Manny Pacquiao defeated Brandon Rios to earn the WBO International Welterweight title, but this match goes deeper than that, as there were quite a few takeaways from the bout.
First, it is important to note that this was a dominant showing for Pacquiao. As Bleacher Report notes, the scoring was not very close at all:
Unlike other boxing matches, there was no controversy, as the better fighter came away as a winner. Still, the results of this contest tell us a lot about each boxer and what to expect going forward.
Here are the biggest lessons learned from the recent bout.
Manny Pacquiao Has Not Fallen That Far
Heading into Saturday's bout, Pacquiao had lost a great deal of respect among the boxing community. He was coming off two consecutive losses and his trainer discussed possibly retiring from the sport.
However, this win gets him back on the right track. Not only did he need the victory, but he also showcased the great speed that had led him to the top of the rankings in the past.
According to CompuBox (via ESPN), Pacquiao threw 790 punches in the 12 rounds and landed 281 of them. Although he does not have the efficiency of someone like Floyd Mayweather, it is hard for anyone to match his speed.
More importantly, this win forces people to re-examine the previous losses that were so scrutinized. In reality, neither one was too terrible.
The loss to Timothy Bradley came on a controversial decision where many watching thought Pacquiao was the victor. He then was beating Juan Manuel Marquez before suffering a knockout on a big counterpunch.
Despite these defeats, he is clearly still among the top boxers in the sport and he should once again be treated like the main attraction he is.
Brandon Rios Might Never Get Knocked Out
One attribute necessary to succeed in boxing is having a good chin. You are not going to be able to dodge every punch, so you have to find a way to take a hit and keep going.
Rios showed once again on Saturday that he is among the toughest in the world in this category.
Despite getting beaten up by Pacquiao, there were few opportunities for a stoppage as Rios continued to hold on throughout the match. He gave himself a chance for a comeback right until the very last bell.
The Texas native has never been knocked out in his career, with his only two losses coming in his previous two matches. Pacquiao and Mike Alvarado were able to earn unanimous decisions, but Rios never provided his opponents with a knockout opportunity.
With the way he is capable of throwing punches, this always provides him a chance to turn things around in a hurry and earn a knockout himself.
Additionally, this skill is part of what makes him such an exciting fighter to watch. He is below average defensively, but his great chin allows him to remain aggressive.
As a result, fans are able to see a thrilling back-and-forth battle, like what was on display in two matches against Alvarado. In all likelihood, the rivals will compete one more time in what should be yet another exciting bout.
A Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao Superfight is Still Possible
Even before the fight, trainer Freddie Roach was discussing a potential matchup against Mayweather, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN:
Things did not change after Pacquiao's dominant victory. According to Daniel Hicks of ABS-CBN News, the Filipino star said after his match, "My job is to fight and I will fight anybody who will fight me. I am willing to fight Floyd. So it is up to him."
Promoter Bob Arum then added, "It's a fight that should happen and where there is a will there is a way. Particularly after that performance"
While the excitement over this potential matchup has certainly slowed down in recent years, this is still the bout that everyone wants to see. Mayweather and Pacquiao are the two most popular fighters in the sport, and that has not changed with the latter's losses.
According to Mike Ozanian of Forbes, this fight would likely gross over $250 million. With this much money on the line, it almost seems insane for it not to happen.
Fans can expect another bout for Pacquiao in the meantime, likely a rematch against either Bradley or Marquez. If he can win that, he should finally set up the match against Mayweather that everyone is waiting for.
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