By: Sean Crose
After 4 years away from the ring, Manny Pacquiao returned to boxing in an expert capability Saturday night time in Las Vegas. His welterweight title combat towards Mario Barrios wasn’t an exhibition, it was a dyed within the wool world championship affair. The query everybody wished answered strolling in, after all, was whether or not or not there was nonetheless one thing left of the outdated Pacquiao who as soon as thrilled followers and terrorized opponents.
Pacquiao had an brisk, aggressive and profitable first spherical. The second was shut however Pacquiao might effectively have edged it with higher punching. The third was an attention-grabbing affair because the fighters went forwards and backwards, every having his moments. Pacquiao complained to the referee of low blows from Barrios. Barrios did good work within the 4th, working the physique effectively.
Barrios continued to look robust within the fifth. Was he on the verge of getting the momentum on his aspect? The sixth noticed Barrios proceed to make use of his job successfully. Pacquiao was nonetheless within the combat, and he definitely didn’t look unhealthy for 46 years outdated, however the fact was that Barrios was combating very effectively. By the seventh it was apparent that Barrios was on the verge operating away with the combat. Pacquiao, nevertheless, went on to do reasonably effectively for himself within the spherical.
Barrios had a powerful eighth, although Pacquiao dominated the previous couple of moments of the chapter. The ninth noticed a motivated Pacquiao combating impressively. The Filipino legend continued to maneuver in on his man within the tenth. The eleventh spherical noticed Barrios wanting sharp once more.
The twelfth and closing spherical was, like the remainder of the combat, a detailed affair. Barrios landed effectively whereas Pacquiao dominated the tempo. The query now was: Did Pacquiao do sufficient to shock the world? The reply: No…however neither did Barrios
The bout was dominated a majority draw.
