PACQUIAO BRINGS BACK SMILES TO HIS NATION WITH DOMINANT WIN OVER RIOS
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 24 Nov 2013
Macao, China - Michael Buffer stated that "He is back." This after reading the scores that was given to him.
And the mostly pro-Pacquiao crowd here at The Cotai Arena of The Venetian Resort in Macao, finally heaved a big sigh of relief.
His fans, his countrymen trooped this Chinese peninsula, some two hour flight from Manila, to support him in his first fight after the most brutal defeat of his career last year.
They were nervous and rightfully so. For that unconscious image of Manny Pacquiao in the canvas last year in Las Vegas is a reminder that anything can happen in the most brutal sports there is.
Plus, his opponent, Brandon Rios is a certified tough guy, one who has never been stopped in his thirty three fight career.
Also, talks that the former pound for pound great is a fighter in decline is something that concerns them.
And above all, his countrymen is grieving after a series of natural disasters that devastated the country in the last two months. That included a typhoon that is the strongest known to man.
But Pacquiao rose to the occasion today and in his rising, he rose the flag of his nation that meant more of a display to a nation that needed a reason to smile, albeit shortly.
The Filipino icon did not show any signs of decay after that knockout last year. He was quick, his combinations were there- 2, 3,4, 5, even 6 punches at some point.
His ring movement, is a joy to watch. Rios was hitting air and missing badly.
His punches were crisp, landing at Rios' head and body.
Pacquiao who admitted that he fought carelessly in his loss last year, fought a very smart fight against Rios who was bloodied, swollen and frustrated at the end of the day.
The scores showed Pacquiao's dominance of Rios. One judge has a clean sweep of 120-108 in his card, the other two - a 119-109 and a 118-110 mark.
But more so than the scores, the result of Pacquiao's win is evident in the faces of his countrymen and fans that watched him fight today.
They were all smiling, all in a joyous and celebratory mood in the lobbies of The Venetian Resort. This in contrast to crying and sad faces last December in Las Vegas when he suffered that loss to Marquez.
Boxing and Manny Pacquiao once again provided them the smiles that they badly needed. One that is welcome in the Haiyan -devastated areas of the Visayas and the rest of his country's 7000 islands.
Manny Pacquiao is back and his countrymen is smiling once again.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com and on Twitter @Freemazon910.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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