Roman Gonzalez and Julio Cesar Martinez didn't deliver the fight-of-the-year contender many expected, but that's only because "Chocolatito" was far too good to allow the matchup to be competitive.

Gonzalez schooled Martinez and once again displayed why he's a future first-ballot Hall of Famer with a unanimous-decision victory on Saturday in San Diego.

Gonzalez was "very surprised" that Martinez made it to the final bell after absorbing a brutal beating, and the scores (118-110, 117-111 and 116-112) belied how truly one-sided the contest was.

"My corner told me not to give him any rounds," Gonzalez, ESPN's No. 2 115-pound boxer, said in Spanish via a translator. "He was very courageous. He took a lot of punishment."

The punishment was inflicted by combinations delivered in classic "Chocolatito" fashion: with precision and impeccable technique. The beauty of Gonzalez's game is the way he flows offense and defense. Even as he unloaded 1,076 punches, Gonzalez was able to fend off Martinez's reckless attack with a high guard tightly wrapped around his ears.

The 34-year-old Nicaraguan landed 374 punches, more than double Martinez, who landed 182 of 713. Gonzalez landed 58 of 129 punches in the final round, displaying the sort of elite condition that is a hallmark of his game.

Martinez, fighting out of Mexico City, held his hands low, providing an easy target for Gonzalez's well-placed shots. The victory was Gonzalez's 21st against a boxer from Mexico, the lone loss a highly controversial decision defeat to rival Juan Francisco Estrada in a 115-pound title unification last March. They were set to meet a third time on Saturday, but Estrada withdrew after he tested positive for COVID-19. Gonzalez defeated Estrada in a 108-pound title fight in their first fight in 2012.

Martinez, ESPN's No. 1 112-pounder, stepped in for his countryman on six weeks' notice and agreed to move up one weight class to 115 pounds. However, he was overweight Friday at 116.4 pounds. The fight proceeded after Martinez weighed 122.6 pounds Saturday, within the 126.5-pound rehydrating limit governed by the California commission (10% of contracted weight).

Martinez was also fined 20% of his $250,000 purse, with $25,000 paid to Gonzalez and the other half to the commission.

"He looked too small, he looked too inexperienced," promoter Eddie Hearn said. "He'll go back to flyweight."

At 112 pounds, Martinez could be matched with fellow champion Sunny Edwards in a title unification bout.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, has plenty of options to sort through with Hearn. The trilogy battle with Estrada remains a compelling matchup for supremacy at 115 pounds.

"Everyone knows that the last fight I had with 'Gallo' Estrada, I won," Gonzalez said.

Another tantalizing trilogy possibility: a meeting with Thailand's Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who owns a controversial decision victory over Gonzalez but also a devastating fourth-round knockout that left many wondering if "Chocolatito" would ever return to form.

Surprisingly, Gonzalez didn't just return to the pound-for-pound list but clearly remains better than ever. Even against a highly regarded 27-year-old power puncher, Gonzalez was in total control from bell to bell in a masterclass performance that adds to his Hall of Fame legacy.

Age is particularly unforgiving to smaller boxers who rely on speed and reflexes and absorb more damage than bigger boxers, but Gonzalez has never been held back by conventional wisdom.

"'Chocolatito' seems to be getting better and better, that was just a sublime performance tonight," Hearn said. "You saw the difference between a very good world champion and a pound-for-pound legend."

LAS VEGAS -- As much as some would like to see it, Colby Covington isn't going anywhere any time soon.

The foul-mouthed, polarizing standout picked up arguably the biggest win of his career against former friend Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-44, 50-45) in the main event of UFC 272 on Saturday night here at T-Mobile Arena. The crass Covington used his dominant wrestling, pressure and crafty striking to wear out Masvidal, who was able to gut it out until the end.

"It wasn't my best performance," Covington said in the postfight news conference. "Just a lot of emotions going into it. That was a real friend of mine at one point in my career. ... I let my emotions get the best of me. But it was still dominant. I showed the world how good I was."

Afterward, Covington called out another one of his former training partners, Dustin Poirier, whom he called "Louisiana swamp trash." Covington said he wants to be "very active" this year and would like to compete again in July.

"I'll see you soon," Covington said, referring to Poirier. "You're next!"

Masvidal had moments in the second round and dropped Covington in the fourth. But other than that, Covington was in control for the majority of the fight. After the bell, Covington took out his mouthpiece, stuck out his tongue at Masvidal and blew him kisses.

"I should have had more moments like that, but I was off today," Masvidal said. "I didn't have it."

The fight was billed as one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history and a rare non-title pay-per-view main event that didn't include either Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz. The crowd was behind Masvidal, cheering for a comeback. But there were some "Colby!" chants, as well.

Covington and Masvidal are former best friends, roommates and teammates. Masvidal acted as a mentor to Covington when Covington arrived at American Top Team in 2011 after an illustrious career wrestling at Oregon State University. Covington helped Masvidal with his wrestling skills, while Masvidal helped teach Covington how to strike.

The two men cannot stand each other now. Covington believes Masvidal got jealous of his success and stabbed him in the back. Masvidal says Covington is phony and stiffed Masvidal's coach, Paulino Hernandez, on pay.

This fight really wasn't about rankings or titles. It was about settling a score. But Covington and Masvidal are elite athletes, as well. Both are multiple-time UFC welterweight title challengers. Coming in, ESPN had Covington ranked No. 4 in the world at welterweight and Masvidal at No. 10.

Covington, the former UFC interim welterweight champion, landed six takedowns Saturday, giving him 67 for his career, the second-most in UFC welterweight history. Covington outlanded Masvidal 94-67 in significant strikes and 218-90 in total strikes. Covington had 16:14 in control time over the 25-minute bout. Masvidal only outlanded Covington in significant strikes in the second round, 31-20.

"He makes you worry about the takedown," UFC president Dana White said in the postfight news conference. "He fought the exact fight I thought he would fight tonight. You have to defend that takedown all night, so it sets up the striking for him."

Covington got a takedown relatively early in the first round against the cage and put Masvidal in a precarious, leg-ride position. Covington nearly had Masvidal's back on multiple occasions. In the second round, Masvidal landed some early leg kicks and elbows with Covington going for a takedown. Masvidal hit on some nice punching combinations as the round went on and, most important, stayed off his back.

Covington got the takedown early in the third round, which was very much like the first. He did more damage with that third-round takedown, though, landing elbows and punches from guard. Covington came out firing with his own punching combinations in the fourth round. Masvidal saw an opening and dropped Covington briefly with a right hook but said afterward he was too worried about a Covington takedown to capitalize on it.

"I was tired," Masvidal said. "He was tired and hurt. That was my chance right there. ... I didn't take that opening."

In the fifth, Covington got an early takedown and Masvidal wasn't able to work his way back up the rest of the way.

"After a while, no matter how much you hate him, you've got to respect him," White said, adding, "He's a tough dude."

Covington (17-3) was coming off a close, unanimous-decision loss to Usman, ESPN's current pound-for-pound king, at UFC 268 last November. The California native, who lives and trains in Florida, has won nine of his past 11 fights, with both losses coming to Usman. Covington, 34, owns dominant wins over two other former teammates: Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler.

"You could see in his body language he had nothing left in the fight," Covington said of Masvidal. "I was ready for another five rounds in the parking lot."

Masvidal (35-16), one of the UFC's biggest stars, lost to Usman in his previous two bouts coming in, both title fights. Most recently, Usman knocked Masvidal out at UFC 261 in April 2021. Masvidal, a Miami native, rose to superstardom with spectacular finishes over Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz in 2019. In the latter bout, Masvidal claimed the mythical Baddest Motherf---er title. Masvidal, 37, has been a pro fighter since 2003 and started his career fighting on the streets and in backyards.

"To lose to a punk like that, it sucks, you know?" Masvidal said. "If I fight another wrestler, I need to make sure I can deal with this thing. ... I need to fix the wrestling, man."

Masvidal said the bad blood between him and Covington was not put to rest, despite this fight.

"This idiot talked about my kids," Masvidal said. "He's a still a guy, if I saw him out in the streets, I'm going to give him everything I've got to break his f---ing jaw."

DURHAM, N.C. -- Mike Krzyzewski didn't want it to end like this, but after Duke's 94-81 loss to North Carolina in his final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, he seemed to be glad it was done.

"It's hard for me to believe this is over," Krzyzewski told the crowd who'd come -- some spending $10,000 or more for a ticket -- to say goodbye. "So I'm just going to say the regular season's over."

This season has been long, and while Saturday wasn't the official finish line, it was, perhaps, the end of his farewell tour, and for that, he was thankful.

Krzyzewski announced his retirement last June, a decision he said he made so he could have one last season to focus solely on coaching -- no recruiting, no worries about the future, just one final run for a championship. But that plan was never going to work. The basketball world wasn't simply going to watch Krzyzewski, the winningest coach ever, ride off into the sunset. His career required a requiem.

And so at each stop along this season's schedule, the lead story was Krzyzewski. At some stops, there were honors. At others, emotional reunions. At North Carolina, just a month ago, there was a fitting absence of fanfare, only rival fans casting their rage onto the enemy one final time. Then, as an afterthought, they played basketball games, and in all but four of them, Duke won.

Then came Saturday.

The Blue Devils had circled this one months ago. It was a rivalry game, of course, but they'd already thrashed North Carolina in Chapel Hill, a statement win in a season in which Duke has also beaten Gonzaga and Kentucky. The game didn't matter much in the standings either. The Blue Devils, by virtue of a seven-game winning streak, had already clinched the ACC regular-season title. No, Saturday was about this team penning its own chapter in Krzyzewski's legacy, sending its coach off the right way. Only, that didn't happen.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't know this date was coming," star forward Paolo Banchero said. "Everybody knew. It's something more than a regular game. It was important. And it sucks we lost."

Funny thing is, Krzyzewski didn't seem to mind all that much.

"I'm glad this is over," Krzyzewski said. "Let's just coach and see what happens in the tournaments. It's been a surreal few days."

The whole ride has been surreal -- part documentary, part eulogy, part circus and, somewhere in the mix, basketball. After Saturday's loss, before the postgame ceremonies began, Krzyzewski apologized to the fans in attendance, and in unison, they refused to accept it. They weren't here to see Duke win -- even in a game against hated North Carolina. They were here for Krzyzewski, results be damned.

This is uncharted territory at a place like Duke, for a coach like Krzyzewski. Winning is always job No. 1. And perhaps that's what has felt so off-kilter this season. There was winning, but only in the context of what it meant for the larger narrative. And Saturday was the final curtain, the climax of the story Krzyzewski set in motion back in June.

Banchero, like his coach, wanted to find some meaning in the loss. It was a lesson. It was motivation. It was catharsis.

What it really was, however, was the ending Duke had been waiting for -- for better or worse.

Endings, of course, are followed by new beginnings, and that seemed to be what mattered most for Krzyzewski on Saturday. For his team, too.

The story of his retirement will continue into the ACC and NCAA tournaments, but it will no longer be center stage. The camera will pan away from the coach, at least for a while, and focus on the team -- a team Krzyzewski truly believes is good enough to win it all.

Banchero noted that the worst moments of Duke's season have all come here, at Cameron, in front of the home fans, who've turned out each game to pay respects in a countdown to Saturday.

There are no more home games, and that's fine.

"On the road and everywhere else we've been hungry, and we won't be playing the NCAA tournament here," Banchero said. "We're looking forward to going on the road and making up for it."

It's not so much an opportunity for atonement, however, as it is a chance to turn the page, to look at what lies ahead rather than the 42 years of Krzyzewski's career that preceded this final run.

Banchero is still one of the most dynamic big men in the country. Wendell Moore Jr. remains the veteran commanding the offense, the beating heart of the roster. Mark Williams, AJ Griffin, Jeremy Roach, Trevor Keels -- they all seem to fit their roles exactly as they should, as if this was the real story Krzyzewski wanted to script for this season. And now, after a year of games that were about something more than just the final score, it's the team that's center stage.

That's the real ending Krzyzewski wanted.

"I wanted this year to be a really good coaching job, not a retirement year, and to stay hungry," he said. "I think I have, and I will. Until this is done."