TV: Fox PPV
By Peter Lim
It becomes abundantly clear early in the fight that Thurman has shaken off the 22-months of ring rust that impeded him in his last fight. He takes the fight to Pacquiao from the outset forcing the older man to engage in some action-packed exchanges. Pacquiao holds his own as Thurman brings on the heat but is visibly uncomfortable fighting on Thurman’s terms.
Pacquiao makes the right adjustment in the middle rounds by going after Thurman’s Achilles Heel by zeroing in on Thurman’s liver and it quickly begins to pay dividends. He blasts his southpaw left into the right side of Thurman’s ribcage every chance he gets, sometimes at the cost of absorbing vicious punches to do so. The body shots have taken its toll by the eighth round and Thurman begins to lose the spring in his step and the pop in his punch.
Another left to the body sinks Thurman to a knee in the tenth round, and a stoppage seems imminent. But Pacquiao cannot finish off his injured opponent, just as he was unable to close the show against Adrien Bronner and Jeff Horn after he hurt them. He wins the championship rounds comfortably but doesn’t come close to stopping Thurman.
With Thurman winning most of the early rounds and Pacquiao most of the later rounds, the knockdown proves crucial in the verdict. Pacquiao is declared the winner in the 114-113 to 115-112 range.
