What we realized from Pacquiao-Thurman, and what’s subsequent
Dan Rafael
ShutESPN Senior Author2013 BWAA Nat Fleischer Award winner for excellence in boxing journalism
ESPN.com boxing author since 2005
5 years at USA At this time
Steve Kim
Manny Pacquiao added one other spectacular notch to his belt by beating the beforehand undefeated Keith Thurman on Saturday evening. Whereas the decision was a cut up determination after 12 rounds, the 40-year-old “Pacman” was the clear winner.
He despatched Thurman to the canvas within the first spherical, managed the primary half of the struggle, after which, with Thurman sneaking again into the bout, he damage Thurman with a shot to the physique within the 10th. Then he did sufficient within the late levels to carry off Thurman’s late rally.
So what did we be taught from Saturday evening?
Is Pacquiao higher now than he was three years in the past?
AP Picture/John Locher
Rafael: I would not say he’s higher than he was in 2016, a 12 months wherein he manhandled Timothy Bradley Jr. (scoring two knockdowns in a transparent determination win of their third struggle) and in addition dropped and simply outpointed Jessie Vargas to win a welterweight title. Athletes, particularly boxers with greater than 70 skilled fights, do not get higher at 40. Now, it’s potential that Pacquiao is extra centered and dedicated to coaching than he was up to now. As a senator he has to stability his time and preserve a extra rigorous schedule, so that will even have helped him keep sharp as a fighter. However he’s most undoubtedly not higher than he was three years in the past.
Kim: That is an attention-grabbing query. When Pacquiao is concentrated and motivated, he’s nonetheless an extremely formidable foe. When he misplaced in gorgeous trend to Jeff Horn again in 2017, it appeared like he could be making the ultimate descent of his Corridor of Fame profession. However since that time, he has racked up dominant victories over Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner, and now Keith Thurman.
You may argue that given the circumstances (at his age, going through a robust, undefeated foe in his bodily prime) that the victory over Thurman is amongst his biggest ever. His wins over the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto are definitely memorable, however this one ought to definitely be up there on that mantel, given the variables.
What are Pacquiao’s probabilities in opposition to the opposite titleholders within the division? And who ought to he struggle subsequent?
Does Manny Pacquiao have an opportunity in opposition to No. 1 welterweight Errol Spence Jr.? Tom Pennington/Getty Pictures
Rafael: The Pacquiao who fought Thurman would give all of them a struggle, and he would win a few of them. That mentioned, Errol Spence Jr. is a horrible matchup for him. He’s sooner, extra expert, higher defensively, youthful and brisker than Thurman. Spence is a nasty matchup for many all people within the division besides possibly Terence Crawford, who I additionally assume can be a really tough struggle for Pacquiao, however I might give Pacquiao a greater probability in opposition to Crawford than Spence. Shawn Porter is bodily and his fights inevitably contain head butts and tough stuff. Not a fantastic matchup for Pacquiao, however along with his pace, frenetic model and skill to maneuver out and in and facet to facet, I believe he’d beat Porter.
As for Manny’s subsequent struggle, Premier Boxing Champions will in all probability need to match him up with the Spence-Porter winner, however that may not occur till the second half of subsequent 12 months, that means Pacquiao would want an opponent within the first a part of 2020. There have been the rumors of a potential struggle with Amir Khan in Saudi Arabia, however that is a horrible struggle with little public curiosity, at the very least in america. It is a big-time mismatch at this level in Pacquiao’s favor. So understanding he in all probability will not struggle the Spence-Porter winner subsequent, or Crawford (for a lot of causes), the following finest welterweight for him to struggle is Danny Garcia, a extremely good former titleholder. Glorious struggle. Makeable struggle. Deliver it on.
Last punch stats
FighterTotalJabsPowerPacquiao195 of 686 (28%)82 of 346(24%)113 of 340 (33%)Thurman210 of 571 (37%)18 of 128 (14%)192 of 443 (43%)– Courtesy of CompuBox
Kim: OK. Whereas the victory over Thurman is spectacular, the truth is that Thurman is a man who was actually inactive (Saturday evening was simply his second struggle since 2017), and in his final bout, in opposition to Josesito Lopez, he confirmed nice vulnerability in opposition to a fighter of restricted energy.
Pacquiao would nonetheless be thought-about a favourite over the hard-trying however restricted Porter. However guys like Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford are elite fighters of their bodily primes and rather more full fighters. Crawford is a grasp boxer whose size and athleticism would hassle Pacquiao, whereas Spence is a robust, bodily pressure who will quickly be a junior middleweight and past.
So far as who Pacquiao ought to face subsequent, that is an attention-grabbing query. It isn’t clear simply how lengthy he shall be boxing, however on condition that he is with the PBC, the opponent that makes probably the most sense from his vantage level is Danny Garcia. Once more, that is all about danger vs. reward, and whereas Garcia is not as extremely considered the above talked about duo, he’s nonetheless a recognizable title and it is a struggle that his handlers will in all probability approve.
The judges ended with the correct winner, however how shut was this struggle, actually?
AP Picture/John Locher
Rafael: I had it 117-110 for Pacquiao, 9-Three in rounds with Pacquiao additionally getting the knockdown within the first spherical. I believed the judges have been slightly nearer than possibly they need to be, however there have been two or three very shut rounds. I had one spherical that I had a tough time deciding and gave it to Pacquiao, so I simply might have had it 116-111. That appears about proper. The struggle was very shut, as a result of every spherical was normally aggressive, however Pacquiao most undoubtedly gained nearly all of them, which is why I strongly disagree with choose Glenn Feldman’s scorecard of 114-113 for Thurman.
Kim: This struggle was dominated a cut up determination, with Tim Cheatem and Dave Moretti having Pacquiao up by the tally of 115-112, whereas Glenn Feldman had Thurman up 114-113. It felt extra like a detailed however clear victory for Pacquiao. He took management of the struggle early with a first-round knockdown, and Pacquiao gained at the very least 4 or 5 of the primary six rounds. When Thurman began creeping again into the struggle within the late rounds, Pacquiao gained the 10th spherical and fought on even phrases within the final two.
You can also make an argument that Thurman rallied to make it shut. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to’t actually argue that he really did sufficient to get his palms raised in victory.
Was the first-round knockdown the important thing second of the struggle?
Manny Pacquiao, left, dropped Keith Thurman within the first spherical of their welterweight bout. Stewart Cook dinner/Fox Sports activities/PictureGroup
Rafael: No. It might have given Pacquiao some momentum, and it could have deflated Thurman slightly, however he was not badly damage and there have been nonetheless 11-plus rounds to go. Under no circumstances is it the turning level of an all-action 12-round struggle.
Kim: Pacquiao took management of this struggle early on, and by sending Thurman crashing to the canvas along with his patented “Manila Ice” proper hook, he put early trepidation within the thoughts of his youthful foe. It served discover early on that whereas Pacquiao might have misplaced a step, as Eric Dickerson as soon as mentioned, it is a step that most individuals by no means had.
And with that early momentum for Pacquiao, doubt was put into Thurman’s thoughts, and he fought quite cautiously within the first half as Pacquiao constructed up an early lead on the playing cards. Additionally, with a knockdown, you place your self ready the place should you do not hit the canvas your self, all it’s essential to do is to win six rounds to win by some extent.
Is Thurman nearly as good as we thought he was? The place does he go from right here?
AP Picture/John Locher
Rafael: Thurman is excellent, and nothing has modified. He mentioned afterward that after 22 months off due to harm he in all probability might have used one other struggle or two to get into the groove after having only one shaky comeback struggle in January. However there isn’t any disgrace in shedding to a legend. He fought usually on even phrases and may bounce again for positive.
Thurman ought to take slightly relaxation, return to the health club and work on his entire recreation. He nonetheless has huge fights in his future. Hopefully, he’ll be again in with a legit opponent in early 2020.
Kim: Give Thurman this: With wins over Porter and Garcia (a struggle wherein he unified the welterweight titles) he has a stable resume. Nonetheless, lengthy layoffs have by no means given him the chance to actually develop as an entire fighter, and oftentimes you surprise about his total ardour and dedication to the game.
However shedding to Pacquiao isn’t any disgrace, and there are nonetheless loads of matchups left on the PBC facet of the road for him at welterweight.