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There could be no controversy this time. No doubt about the outcome. No outraged cries for the judges to be sacked.
Manny Pacquiao is back where he belongs after gaining sensational revenge for the travesty of a decision gifted to Tim Bradley two years ago.
That is back up there challenging Floyd Mayweather as the best pound for pound fighter in the world.
Although a couple of the judges were less generous to Pacquiao than they might have been, the margin of the win which restored him as welterweight champion of the world was too wide for argument.
Although a couple of the judges were less generous to Pacquiao than they might have been, the margin of the win which restored him as welterweight champion of the world was too wide for argument.
JEFF POWELL'S SCORECARD
| PACQUIAO | ROUND | BRADLEY |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | 9 |
| 10 | 2 | 9 |
| 10 | 3 | 9 |
| 9 | 4 | 10 |
| 10 | 5 | 9 |
| 10 | 6 | 9 |
| 10 | 7 | 9 |
| 10 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 9 |
| 10 | 12 | 9 |
| 119 | TOTAL | 109 |
It was 116-112 on two of the officials cards, a more logical 118-110 on the third. I had it 119-109.
Sportingly, the American who had hoped to prove he was better than the PacMan accepted defeat and reality with good grace and generosity.
Bradley said: ‘Manny won the fight. He’s a great fighter. Maybe one of the greatest of all time. I tried, I really tried for the knock out but I lost to a great fighter.’
He even apologised for the head butt in the last minute of the final round that left Pacquiao with a cut on his eye.
To his credit he had won at least one round in the first half and made others close with the heavy right-hand counter punches with which he caught Pacquiao.
On the attack: Pacquiao lands another shot on Bradley
Rare joy: Bradley lands a punch on the side of Pacquiao's head
At that point, it promised to develop into the epic we had hoped for. Thereafter it became an occasion at which to wonder at the way the man who would be president of the Philippines one day has come back from brutal, knock out adversity to reinstate himself as one of the ring’s greats.
He had called himself 35 years young and so he looked as finished stronger, faster, sharper and more deadly than the young man who had been allowed to intrude on his universe here in Las Vegas in 2012.
Those who had doubted whether this quiet, religious man could relight his fire were confounded by his blazing fists. None more so than Bradley.
On the front foot: Pacquiao goes forward as Bradley tries to retreat
On the ropes: Pacquiao catches Bradley off guard
Leaving nothing to chance: Pacquiao made up for his controversial defeat to Bradley in 2012
The overall pattern was set from the start, with Pacquiao shaking Bradley with his trademark left hook and responding to any retaliation by throwing punches in dazzling clusters.
The man called Desert Storm crouched lower and lower to try to weather this South East Asian typhoon but when Pacquiao nailed him with a sudden, unexpected right uppercut the last vestige of Bradley's game plan was done for.
The longer it went the more dominant Pacquiao became. He had told Bradley that he would need a knock-out to win and that was the case with at least a third of the fight still to go.
On the back foot: Bradley tries to defend himself against a flurry of punches from Pacquaio
Take that! Bradley finds himself on the end of another Pacquiao onslaught
Yet, manfully though a wearying, waning champion kept swinging away, it was Pacquiao who went for the stoppage in the last round.
There are 96,000 Filipinos resident in Las Vegas and it sounded as they were all in the MGM Grand Arena as they screamed and roared on their national hero.
In fact the gate was more than 15,000 inside the building, plus thousands more at close circuit screenings around Las Vegas and millions watching around the world.
Time out: Both fighters receive instructions from their corners during the fight
They all got their money’s worth. At ringside, we were fortunate to witness the rebirth of a legend.
All that was missing was the knock-out but this was redemption against a previously unbeaten world champion who was being talked of as a pound-for-pound contender himself before this night.
Not only that but Bradley was wobbled, staggered and rocked repeatedly and was fortunate twice not to have been subjected to a count when he was held up by the bottom rope.
Outclassed: Bradley was comprehensively beaten by Pacquiao
Leaving nothing to chance: Pacquiao made sure he was ahead on the scorecards
After this, the elephant back in the room is Mayweather and if he and Pacquiao will finally get it on.
Meanwhile Pacquiao declared himself open to a fifth fight with arch-rival Juan Manuel Marquez, who temporarily derailed public belief in him with that freak one-punch knock out.
'No problem with that,’ he said. And really only one with Bradley: 'Freddie (Roach the trainer) told me to make one adjustment. Bradley was throwing a lot of punches and I did not want to get careless.
Revenge is sweet: Pacquiao celebrates after his unanimous decision victory over Bradley
Sealed with a kiss: Pacquiao celebrates in front of the fans at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
Happy man: Pacquiao celebrates with trainer Freddie Roach
But the most they were mostly wild swings on the outside so we decided to fight him on the inside.
'He is better than the first time we fought so I had to do more this time . I’m so happy to be a world champion again.’
So are all his people.
World boxing, also, when he announced: ‘My journey in boxing will go on for at least another two years.'
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