PACQUIAO IS BACK
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 25 Nov 2013
MACAU ? Sugar Ray Leonard did it. So did Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis and Vladimir Klitschko. Great names in the sport of sweet science. Add Manny Pacquiao to the short list of fighters who came back from what looked career-ending knockout losses and won.
Pacquiao, who is turning 35 years old 23 days from today, beat Mexican-American pretender Brandon Rios in overwhelming fashion that served notice of his determination to win back the glory and respect he enjoyed before suffering twin losses in 2013, including a devastating sixth round knockout at the hands of long-time enemy Juan Manuel Marquez.
There was no knockdown as the 98 million or so countrymen, many of them suffering from a recent super-typhoon and many more elsewhere would have wanted, but the victory was so impressive just the same, the Filipino legend didn?t have to.
This was because Pacquiao, the only man on earth to own 10 championships in eight weight divisions and capturing four lineal titles in his brilliant 18-year boxing career, was Rios? master from the time he docked the former lightweight titleholder in the opening round wrongly ruled a slip by referee Genaro Rodriguez on.
The scorecards of all three judges showed that. Judge Michael Pernick didn?t give Rios a round in a lopsided 120-118, Judge Lisa Gjampa, also of the U.S. saw Pacquiao the winner, too, although he gave Rios a round, 119-109, and German Judge Manfred Kuchler, awarding the loser two rounds, in his 118-110 verdict.
The People?s Journal agreed with American Judge Pernick scoring all 12 round in favor of the Filipino.
Pacquiao said during the traditional post-fight press conference that he could have finished his game but outclassed opponent in the 11th and 12th rounds but was advised by his corner the fight was his and opening himself to unnecessary risk might turn things around.
?Yeah, I wanted to finish him off, but I was winning by a wide margin that time, so why risk,? he said reminded of his KO defeat to Marquez December of last year.
?What I just proved is that I?m not over yet as many had been saying,? he exclaimed. ?I promised to come back and I did. I guess it?s not my time yet (to retire).?
?My journey will continue in bringing honor to my country and people, especially to those victim of calamities that struck the Visayas and Mindanao,? he said, adding he will be true to his promise to visit them when he gets home.
The 27-year-old Rios said that Pacquiao ?didn?t hurt? him a bit, but the sold out crowd 13,000, most of whom were Filipinos thought he was never in the fight finishing the 12-round encounter with mouse on both eyes while blood streamed in his left.
He admitted though that his conqueror was just too fast and too quick with his lethal left and right combinations that, often, caught him flatfooted. On several occasions, Pacquiao would be firing eight to 10 shots to his face and body without even an answer.
He and trainer Robert Garcia, admitted Pacquiao?s camp did its homework and that they were sort of short in their preparations. Asked what was the best punch Pacquiao threw at him, Rios retorted, ?his speed, that is his best punch. That?s what the fight was all about.?
The thing that the confrontation didn?t turn to an execution just like what happened to his stablemate Antonio Margarito three years ago was the compassionate character that Pacquiao has.
?We really planned to finish him down the stretch, but compassion got into the way,? chief trainer Freddie Roach said by way of answering a query during the press conference.
Just how fast and accurate Pacquiao was all evening was his ability to throw 288 punches more than Rios did. He threw a total 790 punches to Rios? 502. Of that total punches thrown, 281 landed, 138 of them power.
Rios connected 138 punches but only 113 of them power hits.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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