Manny Pacquiao won a resounding victory over American Tim Bradley on Saturday night in Las Vegas, to round off his 21-year professional career in the ring.
Pacquiao, who fought for the first time since his loss to Floyd Mayweather last year in the so-called “Fight of the Century,” dropped Bradley twice en route to a comfortable unanimous decision.
All three judges in the MGM Grand Garden arena gave Pacquiao a score of 116-110.
Pacquiao, 37, a former eight-division champion, insisted this fight – 66th of his career – would be his last before focusing on his political career in the Philippines, where he will compete for a Senate seat next month.
THE FIGHT
Pacquiao kept his word and uncovered some strong combinations that completely overwhelmed Bradley.
A cautious opening round gave the feel of a tactical battle, with Bradley keeping his distance as he fought the aggressive Pacquiao, who threw 33 shots to Bradley’s 19 in that round.
The next three rounds followed a similar pattern, with Pacquiao looking for the fight and relentlessly stalking Bradley, landing the most significant blows of the stage.
Bradley landed valid punches at times, but it was Pacquiao who did the most damage, landing a straight left that shook the American’s chin in the second round.
Bradley started the fifth lap confidently, but again his good work was undone by Pacquiao in the last minute when the Filipino uncovered a series of solid combinations.
A tired Bradley returned to his corner to be warned by his trainer Teddy Atlas, who yelled at him, “Are you kidding me?” But the 32-year-old already looked a bit tired.
In the seventh, Pacquiao stretched his lead even further, scoring a knockdown with a right hook to the chin that sent Bradley to the canvas.
Bradley responded boldly in the eighth lap, however, Pacquiao replied with a left hook and held the reins of the fight.
Pacquiao’s response in the ninth frame was emphatic, luring Bradley to a corner and hitting him with a left hook that sent the American staggering.
Another left hook sent Bradley to the canvas for a second time, cementing Pacquiao’s impending triumph, which finished stronger and just as aggressive as he started.
Pacquiao, who improved to 57-6-2, took home a purse of $ 20 million for this win, while Bradley received about half.
The welterweight showdown was conducted with no titles at stake.
In his previous fight against American Floyd Mayweather, the Filipino took a purse of 150 million dollars.
It was a rematch fight, as Bradley had surprised the Filipino with a controversial split decision victory in 2012, before losing the rematch two years later.
NEXT FIGHT: THE ELECTIONS
Philippine President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Herminio Coloma said the boxer made the Asian nation proud with his victory Saturday in Las Vegas.
The fighter will fight in the May 9 elections for a Senator seat, on the list of the opposition party UNA. The question is to what extent he will capitalize on his popularity as a boxer.
A municipal employee, Gigi Gallardo, 43, said she will follow Pacquiao on a political level just as she has on a sporting level during these years.
He’s already rich, and he doesn’t have to be corrupt. You have to give it a chance, there are many people it can help, “he told AFP.
According to his detractors, Pacquiao has had a mediocre performance as a deputy in Congress, where he has missed many sessions.
Although according to political scientist Ronald Holmes, voters will not pay much attention to that.
“The public gives much more importance to his performance as a boxer than to his performance in his constituency” of Congress, he asserts. AFP