NOTWITHSTANDING the eyebrow-raising verdict, Manny Pacquiao showed everybody that, at 46, he was indeed back in competitive form against the younger and taller American defending champion, World Boxing Council welterweight champion Mario Barrios, early yesterday (Saturday night in the US).
Seemingly poised to defy the odds and Father Time anew, Pacquiao tantalizingly fell short of wresting the crown from Barrios, who needed to scramble in the last three rounds to retain his belt by a hairline majority draw at the packed MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao displayed flashes of the vaunted speed, power, and footwork, on top of the ring savvy, that made him a boxing legend in what could have been a monumental win after four years of inactivity had he pulled it off.
But it wasn’t enough to convince veteran American judge Max Deluca, who gave the fight 115-113 in favor of Barrios, 30, while Tim Cheatham and Steve Weisfeld saw it as an evenly-matched contest between the two fighters with identical scores of 114-114 each.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in a social media post, said Filipinos had again come together behind “the People’s Champ” and had prayed for his success.
“The Philippines holds its breath as we come together once more, united behind the People’s Champ. After years away from the ring, Manny Pacquiao gives us another chance to witness a fight and feel the pride only he can bring out in every Filipino,” Marcos said.
“The outcome is one of the rarest judge decisions in professional boxing,” noted Wikipedia of the result that gave “El Azteca” the stock-boosting but controversial draw that deprived him of what might have been his 30th win, 18 by knockout, against two losses.
Bidding to become the oldest world welterweight champ anew, Pacman’s heartbreaking setback pegged his wins at 62 (39 KOs) against three draws.
“I thought I won the fight. It was a close fight,” said the Filipino prizefighter in disbelief as the results were announced, much to the dismay of the predominantly-Pacquiao crowd at the arena where he was making his record-breaking 16th appearance.
“Hard work and discipline. I kept my body in shape,” he added of the stamina and endurance he displayed in going the 12-round distance while admitting that his foe’s defense was hard to crack.
Barrios looked sullen when the outcome was announced, approaching his foe to raise their hands together, keenly aware that it could have gone the other way.
“I’d love to do it again,” he told ring announcer Jim Gray of a possible rematch with the newly-inducted Hall of Famer, given the close call.
“I think so,” responded Pacquiao of a potential second encounter with Barrios, to the roar of the delighted gallery.
Famed American trainer Freddie Roach, who was in the boxer’s corner, also thought that his prized ward had won.
“We had a great fight. I thought Manny fought pretty well. I thought he won the fight eight rounds (of the bout). That is the way things go and we would like a rematch right away,” Roach insisted at the post-match press briefing.
Despite the dubious conclusion, Pacman was generally satisfied with his return stint after his four-year layoff, adding that another month or two of hard training would have made a difference.
“You know, I had a short training for (my age) because of the election. It should have been at least three to four months. Now I know better,” said Pacquiao, who got caught up in his senatorial campaign and only prepared for the fight in mid-May.
He said that from now on, there won’t be any politics on his agenda and that boxing would be his main preoccupation, “because I would like to leave a legacy and continue to be an inspiration for others.”
At his post-match briefing. Barrios reiterated that he was willing to give his foe another crack at his crown.
“I’ll do it (the rematch) without hesitation. I have nothing to prove, but I am with it if that is what he wants,” he said.
With his remarkable performance at an advanced age, Paquiao was asked if he was willing to have a rematch with his nemesis, unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr., who beat him in 2015 by unanimous decision at the same arena.
“It is hard to talk about a fighter who has already retired. If he (Mayweather) comes out, we will fight. Let’s fight again if he wants. I am active now; I don’t pick fights. I will fight them all,” he said. – With Jocelyn Reyes
