Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao retained his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title with a 12-round majority decision victory over rival Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Dave Moretti and Glenn Trowbridge gave the bout to Pacquiao, 115-113 and 116-112, respectively, while Robert Hoyle saw it as a 114-114 draw. It was a controversial finish to the epic trilogy between Pacquiao and Marquez, as none of the three fights ended decisively. Marquez seemingly took control of the fight in the middle rounds as he rattled Pacquiao with his superb counterpunching ability. Pacquiao, meanwhile, seemed frustrated as he was unable to get into any rhythm
throughout the fight. In the end, however, Pacquiao was able to land enough power shots in the later rounds that swayed the fight to his favor. "I clearly won the fight," Pacquiao said in the post-fight interview. "I got hurt
a couple of times, but I'm very careful." "We have to accept that my opponent is not easy. He is a good fighter and it's not easy, but I won the fight," he added. Pacquiao's coach, Freddie Roach, admitted afterward that he did not expect the fight to even go the distance. "I was surprised. I predicted 5 or 6 rounds. I was way off," Roach said. "I thought Manny edged it out in the last 2 rounds." Roach added that Marquez clearly had Pacquiao's number, and said that they will still have to work on figuring out how to fight against counterpunchers. "He fell into that old trap that he did in the first two fights," Roach said. According to CompuBox, Pacquiao threw 578 punches and landed 176, while Marquez connected on 138 of 436 punches. Pacquiao also connected on 117 of 274 power punches, while Marquez landed 100 of 254 power punches.
throughout the fight. In the end, however, Pacquiao was able to land enough power shots in the later rounds that swayed the fight to his favor. "I clearly won the fight," Pacquiao said in the post-fight interview. "I got hurt
a couple of times, but I'm very careful." "We have to accept that my opponent is not easy. He is a good fighter and it's not easy, but I won the fight," he added. Pacquiao's coach, Freddie Roach, admitted afterward that he did not expect the fight to even go the distance. "I was surprised. I predicted 5 or 6 rounds. I was way off," Roach said. "I thought Manny edged it out in the last 2 rounds." Roach added that Marquez clearly had Pacquiao's number, and said that they will still have to work on figuring out how to fight against counterpunchers. "He fell into that old trap that he did in the first two fights," Roach said. According to CompuBox, Pacquiao threw 578 punches and landed 176, while Marquez connected on 138 of 436 punches. Pacquiao also connected on 117 of 274 power punches, while Marquez landed 100 of 254 power punches.
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