https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdCYoC4lNGI
Bill Dwyre * — While most senators around the world, in every country where there is that kind of government, were home on their couches Saturday night, making sure to take their pain pills and Geritol, the Honorable Manny Pacquiao was beating up a guy in Las Vegas.
Superstar Manny Pacquiao was widely expected to defeat reigning and defending WBO welterweight champ Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas last night, the only real question going in was: would the returning 37 year-old be able to register a KO, his first since way back in 2009? Pac-Man got the win, via 12-round UD (with one judge somehow having it crazily close at 114-113, the other two officials on the ball at 118-109 each) but he failed to get the knockout.
Kubrat Pulev, the reigning European heavyweight champion who was recently in the running to be the next challenger for IBF boss Anthony Joshua, has another fight set instead. According to Pulev’s Twitter page, he will face none other than former WBC heavyweight champ Sam Peter in Sofia, Bulgaria on December 3rd.
Tickets are on sale now apparently.
What to make of this match-up? A few years ago, when Peter was still fighting regularly and was in good shape, weight-wise, this one would have been a big attraction. Maybe it still will pull in the fans in Pulev’s homeland, but what can we expect from Peter, now aged 36 and having had just two fights since 2011 (both low-key wins)?
Making his comeback to the sport, Manny Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) showed that he had too much speed and talent for WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-2, 10 Kos), who he defeated tonight by a 12 round unanimous decision to win his WBO title in front of a large crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was televised by Top Rank pay-per-view rather than HBO.
Showing glimpses of his past form, Manny Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) fought like a fighter half his age in handing WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-2, 10 Kos) a 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night in their Top Rank pay-per-view fight at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Using powerful jabs and left hands, Pacquiao was able to control the fight down the stretch to win the fight by the scores 114-113, 118-109 and 118-109. Pacquiao flattened the 27-year-old Vargas with a left hand in the 2nd round. Vargas was unhurt, but embarrassed from the knockdown.
Undefeated super middleweight contender Tyron Zeuge (19-0-1, 11 KOs) defeated WBA super middleweight champion Giovanni De Carolis (24-7-1, 12 KOs) by a 12th round TKO tonight to win the WBA 168lb title in his home country of Germany at the MBS Arena in Potsdam. A tired looking De Carolis was knocked down twice by Zeuge in the 12th.
Will he or won’t he? Will boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior return to the ring for a 50th fight or not? The 49-0 master recently returned to the gym to spar, once again sparking off suggestions that his ring return is imminent. Mayweather, who turns 40 next February, is said to have looked as sharp as ever in the spar session and the thinking is, he must be back sparring for a reason.
And many people think that reason is, Floyd is getting himself ready to rumble; once more at least. It is of course no coincidence that fellow megastar Manny Pacquiao fights tonight, at least Floyd’s returning to the gym to spar so close to Pac-Man’s ring return is no coincidence in the minds of some people.
Sometimes a possible big fight that proves to take a long time getting made runs the risk of passing its sell-by date. Fans will only remain interested in a certain match-up for so long. Right now, the all-British showdown that is Amir Khan-Kell Brook still interests fans, in Britain especially, but if it doesn’t happen soon – say by next summer at the latest – both fighters will be running the risk of alienating the fans.
Maybe it’s too late already, and fans have cooled on the welterweight fight? But both fighters are still talking about it happening.
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder says he wants a big 2017. Currently still out of action healing after injuring his hand and biceps during his summer fight with Chris Arreola, Wilder tells Sky Sports how he wants to “take risks” next year. Wilder also stated how he wants to “come back with a bang” next year.
And “The Bronze Bomber” feels that he and IBF champ Anthony Joshua meeting in a ring would produce such a bang. Wilder says Joshua’s upcoming defence against Eric Molina is “build-up” to a fight with him.
Tares “The Real Deal Shelestyuk maintained an unbeaten record and continued his ascent in the welterweight division with a close, unanimous 10-round decision over his toughest opponent to date, Jimmy “The Truth” Herrera in Friday’s main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader live on SHOWTIME from the outdoor Omega Products Event Center in Corona, Calif.
Shelestyuk (15-0, 9 KOs), the 2012 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist for Ukraine, was victorious by the scores of 96-93 twice and 95-94. Despite a gutsy, gritty performance, Herrera (15-4-1, 8 KOs), of Chicago, Ill., had a three-fight winning streak end. There were no knockdowns.