Juan Manuel Marquez vs Michael Katsidis round 3 is ESPN's Round Of The Year

Juan Manuel Marquez knows a thing or two about drama in the ring. So, too, does Michael Katsidis.

Marquez, of course, has been in numerous exciting battles, tasted the canvas many times and always survived. He was down three times in the first round of his first fight with Manny Pacquiao before clawing his way to a disputed draw. Pacquiao dropped him again in the third round of their classic rematch and Marquez lost an even more disputed split decision. When he jumped up two weight classes to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. at welterweight, Marquez went down in the second round.

But Marquez always has picked himself up and waded back into the battle.

Katsidis has been in several hellacious battles himself and has become the closest thing boxing now has to the late all-time action hero Arturo Gatti.

So was it any surprise that when Marquez, the lightweight champ, met Katsidis, his mandatory challenger, on Nov. 27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas that they produced serious fireworks in a blistering fight?

Not at all.

Boxing fans knew when the bout was signed that it would be a rousing slugfest, and the fighters sure delivered. They waged a tremendously exciting fight, but one that will be remembered most for the exhilarating third round, a topsy-turvy three minutes and the 2010 ESPN.com round of the year.

The first two rounds featured plenty of back-and-forth action, but the third round took the fight to another level. Katsidis was doing well but was behind when it began. However, 50 seconds into the round, both men went to throw left hooks. Marquez, his right hand dropped low, left himself wide open and Katsidis' punch got to the target -- Marquez's chin -- first.

Marquez went down on his back and was badly hurt, even though he popped right back up, probably on instinct.

"Tremendous shot!" HBO's Jim Lampley said excitedly. "The biggest punch Marquez has taken since he fought against Pacquiao."

Referee Kenny Bayless, who officiated Marquez's rematch with Pacquiao and is very familiar with him, gave the fighter a good look and let the fight continue. There were still two minutes left in the round and the question lingered: Would Marquez be able to survive on those shaky legs?

And then, rather than hold, the warrior spirit spilled out of Marquez, who decided to fight toe-to-toe rather than hang on for survival. If he was going down, he would go down swinging.

Australia's Katsidis knew Marquez was hurt and went for the knockout. He was winging shots, trapped Marquez along the ropes and tried to finish him right there.

But Marquez had been in this position before. He has a deep reservoir of heart and showed it midway through the round.

"Marquez is getting his bearings back," Lampley said. "He's gonna try to find an opportunity to go right back at Katsidis."

And then Marquez promptly landed a left hook. And then Katsidis wobbled him again. Back and forth they went. Marquez was landing shots up the middle and Katsidis was coming over the top with head blows as the crowd went crazy.

As the round wound down, they stood in the center of the ring trading heavy punches, with the crowd on its feet. Marquez was getting the better of it, landing what appeared to be eight consecutive shots as Katsidis whiffed on a couple.

"What a round," Lampley said. "What an amazing round Round 3 was!"

Not only had Marquez survived a desperate moment in the thrilling round, he closed it with such an offensive explosion that he had clearly taken back the momentum that would carry him through to a ninth-round TKO.

"I was surprised in the third round, but I'm a true warrior and I came back to win the fight," a proud Marquez said afterward. "He surprised me. I made an error. I dropped my hand and he caught me. It was a perfect punch, but I was in great condition and that's what helped me to get up and finish off the fight."

As soon as Marquez went down, he apparently had Katsidis right where he wanted him.

Previous winners
2009 Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz 1st
2008 Kendall Holt-Ricardo Torres II 1st
2007 Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez II 3rd
2006 Somsak Sithchatchawal-Mahyar Monshipour 9th
2005 Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I 10th
2004 Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales III 11th
2003 Acelino "Popo" Freitas-Jorge Barrios 11th
2002 Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti I 9th
2001 Micky Ward-Emanuel Burton 9th
2000 Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera I 5th

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