowd came alive during this fight and was kept on their toes by the action of these two prizefighters.

Linares was winning 99-91, 98-92, 98-92 on all three official scorecards when referee Raul Caiz Sr. halted the action at 2:32 in round 11 of their WBC bout. Linares’ fans screamed that the stoppage was too early but with the bloodletting, the official waved off the contest with DeMarco earning his new championship strap.

The spectators in the arena went wild cheering for the comebacking DeMarco in a gritty performance that launches the southpaw right back to where he and his team want him to be. Whispers of “Fight of the Night,” “Fight of the Year,” and “Round of the Year” grew through the masses. And immediately after the TKO while he was hoisted on his team’s shoulders in a victory lap, I could hear the rumble from the crowd on who they want to see next for Antonio. Names of Erik Morales and Brandon Rios were the two predominant fighters the fans said they would like to see the Tijuana slugger face.

At the post-fight press conference, DeMarco walked into the room with dark shades on while holding his baby girl in his arms.

Promoter Gary Shaw praised his fighter and told us all about how far the hardscrabble Los Mochis boxer has come. Gary said Tony was beyond poor–literally eating food he found out of the garbage cans. The promoter spoke of DeMarco’s heart, saying the fight was the “thrill of the night.”

An always humble Antonio DeMarco took to the podium, still carrying his little girl Camila while he spoke of his performance, saying the win was his “second most happiest day of my life–after the birth of my daughter.”

Adding that this was like a fairy tale story for him, he spoke: “This night is my dream come true. Never stop fighting for your dreams.” To inspire him even further, the fighter had his wife Tania and daughter Camila’s names embroidered on the back of his trunks.

The 25-year-old had the deck stacked against him in the fight but didn’t fold. Against the odds, he came back and that’s what the fans want to see in their boxing heroes.

Claiming his new WBC Lightweight belt (left vacant by Humberto Soto), Tony, his trainer Romulo Quirarte and Team DeMarco have relaunched themselves right back up into the champion stratosphere. A couple of years ago, you may remember that DeMarco was “The Guy” in boxing, the fresh new face in the sport, the one to watch. As he racked up victories, he was then defeated in 2010 by the explosive talent and demonic force that was Edwin Valero.

Since then, the fickle public has seemed to put DeMarco on the backburner.

The tide has changed once again. With WBC Supervisor Craig Hubble presenting the famed gold and green belt, the new WBC Lightweight titleholder from Tijuana is that guy in boxing again–the one the others want to fight.

And with any good fairy tale, there’s always a happy ending. But before the book is closed on this fairy tale, there is no doubt more battles lie ahead.

With any good boxer worth his salt, there’s always a challenge headed their way.

Teiken’s Jorge Linares will no doubt come back strong after suffering this loss.

And with Antonio DeMarco, this young gun is the one everyone’s gunnin’ for.

WBO NABO Lightweight titlist John Molina Jr. has been wanting to fight DeMarco for some time now. Months ago, Molina told me that he and his camp were trying to get a fight with Antonio and would still like to make that happen. Fresh off Saturday’s win, others in the lightweight division have also quickly taken notice again of the puncher from Sinaloa.

One ring “villain” willing to spoil the southpaw’s fairy tale victory is Philly’s Henry Lundy. Wanting in, in his own chapter of a fairy tale is Hammerin’ Hank Lundy, who contacted me after seeing Tony’s shiny new WBC belt.

Keepin’ it real, the reigning NABF Lightweight champ Lundy (21-1-1, 11 KOs) told me, “I’m sorry but I’m going to take that belt from him!”

The Philadelphia boxer may be squaring off in December but he also has his eye on DeMarco–and wants to take away that world title.

“Why do you think you can beat DeMarco?” I asked his fellow lightweight.

“He gets hit too easy! And when he gets hit he likes to try to get you back right away. That’s when he will walk into the hammers and it’s, ‘Good night.'” Hammerin’ Hank tells me. “With a guy like me that fights on angles and fights on both sides–and has speed and power–he can’t deal with that. I will stop him. I’m one of the most feared lightweights in the world and the other champs are scared to fight me! I put my life on it–they will try to stay away from me!”

We will have to see whether or not Lundy ever gets his chance to face DeMarco.

But once again, look at the faces of Linares and DeMarco as they went to war.

Bloodied, bruised and battered. Now look again at the victor.

This is the face of a proud warrior who prevailed, the NEW World Champion: ANTONIO DEMARCO!

Photo by Michele Chong all Ringside photos by Ray Flores