Boxing champion and fighting Senator Manny Pacquiao proved that he still has that fighter in him after he won in a split-decision against Keith Thurman for the WBF welterweight championship in MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas on Sunday morning (Manila Time).
This adds a third straight win for 40-year-old Pacquiao who earlier retired and but went back to the ring.
The first round made boxing fans excited as he set the tone and knocked down Thurman.
Pacquiao left solid power right hooks and left straights to Thurman in the second and third round.
Thurman picks up and manages to get some jabs in the 4th round but Pacquiao manages to counter it with more body and headshots.
Thurman again hit Pacquiao by the 5th round but the latter managed to counter it and left the challenger wounded on his right eye.
However, Thurman knocks Pacquiao’s head in the 6th round and keeps on his aggressive stance until the 7th round.
But Pacquiao picks up and landed a solid right-left combo to the face of Thurman.
It was a close round during the remaining rounds as both boxers heated up. Thurman picks up and scored some combos in the 9th round.
The fighting Senator did not back down and made a solid left on the body that rocked Thurman in the 10th round.
But Thurman showed his determination to end the 12 rounds to bring the decision to the judge’s scorecards.
Two judges scored the fight 115-112 in favor of Pacquiao while the third judge gave it 114-113 in favor of Thurman.
But punch stats showed Thurman connected more than Pacquiao with 210 to 195 to Thurman in punches landed.
Congratulatory messages flooded social media after the fight.
In a post-fight interview via GMA News Online, Thurman, who suffered his first loss, said Pacquiao’s a “great champion”.
Pacquiao, in response, also praised the boxer saying he was “not an easy opponent” and he is “strong” and a “good boxer”.
