By Jack Walsh
MANNY Pacquiao took on former Ok-1 kickboxing champion Rukiya Anpo in a three-round exhibition on Sunday, headlining the co-main occasion of Tremendous RIZIN 3 on the Saitama Tremendous Enviornment in Tokyo, Japan.
The bout, which was deemed a draw resulting from neither fighter being knocked out, proved that Pacquiao, 45, is nicely previous his prime.
Whereas the Filipino legend is undoubtedly one of many best fighters within the sport’s historical past, incomes a whopping 12 titles in eight weight divisions, a possible WBC welterweight problem towards present Interim king Mario Barrios may very well be detrimental to Pacquiao’s long-term well being and even his legacy.
This wasn’t the Pacquiao competing that everyone knows and love. The identical Pacquiao who annihilated Antonio Margarito along with his ring versatility and immense quickness, and even the Pacquiao who knocked down Keith Thurman at 40 years outdated, successful the WBA super-welterweight title simply 5 years in the past.
This Pacquiao was older, slower and confirmed seen indicators of harm from punches — true indicators of an aged veteran. No combat followers wish to see Pacquiao take a battering previous his prime from Barrios, or some other fighter for that matter.
The considered such an occasion attracts painful reminiscences of previous champs going through the bodily actuality of leaping within the ring years after their glory days. For instance, the beating Trevor Berbick placed on the best of all time, Muhammad Ali, or when Danny Williams KO’d a burnt-out Mike Tyson.
Danny Williams vs Mike Tyson
Followers would like to recollect Pacquiao as a 62-win drive who backed down from none over his 26-year profession. The exhibition wasn’t completely brutal, nevertheless it definitely wasn’t pleasing or something to significantly keep in mind — not less than as a Pacquiao fan.
Within the first spherical, Anpo landed a jarring straight proper hand as the primary related punch of the combat. He was continuously utilizing his longer attain to determine his jabs to arrange additional highly effective straight rights and he even landed a handful of imply photographs to the physique, together with a snapping left hook with 19 seconds to go till the bell rang.
Pacquiao tried to land a number of blows on the finish of the spherical that had been seemingly blocked, and one other two punches which skimmed either side of Anpo’s face. This led Anpo to tag Pacman with a imply proper and left hook and yet one more jarring straight proper.
In spherical two, Pacquiao tried to say himself because the dominator however merely couldn’t ship. Anpo, in the meantime, was in command of the tempo and in a position to land, once more, varied energy hooks.
Anpo constantly threw punches upstairs, which he would then comply with up with vigorous hits to the physique. It was clear that the urgent physique photographs had been affecting Pacquiao, and Anpo took discover.
He was in a position to land what appeared like something he happy, on a hesitant, slower Pacquiao. Within the third, Anpo continued to attach highly effective hooks and, within the early seconds, a commanding left, proper, and left combated Pacquiao’s new tempo and punch output.
The elder Pacman was clearly seeking to take some type of management within the closing three minutes. Anpo finally pushed Pacquiao towards the ropes, adopted by a left to the physique and a gruelling combo upstairs.
Whereas not helpless, Pacquiao was in a position to land a few notable uppercuts, and his output was definitely extra respectable all through the third in comparison with the earlier two rounds.
However, it was clear that it wouldn’t have been sufficient to be deemed a 10-9 spherical by judges if the matchup had been scored. Whereas it was seemingly refreshing for Pacquiao to step into the ring and compete, the outcomes had been clear. Something greater than an exhibition is solely pointless, and a Barrios combat ought to now not be on the forefront of any dialogue. Interval.
