Floyd "Money" Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao via unanimous decision in what is dubbed as the "Fight of the Century" on May 2.
Mayweather remained undefeated 48-0 after winning against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The 38-year-old champion unified the WBC, WBA and WBO titles after being scored 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 by the three judges, according to BBC Sport. By defeating his long-time rival, Mayweather ended all debates by becoming the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of his era.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, now has a record of 57 wins, six defeats and two draws.
The same BBC Sport report adds that Mayweather had the advantage in terms of size and arm reach. The first round featured the two boxers sizing each other up. Mayweather managed to tie up Pacquiao whenever he came close, which drew boos from the crowd. During the second round, the two men were able to exchange a few solid blows. In the third round, Pacquiao and Mayweather exchanged a series of inside punches. Pacquiao hit Mayweather with a hard left during the fourth round, which rocked Mayweather. The undefeated American managed to recover in the fifth round, while fans thought that Pacquiao needed more aggression to score.
Pacquiao hit Mayweather hard again in the sixth. In the seventh round, Mayweather was getting more comfortable in his element, staying out of Pacquiao's reach. Mayweather looked stronger in the eighth round, notes BBC. By the ninth round, Pacquiao was showing signs of weariness while Mayweather continued to stay slippery until the final rounds. In eleventh round, Pacquiao no longer had the power and speed and was being hit in the face by jabs. In the final round, Mayweather initiated an embrace between them before proceeding to fight. In the end, Mayweather was clearly the smarter fighter, which garnered him the higher points from all three judges and ultimately, the victory.
Although the fight went the full 12 rounds, many fans and sports experts expected more out of the bout. According to The Guardian, fans sent emails, saying that they wanted to see more rounds. It was frustrating for some to see Mayweather dodge Pacquiao most of the time and kept the Filipino in a headlock whenever the latter attempted to get inside. Others also commended Mayweather's tactical genius inside the ring.
SB Nation wrote that Mayweather featured his best moves by jabbing, countering and staying out of Pacquiao's sight. Pacquiao lacked the combination and was clearly outclassed.
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