MAY 3 (Eagle News) — The fight of the century ended with US boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., winning by unanimous decision over Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Interviewed after the fight, the 38-year old Mayweather expressed admiration for Pacquiao and said, “it was worth the wait.”
Pacquiao, 36, in the meantime said, “I thought I won the fight.”
Pacquiao said Mayweather moved around a lot during the 12-round welterweight bout, making it hard to land punches.
“It was a good fight. I got him many times. I saw the punches. I thought I won the fight. He is moving around, it is not easy to throw a lot of punches,” the Filipino boxer said in an interview immediately after the fight.
Mayweather described himself as a “calculating fighter” and described Pacquiao as a “tough competitor.”
Amid boos from the crowd, Mayweather thanked God and his fans from around the world, and described the fight as a great one.
“This was a hell of a fight. I take my hat off to Manny Pacquiao, now I see why he is one of the guys at the pinacle of boxing. I am truly blessed. Manny Pacquaio is truly blessed. I am a calculating fighter. He is a tough competitor. I had to take my time with him,” Mayweather said.
Two judges favored Mayweather 116-112. A third judge had it 118-110 also in favor of Mayweather.
With the win, Mayweather upped his scorecard to 48 wins and zero losses (48-0), and retained his World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council welterweight championship; at the same time, he got the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt from the crowd favorite Pacquiao.
Earlier, during the weigh-in, Pacquiao tipped the scales at 145 pounds, while Mayweather was a pound heavier at 146 pounds.
Mayweather is also taller at 5 feet and 8 inches (5″8). Pacquiao stands at 5 feet and 6.5 inches.
Manny Pacquiao has 57 wins, six defeats and two draws in a total of 65 fights.
Mayweather’s unbeaten run includes two wins against Argentina Marcos Maidana – the first by majority decision in May 2014, the second unanimously on points last time out.
Saul Alvarez of Mexico is another Latin American boxer beaten by the American boxer, in September 2013.
Pacquiao has fought 17 more bouts than his rival.
The Filipino defeated Mexicans Antonio Margarito in November 2010 and Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012.
American Oscar de La Hoya suffered a retirement defeat to Pacquiao back in 2008. Briton Ricky Hatton is another big opponent floored by Pacquiao.
Pacquiao has also beaten American boxers Brandon Rios, Timothy Bradley and Chris Algieri in recent years. His last fight with Algieri was in November 2014.
Dubbed as the ‘Fight of the Century’, the May 2, 2015 showdown between the two best boxers of their generation had been more than five years in the making and was also the biggest-grossing prize bout of all time. (Eagle News Service)