For the first time in two years, Manny Pacquiao looked like a dominant eight-division world champion as he cruised to victory over Brandon Rios. The terrific performance should reopen avenues for a clash with Floyd Mayweather, a fight "Pac-Man" should push to get scheduled.
The idea of Pacquiao facing off with Mayweather lost a lot of steam over the past year as the Filipino superstar suffered back-to-back losses to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez. He didn't look like the same boxer who rose to the top of the sport with a string of marquee wins.
So a bout that could have been a much-needed major attraction for the sport became an afterthought as both fighters went their separate ways.
Pacquiao took nearly a year off between fights after the loss to Marquez, while Mayweather scored victories over Robert Guerrero and Saul Alvarez, moving to 45-0 for his career.
The layoff paid dividends for Pacquiao. He looked revitalized, showcasing the speed and movement that allowed him to rise up the ranks in the first place, which was a welcome sight after a noticeably more sluggish version of himself failed to find top form against Bradley and Marquez.
He used that quickness to open up punching lanes, mostly to the body of Rios, who struggled to defend the heavy shots to the midsection. The American's power, which was viewed as a potential equalizer, was quickly neutralized.
By the late rounds, Pacquiao was in firm control of the bout. He could have tried to score the knockout against a visibly worn-down opponent, but the knowledge of Rios' power was enough for Pac-Man to remain at a distance and ensure he would pick up the win rather than taking an unnecessary risk.
All told, it was the most complete performance by Pacquiao since his unanimous-decision triumph over Shane Mosley in 2011. After the win, he was open to all possibilities, including a matchup with Mayweather, as Bryan Armen Graham of Sports Illustrated pointed out:
A battle between Pacquiao and Mayweather would not be as attractive as it would have been a couple years ago, when the sports world would have stopped to watch the two titans of boxing square off.
That said, a fight between a rejuvenated Pacquiao and an undefeated Mayweather is still among the best boxing has to offer, and it would be nice for them to settle the score.
Pac-Man should aggressively pursue the fight. He would likely be a clear underdog, but his performance against Rios was enough to believe he could seriously challenge the 36-year-old Michigan native.
They missed several chances to set up the bout in the past. Now's the time to set aside their differences, reach an agreement and finally give boxing fans the fight they have been clamoring for, even if it's a couple years late.
Whether it will actually happen is unknown, but at least Pacquiao made it possible again by dominating Rios to get back on track.
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