Manny Pacquiao looked about the best that he’s ever looked on Saturday night in a win over Timothy Bradley
If Saturday night was any indication, then the great Manny Pacquiao should not be hanging up his gloves like we’ve all been led to believe not only up until this point, but even afterwards from the man himself.
Pacquiao stepped into the ring for the first time since his loss to Floyd Mayweather last May in what was billed as the “Fight of the Century,” a fight in which he ate the decisive loss, and he stepped into said ring against a man that he was more than familiar with, Timothy Bradley. These two have met two times before, with Bradley getting the win in their first meeting by way of a controversial decision win.
Make no mistake about it, though, much like their second meeting in which Pacquiao got his win back, there was absolutely no controversy in this one.
One of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time came away with the dominant decision win on Saturday night, with all three judges scorecards reading 116-110. From start to finish in this one, Manny was clearly the better fighter of the two that were in the ring together on this night. Bradley had his moments, sure, but they were not nearly enough to get yet another win over Pacquiao.
For the most part, Pacquiao just used that superior boxing knowledge and skill of his to earn yet another win in his career. Throughout the fight, in virtually every round, Pacquiao would back Bradley down into the ropes from the center of the ring, and from there, he would just more or less pick and choose his spots. And sometimes, he would pick the spot to perfection.
That was one of two times that Bradley would be knocked down in the fight, and to his credit, he would get right back into it and he kept this going right until the very end.
After the 12-round battle was all said and done, Pacquiao did get on the mic and say that he was done; announcing his retirement right there in the middle of the ring.
But you can rest assured that this performance on Saturday will have him second-guessing those retirement thoughts swirling in his head. Because whatever confidence he lost in the fight with Mayweather last May, he most certainly got back on Saturday night.
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