To Be Born Again: What We Saw in the Pac Fight; What the Networks Saw

We saw Manny Pacquiao win (but lose on the cards) a very close decision.

I had it 116-114 to the Pac Man.

In the final rounds Manny took his foot off the gas, and I gave Tim 3 of the final 4. Even with those rounds it was a clear Manny win, in my opinion. Clear but close. This as a boxing fan is what I saw.

I saw Manny come out fast but lose the opening round. Tim pivoted and countered excellently and Manny struggled to find range.

In the next four rounds Manny took control. Closing space, throwing combinations (although not in as many bunches as usual) and landing some very clean shots. When he landed Tim looked staggered, Tim looked hurt, and there was an excellent straight left and uppercut that I thought would have done for Tim. But he stood tall; a truly brave fighter.

Through rounds 6-8 I thought Tim held on, and Manny’s stalking, work-rate and cleaner shots were doing it for him. Enough so that he won the majority of these rounds and had a big lead going into the final 4.

This is when Manny took his foot off the gas. He seemed to slow down, and Tim was able to counter brilliantly, pivot, stay out of range and land great body shots. Not piercing in power, but they were clean and eye-catching. The networks ignored these shots like a bum on the street.

Still, for me it wasn’t enough, and I had Pac Man winning by two clear rounds.

Manny is not the Manny of old. 80% of his fighting ability is still there, but he seems more flustered and clumsy than before, and also, less invincible. Mayweather would beat him decisively on this performance, Manny misses a lot and seems tired down the stretch, but we’ll never know about the outcome of that fight, not now.

HBO and Primetime should be disgusted with themselves. It was like a Manny fan-club, and he has enough fans. Complete shutout was being said as if on auto-cue by Primetime, and HBO had it a ridiculously wide score.

You can be angry at the judges, sure, but they were closer than HBO. I’m so sick of these guys that I tend to mute them halfway through the fight, it’s distracting how much guff they throw out there, truly.

Side note: Joel Diaz is doing what I feel Freddie can no longer do to Pac Man; stirring his fighter to perform to his best ability. Regardless of the result Diaz had the right game plan, and he got the best out of Timothy Bradley.

Manny seems to have too many voices in his head now, and it is a shame, but maybe it is time for him to move on from the sport.

Thoughts?

Was supertight for me HBO had it 119-109 WHAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!???????

I scored it 116-112 to Pacquiao. I thought the commentary was pretty horrenduos but I have been looking around other publications and to be honest nobody seems to have Bradley even in with a shout of winning.

Associated Press: 117-111 Pac
SB Nation: 117 -111 Pac
LA Times: 117-111 Pac
USA Today: 118-110 Pac

Too wide for me guys, i had it by two for Pac and i gave one round 10-10. So either by one or three would have been acceptable too, but still, a clear Pac win, a tight one but a clear Pac win.

Be very interesting to see the shot stats, i saw Pac missing and flailing way more than the media, but also hurting Bradley more. He coasted, but deserved the win. Gotta give Tim and his team props though, fought like a champion in there, and was hurt but came back. The media are ruining boxing, making it more spiteful for fans with their cards, if they saw it how most fans do there would be less outrage and less tom foolery in my opinion.

Still, yet another bad decision and that will overshadow a good fight. The first 8 rounds especially.

Punch stats I have read:

Bradley 159-839, Pacquiao 253-751

Really? That can't be true? Where from mate, Bradley looked more passive than that number.

Compubox stats. I think they are legit.

Wow, surprising stats.

Honestly can't see how you could give the fight to Bradley, it was as bad as decision as Lewis v Holy, Pacquaio took his foot off the gas for sure but Bradley didn't really seem to do anything either, the majority of shots were blocked or parried.

Genuinely shocking again for boxing, never seem to get the deserving winners these days.

Bradley is cannon fodder for all the 147 guys, don't rate him one bit, but credit for him sticking in there.

Cheers. Rodders

had it 117-111 if your being kind you can give it 116-112 for Pacquiao
Paquiao dominated on the basis :

More effective Aggression
Cleaner Punches
More Landed Punches
More PowerPunches Landed
He did more damage and hurt Bradley
Closed the ring down - Ring generalship
Had the better defence- blocked most punches with his gloves
Pacquiao Even got the better of the headbutt.

One thing that did impress me last night, was Bradley's sheer determination! That guy has a chin of granite. Never stopped. I suppose the only way to beat Pacquiao is to outwork him, throw more shots etc etc.

I have Pacquiao winning by a couple of rounds, but i can see how Bradley takes it.


The HBO commentating was aweful. "My god Jim, this is a shutout for the Pacman. This is simply a good guy versus a great one! Pacquiao is the best! Period!"

Whatever

HBO are as unreliable as the current judges in boxing. Emanuel Steward was even a little off, and usually he is the voice of sanity.

compubox stats from espn (power shots)
Pacquiao Bradley
Landed 190 109
Thrown 493 390
Pct 38.5 27.7

bradley barely landed clean punches all night, alot were hitting mannys gloves and arms i agree with the 116-114 scorecard but it was a very one sided close score card as the last three rounds really flattered bradley when he hadnt really been in the fight. dont see how anybody can give bradley more than the 1st 2nd and last three

Good write up.

Firstly I have no problem with nayone having this for Pac, he built up a good lead early.

I had this a one point fight, whichever way you scored it.All this drama over what was actually decent scoring IMO. Points of note

Yes Pac landed more, but that was mainly the first 6 rounds - in last 5/6 things levelled up a lot, or seemed too
Manny may have won his rounds more clearly and even hurt Brad at times, but none of them were 10-8 rounds for Pac
Manny doesn't have the same engine and visibly slowed after 6, allowing Brad back into the fight and to win close rounds
Mannys handspeed is much diminished
HBO was some of the worst bias I have ever seen,before, during and after the fight

WELL DONE BRADLEY! You beat a jaded and distracted Pac but he is still a major scalp.

Btw. Anyone who thinks Pac is even competative agasint Mayweather is insane now. That debate will only ever be "Prime Pac or Prime Maywaeather" Cos Pac is done at the elite level.

Good card. Good fight. Well done bradley.

I had it 8-4 Pac.

Another shocking decision that bruises boxings reputation.

It wasn't a particulary exciting fight but I had Pac the clear winner, starting to get the real hump with daft scoring from judges, might become an avid spectator of lawn bowls instead.

I need to score this again, got to see if my 1st instincts are correct

Don't doubt Seanus, i had a clear but very close Pac win, clear but close. You make good points.

manos de piedra wrote:I scored it 116-112 to Pacquiao. I thought the commentary was pretty horrenduos but I have been looking around other publications and to be honest nobody seems to have Bradley even in with a shout of winning.

Associated Press: 117-111 Pac
SB Nation: 117 -111 Pac
LA Times: 117-111 Pac
USA Today: 118-110 Pac

Been looking myself and on twitter. Apart from the judges on the night i cant find anyone else who had Bradley as the winner.

I have it 8-3-1 pac. How anyone can score this for Brad is beyond me. You don't get points for artistic impression.

Here, here, but it wasn't as wide as HBO or Primetime had it. Their bias was absurd and vulgar.