Manny Pacquiao beats Keith Thurman by split decision
LAS VEGAS — From his first-round knockdown punches to his tenacious 12th-round finish, Manny Pacquiao gave yet another onesided thrashing to Father Time.
Keith Thurman was a whole lot tougher to beat, but the 40-yearold Filipino senator managed to win that vote as well.
Pacquiao floored Thurman early and persevered late to an exciting split-decision victory Saturday night, adding a third straight win to his late-career resurgence.
Pacquiao (62-7-2) dropped his previously unbeaten opponent with a combination late in the first round, and the Pac-man dominated the opening rounds with a combination of flair and power that recalled the incredible prime of the only eight-division champion in boxing history.
Thurman (29-1) showed remarkable tenacity in rallying through the middle rounds, repeatedly testing Pacquiao’s chin with big shots. Neither fighter managed another knockdown, but they pushed relentlessly in front of a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden that repeatedly chanted Pacquiao’s name from the moment he reached the ring.
“It was fun,” Pacquiao said. “My opponent is a good fighter and boxer. He was strong . ... I think he did his best, and I did my best. I think we made the fans Manny Pacquiao, right, lands a punch against Keith Thurman in the fifth round during a welterweight title fight in Las Vegas on Saturday. happy tonight because it was a career with solid back-to-back good fight.” victories over Lucas Matthysse
Two judges scored the bout 115112 and Adrien Broner. for Pacquiao, while Glenn FeldThurman represented another man scored it 114-113 for Thurman. major step up in competition, but The Associated Press also Pacquiao’s strong start quieted scored it 115-112 for Pacquiao. any speculation that he would
“I knew it was close,” Thurman suddenly look old in a matchup said. “He had the momentum bewith an elite welterweight cause he got the knockdown in champion.
Round 1 . ... I wish I had a little Thurman’s effort was impressive bit more output to go toe to toe. on paper: He landed slightly My conditioning, my output was more punches than the famously just behind Manny Pacquiao’s active Pacquiao, and his 192 tonight. Tonight was a blessing power punches landed were the and a lesson.” most by any Pacquiao opponent
Pacquiao appeared to be declining in his 43 fights that were tracked as recently as two years by Compubox. But Pacquiao had ago, when he lost a listless decision a dominant jab, and he outworked to Jeff Horn. But while Thurman in the 12th round, throwhis political career flourished, ing 56 punches to win the round Pacquiao also revived his ring on two judges’ cards.