Pacquiao-Mayweather 2 on the cards ?
Time, Pacquiao reclaimed the WBO title Knockouts for Manny in his career fights Years since, Manny has won by a knockout las vegas — Manny Pacquiao put on a dazzling display in his return to the ring after a brief retirement, scoring a unanimous decision over champion Jessie Vargas to claim the WBO welterweight title in Las Vegas on Sunday (UAE time).
Despite giving away 10 years to his opponent, the 37-year-old Pacquiao fought with more intensity and energy, and dominated the American in the final rounds to close out an emphatic victory.
The judges scored the bout 114113, 118-109 and 118-109 in favour of Pacquiao, the only fighter to hold titles in eight divisions, with the Filipino improving to 59-6-2, while Vargas fell to 27-2.
It was a master class taught by the first sitting Senator to win a world boxing championship as Pacquiao temporarily left the ring to win election in the Philippines and serve in office before making a return to what he called his “passion”. Pacquiao, whose last previous bout was a unanimous decision over Timothy Bradley in April, showed quickly that he had not lost his skills, knocking Vargas down in the second round with a straight left.
Vargas battled back and landed his dangerous right several times but Pacquiao withstood the punishment and by the end of the bout, the American’s face was swollen on one side and he had a cut over his right eyebrow.
The Filipino southpaw piled up the points in the later rounds by peppering the title holder with stiff right jabs that set up his quick, punishing left hook. “I feel happy,” said Pacquiao, whose only regret was in not recording his first knockout victory since 2009. “I feel like I could do more but my aim in every round is not to knock him out.
“Thanks to all my fans! Thanks to all the Filipino people!” he added in the ringside interview.
Among the spectators at the Thomas & Mack Center were the currently retired Floyd Mayweather and light-welterweight champion Terence Crawford. Pacquiao lost the richest bout ever to Mayweather last May.
Vargas described the bout as a chess match. “It was interesting for me. We were on our toes trying to catch a big shot. He caught me a couple of times, I caught him a couple of times,” he said. “It’s a good learning experience being against one of the best such as Manny Pacquiao.” — LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao showed he still has plenty of energy by dominating Jessie Vargas in a WBO title fight on Saturday — and his rival Floyd Mayweather was there to see it with a ringside seat.
It is a title that Pacquiao surrendered when he lost last year to Mayweather in the richest fight in boxing history. The retired Mayweather’s appearance at ringside Saturday, at Pacquiao’s request, will certainly stir talk of a Pacquiao-Mayweather 2.
“Yes I invited him to come tonight,” Pacquiao said of Mayweather. Asked if he wanted a rematch with Mayweather, Pacquiao said, “We will see.”
But both Pacquiao, and his promoter Bob Arum, were noncommittal about a second fight with Mayweather. “Mayweather is retired. As far as we’re concerned he’s retired and we respect that,” Arum said.