WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 KOs) fought to a controversial 12-round majority draw towards legend Manny Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) of their conflict on Saturday night time on the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment in Las Vegas.
Barrios, 30, appeared gun-shy and timid all through the battle. Nevertheless, he lastly awoke within the championship rounds and made a late surge in rounds 10 by way of 12 to earn the draw.
The scores
114-114115-113 for Barrios114-114
Undercard outcomes
WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) could have completed what’s left of the profession of former WBO champion Tim Tszyu (25-3, 18 KOs), scoring a seventh-round stoppage. Tszyu was down in spherical one, and took a beating in rounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and seven. Often, Tim would land a tough punch, however Fundora by no means let up together with his barrage of photographs. The time of the stoppage was at 3:00 of spherical seven.
Gentle welterweight Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs) defeated his substitute opponent Omar Salcido (20-3, 14 KOs) by a 10-round unanimous choice. The judges’ scores had been 100-88, 99-89, and 99-89.
Featherweight champion Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1, 19 KOs) defeated Joet Gonzalez (27-5, 15 KOs) by a 12-round unanimous choice. 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112. Gonzalez did the higher work and appeared to have completed greater than sufficient to get the win. The judges gave it to the extra well-liked fighter, former WBA and WBC tremendous bantamweight champion Figueroa.
Tremendous featherweight Gary Russell Jr. (32-2, 19 KOs) confirmed that he has rather a lot left within the tank at 37, knocking out Hugo Castaneda (15-3, 11 KOs) with a physique shot within the tenth spherical. Russell flattened Castaneda with a tough shot to the physique in spherical ten that put him down.
After he bought up, he was too harm to proceed, prompting referee Harvey Dock to halt the competition. Earlier within the battle, Russell knocked Casteneda down twice in spherical two with headshots.
The previous WBA featherweight champion Russell Jr, 37, dropped Casteneda 3 times within the battle. Twice in spherical two, and a ultimate time within the tenth.
It was the primary battle for the previous WBA featherweight champion Russell Jr. since his loss to Mark Magsayo in 2022, and his first win since 2020.
Featherweight David Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) grinded out a tougher-than-expected ten-round majority choice over Kyonosuke Kameda (15-5-2, 9 KOs). This was purported to have been a straightforward battle for the 24-year-old Picasso, but it surely turned out to be a close to catastrophe.
Kameda surprisingly outworked him, touchdown the higher and extra quite a few photographs. Fortunately for Picasso, the judges bailed him out by giving him a majority choice win by the scores 98-92, 95-95, and 97-93.
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Manny will want all the talents he had 15 years in the past to win tonight, as he’s fairly previous and has already proven vulnerability earlier than his retirement. Many boxing followers consider he can pull off the upset towards the 30-year-old Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs). The oddsmakers don’t see it that approach. They’ve Barrios as the favourite.
Watch Pacquiao vs. Barrios PPV
Tonight’s total occasion shall be proven on PBC on Prime Video Pay-Per-View beginning at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT. The PPV value is $79.99. The prelim card shall be proven free of charge for Prime Video subscribers. Common viewers should subscribe to see this portion of the undercard, which isn’t free to affix.
Pacquiao-Barrios Full Struggle Card
Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario BarriosSebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu 2Isaac Cruz vs. Omar SalcidoBrandon Figueroa vs. Joet GonzalezGary Russell Jr. vs. Hugo CastañedaDavid Picasso vs. Kyonosuke KamedaMark Magsayo vs. Jorge Mata
Pacquiao’s Retirement Struggle Earnings
If Pacquiao loses tonight, he can return to retirement, figuring out that he’s really completed as a fighter. He received’t have that nagging feeling that he can nonetheless recapture glory one final time. He’s being paid lavishly for this battle, $12.6 million, which may enhance to over $18 million as soon as the PPV buys are factored in. That’s good cash for a pale fighter coming off a loss and a four-year retirement.
Fundora vs. Tszyu 2 Rematch
Within the co-feature, WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora (22-1-1, 14 KOs) shall be seeking to repeat in his rematch with Tim Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs). Fundora beat Tszyu final 12 months by a 12-round break up choice.
Tszyu and his followers blame it on the minimize he sustained. Nevertheless, he appeared like he may see completely all through the battle, however lacked the expertise to win.
Some followers have criticized the battle, as they consider Tszyu’s 1-2 document in his final two fights makes him unworthy of a world title shot towards Fundora. World title photographs re purported to be earned on benefit, not having it given to them based mostly on a fighter’s recognition of their house nation. Tszyu doesn’t deserve a world title shot together with his poor document since final 12 months.
