Manny Pacquiao turns back time, defeats Keith Thurman by split-decision

It wasn’t easy, but somehow Manny Pacquiao found a way to defy Father Time to defeat Keith Thurman despite being 40 years old.

On Saturday, July 20, Manny Pacquiao fought in his 71st bout at 40 years old. Keith Thurman was 10 years his junior, but it didn’t matter. Pacquiao proved that he’s still one of the best boxers in the world.

You could sense that something special was in the air. When Pacquiao made his ring walk, the MGM Grand Garden Arena erupted in cheers and praise. He was beloved by the fans, and they helped buoy his spirits several times throughout the fight.

Pacquiao and Thurman took turns attacking in round 1. Thurman used his size to push Pacquiao back early. Pacquiao stayed patient and attacked when he needed it. Pacquiao sent Thurman crashing to the canvas with a looping right hand. Thurman got up, but the tide was all Pacquiao’s.

Thurman looked recovered in round 2. Both men were cautious and looking for openings. Thurman found a right hand, but Pacquiao countered with a right-left combo. Thurman had to retreat. Pacquiao was the hunter, and he scored with multiple flurries.

Thurman missed early in round 3. He struggled to find his range. When he had Pacquiao on the ropes, he couldn’t keep him there. Pacquiao slapped Thurman with a right hook the got the crowd wild. Thurman had a better round, but Pacquiao still won it.

Pacquiao and Thurman went at it to start the fourth. Both men had their moments. Thurman landed jabs and several body shots, but Pacquiao returned fire at a faster rate. Thurman made Pacquiao miss for the first time of the night. It was a tough round to score, but Pacquiao stole it down the stretch.

Thurman hit Pacquiao with a right hand to lead off round 5. Thurman found his mark and connected on several right hooks. The fight swayed quickly in his favor, and Pacquiao struggled to find an answer. It was a decisive round for Thurman.

But just when Pacquiao looked subpar, he unleashed a wicked combination that bloodied Thurman. Thurman won the round, but he gave up ground towards the end.

Thurman rushed Pacquiao to start round 6. Pacquiao circled but was on the defensive. Pacquiao answered with three consecutive jabs that landed. Fatigue began to set in, and the placed slowed briefly. Thurman had several good moments and outworked Pacquiao to win the round.

Thurman mauled Pacquiao briefly to open the seventh. Pacquiao looked a bit faded and had a hard time matching his pace from the early rounds. Possibly Pacquiao’s age appeared for the first time. It was a clear Thurman round.

Pacquiao turned up his activity level to begin round 8. Thurman still found a way to land the right hand. Thurman’s nose started to bleed more, and Pacquiao seemed to gain confidence at the sight of it. It was the bounce-back round Pacquiao needed.

In round 9, Thurman threw lots of punches, but not many landed cleanly. Pacquiao conserved his energy, or maybe he was just tired. He let Thurman win the first half of the round. Pacquiao tried to reclaim the second half, but Thurman countered well. Thurman looked to have Pacquiao hurt on the ropes, but he fought back out of instinct.

Per usual, Thurman threw more punches to initiate round 10. Pacquiao countered but was inaccurate. Pacquiao picked up the pace and hurt Thurman with a body shot. After it landed, Thurman stopped fighting, and Pacquiao punished him. It was Thurman’s worst round since round 2.

Thurman tried to recover in round 11 with jabs but quickly moved away from an advancing Pacquiao. Thurman’s punches ceased for long periods. He rallied a bit midway through the round, but hurt Pacquiao with a straight right hand. It would have made a good round in a Rocky movie. It could have gone either way, but Pacquiao’s early success gave him the edge.

The final round started slowly. Nobody wanted to make a mistake. Thurman and Pacquiao traded punches, but Pacquiao got the better of it. At 40 years old he had a little more in the tank than the younger Thurman. Thurman hit Pacquiao with a straight right with 15 seconds left, but it wasn’t enough to earn him the round.

The crowd was stunned to hear the judges return a split-decision. It took a long time for the scores to be read, but the outcome was just. The scores were 114-113 for Thurman and two scores of 115-112 for Pacquiao which gave him the win.

Thurman is a great boxer, but Pacquiao is a legendary icon and one of the best fighters of all time. If his place in history wasn’t strong enough, he reinforced his legacy with his win against Thurman.