Manny Pacquiao wasn’t pleased with his third consecutive unanimous decision, but in extending his historic victory streak to 14 he may have retired another Hall of Famer.
In a dominant destruction of an aged Shane Mosley, Pacquiao rode a third-round knockdown and a steady barrage of left hands to a unanimous decision in his WBO welterweight title defense before 16,412 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Judge Glenn Trowbridge scored the bout 119-108, Dave Moretti had it 120-108 and Duane Ford scored it 120-107.
Pacquiao (54-3-2) afterward blamed his leg strength for not being able to finish the 39-year-old Mosley (46-7-1), who was the beneficiary of a wrongly called knockdown by referee Kenny Bayless in the 10th round when replays showed Mosley clearly pushed Pacquiao down with his right hand.
Here's a recap of the fight:
Mosley walked out to LL Cool J’s "Mama Said Knock You Out," obviously relishing the line, "Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years." The former lightweight, welterweight and super-welterweight champion was dressed in black and gold. Pacquiao entered to a live version of “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor frontman Jim Jamison, thrilling the Filipino’s large contingency that is anticipating a strong showing by the 9-to-1 favorite.
Pacquiao kneeled for his usual prefight prayer in his corner, and here we go.
Round 1: Each guy worked hard to set up blows with their jabs. Pacquiao landed twice to the body and once to the face, and Mosley sneaked in a hard right to face. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9(scoring is unofficial).
Round 2: Pacquiao is the aggressor and Mosley appears a bit confused. Pacquiao lands a good left to the head followed by a right. The pair butt heads at the one-minute mark; all is OK. Pacquiao lands to the body, Mosley retreats. A left to the body and right to the face by Pacquiao. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads fight, 20-18.
Round 3: Pacquiao drops Mosley for the third time in his career, charging with a combination and dropping him with a left. Mosley is dazed at the 1:10 mark. Pacquiao going for the kill, left to the head and body. Again to the body and face. Mosley survives. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-8. Pacquiao leads, 30-26.
Round 4: Mosley slips. Pacquiao working the jab. He lands a hard left to Mosley's jaw. Mosley can't keep up. We expected this. Mosley jabs in vain. Pacquiao lands a left to the body. Hard combo by Mosley as Pacquiao covers. Pacquiao rallies, gets in two hard lefts to Mosley's face. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads, 40-35.
Round 5: Mosley has some crispness back. Pacquiao charges forward, as if he has great confidence. Mosley blocking some shots. Good left to the face by Pacquiao. Mosley definitely not his aggressive self of old. Pacquiao jabs to head and body. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads, 50-44.
Round 6: A soft head butt slows the action. Pacquiao goes left, lands a combination on attack. Mosley retreating. The action slows, and the crowd boos. Good short right by Pacquiao. Mosley gets in a right. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads, 60-53.
Round 7: Two good left uppercuts by Pacquiao, who ducks in for attack. Mosley shows no such ambition, and gets hit by rights to the body and head and a right-left combo. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads, 70-62.
Round 8: A big left to the head by Pacquiao symbolizes why Mosley's not engaging. Too much pain. More lefts continue to blunt Mosley's aged effort. The crowd booing the inaction by the challenger. Bad fight. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads, 80-71.
Round 9: Mosley sneers after a right-left charge by Pacquiao. Heads clash again, action resumes. Nice right by Pacquiao and good left hook by Mosley. A Pacquiao combo and left follows. Mosley sneaks in a good jab. Mosley to the body. Pacquiao hits Mosley in belly with right and snaps his head back with hard left. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao leads, 90-80.
Round 10: Referee Kenny Bayless wrongly awards Mosley a knockdown on a push. Mosley was going forward, but clearly pushed Pacquiao with a right. Pacquiao quickly gets back up, attacking. Pacquiao hits Mosley on ear with left. Another left. A straight left rolls Mosley's head back. Round is a 9-9 draw. Pacquiao leads, 99-89.
Round 11: Mosley working hard to avoid a knockout here, backpedaling from combinations as Pacquiao attacks. Mosley hugs Pacquiao, who gets free and unleashes a combination that backs up Mosley. Pacquiao roaring at end, Mosley looking for cover. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9.Pacquiao leads, 109-98.
Round 12: Pacquiao completes a dominant effort, striking Mosley with more lefts to the head and body. He hammers Mosley with left-right to head. But Mosley survives. Pacquiao walks back frustrated to his corner with third straight unanimous decision coming. Pacquiao wins the round, 10-9. Pacquiao should win, 119-107.
Official verdict: Manny Pacquiao wins by unanimous decision. Scoring: Trowbridge, 119-108; Moretti, 120-108; Ford 120-107.
--Lance Pugmire
Photo: Shane Mosley blocks a jab by Manny Pacquiao during their WBO welterweight title fight on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images
No comments:
Post a Comment