Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao: Result & Highlights

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. successfully defended his WBA and WBC world welterweight titles, and his unblemished record, by outpointing Manny Pacquiao on Saturday at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

At the end of the 12 rounds of competitive action, Mayweather walked away with a unanimous decision: the judges’ scorecards read 118-110, 116-112, and 116-112.

Mayweather set the pace from the opening bell, establishing the distance with his jab and effectively countering the charging Pacquiao with stinging right hand counters. Although Pacquiao found success pressuring Mayweather into the ropes and corners, and unloading with combinations to the body, Floyd’s fleet-footedness and sharpshooting was enough to secure him a well contested victory.

“I knew he was going to push it and win some rounds,” Mayweather said after the fight. “He had some moments in the fight, but I kept him on the outside, I was a smart fighter. I wasn’t getting hit with a lot of shots until I sat in the pocket, that’s when he would land a lot of shots.”

CompuBox numbers had Mayweather landing 148 punches out of 435 thrown, while Pacquiao landed 81 out of 429.

“It’s a good fight,” Pacquiao told HBO’s Max Kellerman after the bout. “I thought I won the fight. He didn’t do anything. He was always moving outside.”

Watch the full fight here, and tell us how you would score it:

With the win, Mayweather defends his perfect record and improves it to 48-0, with 26 KOs. Mayweather also lifted Pacquiao’s WBO world welterweight belt to add to his collection.

The 11-time world champion had previously been in action beating Marcos Maidana in consecutive hard-fought fights. Going into the Maidana bouts, Floyd had easily outpointed Canelo Alvarez in September 2013 and Robert Guerrero in May of that year. The future Hall-of-Famer holds world championships across five weight divisions and victories over 21 world champions including icons Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, and Juan Manuel Márquez.

“I take my hat off to Manny Pacquiao,” Mayweather said after the fight. “He’s a hell of a fighter.”

By losing the contest, Pacquiao’s record drops to 57-6-2, with 38 KOs. The Filipino icon entered the ring on Saturday having outpointed Chris Algieri in November 2014 in Macao, China. Prior to the Algieri encounter, Pacquiao had avenged his previous loss to Timothy Bradley after having dispatched Brandon Rios in November 2014.

Manny Pacquiao is the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many different weight divisions, with past fights including wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Márquez.

Despite being among the best fighters in the sport for over a decade, mid-weight rivals Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao had, until Saturday, dodged and ducked each other for almost as long. And so– after years, months, weeks, and days of waiting– fight fans finally have the answer to the question: Who is today’s best boxer?

By emerging victorious on Saturday, Mayweather may finally put an end to the doubters and haters who have criticized his past opposition and claims to be “The Best Ever.” Though he cannot convince all detractors, having finally beaten the mighty Manny Pacquiao, it will be hard to deny that Pretty Boy Floyd is not “One of the Best Ever.”

“I have one more fight,” Mayweather said. “My last fight is in September and then it’s time for me to hang it up. I’m almost 40 years old now. I’ve been in the sport 19 years and have been a champion for 18 years, I’m truly truly blessed.”

On the undercard: Vasyl Lomachenko knocked out Gamalier Rodriguez, while undefeated Leo Santa Cruz outpointed a game Jose Cayetano.

Round by Round Updates

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao (scores are unofficial)

Round 1: At last! Pacquiao wears yellow, Mayweather in black and gold trunks. Pacquiao fights from a southpaw stance. They meet in the middle of the ring, Mayweather measuring with his jab, throws a right and misses. Mayweather jabs, Pacquiao to the body. Jab from Pacquiao. Both looking. Pacquiao charges, nothing. Right from Mayweather lands.  Still in the middle of the ring. Mayweather keeping Pacquiao at bay with his jab. Pacquiao charges with jab. Mayweather jabs to the body. Right from Mayweather.  Pacquiao misses with right hook. 10-9 Mayweather

Round 2: Back in the middle, Pacquiao charges and almost slips. Pacquiao stalking, lands left to the body. Another left from Pacquiao countered by Mayweather. Pacquiao presses Mayweather into the corner. Pretty Boy rolls out. Mayweather still using jab to keep Pacquiao back. They clinch in the middle of the round. Back at it. Pacquiao nails Mayweather with three punches in the corner. Right from Mayweather set up by a jab. Hook from Mayweather. Pacquiao presses into the corner. Lands left against Mayweather in the corner. Center of the ring. 20-18 Mayweather

Round 3: Pacquiao works the jab. Right to the body from Pacquiao. Right from Mayweather lands. Pacquiao rushes in, nothing. Left hook from Mayweather counters Manny. Left from Pacquiao as Mayweather tries to get around. Pacquiao has Mayweather pressed in the corner, Mayweather clinches. Two punches from Mayweather. Right from Mayweather. Right hook from Pacquiao. Mayweather holds. Mayweather holding more than usual. Fire off jab. Another. Another, Pacquiao tries to counter, misses. Right from Mayweather, answered by right from Mayweather. 30-27 Mayweather

Round 4: Pacquiao presses Mayweather to the outside of the ring. Jab Pacquiao. Pacquiao tries to get inside, but Mayweather escapes. Mayweather in the corner, eats a combination. Mayweather trapped in the corner, Pacquiao lands. Mayweather lands with right. Mayweather double jabs. Big left from Pacquiao. Another. Pacquiao unloads against the ropes. Right from Pacquiao to the head. Mayweather holds Pacquiao back with his jab. Manny looking confident. Right from Mayweather, answered by left from Pacquiao. Pacquiao to the body. 39-37 Mayweather

Round 5: Floyd misses with jab. Pacquiao drives Floyd to the corner and lands a right hook. Mayweather lands jab. Back to the middle of the ring, Pacquiao hook. Mayweather jabs. Right from Mayweather. Pacquiao jabs, lands. Mayweather keeping his distance. Right hook from Pacquiao. Chasing Mayweather. Mayweather throws a right to the head, and they clinch. Pacquiao using his jab to close the distance. Mayweather against the ropes. Jab Mayweather. Right from Mayweather reaches. 49-46 Mayweather

Round 6: Mayweather jabs in the center of the ring. Right from Pacquiao. Combination from Pacquiao lands, dries Mayweather back. Big left from Pacquiao. Right from Mayweather, and he runs away. They clinch. Minute in. Pacquiao pressing. Mayweather lands a right and spins away. Pacquiao to the body. They clinch. Vying. Right from Mayweather answered by left from Pacquiao. Pacquiao unloads against the ropes. Mayweather shakes his head. Right from Mayweather. Pacquiao charges and lands against the ropes. Right from Pacquiao to a cornered Floyd. Floyd fights his way out. Mayweather’s right finding a home. 59-55 Mayweather

Round 7: Meet in the middle. Vying. Mayweather jabs. Big right from Mayweather. Right to the body from Mayweather.  Pacquiao with a combination. Mayweather jabs, Pacquiao answers with the same. Pacquiao pressing, Mayweather jabbing. Right from Pacquiao, and another jab. Mayweather jabs along the ropes. They clinch. Mayweather lands jab. Floyd looking active. Combination from Pacquiao stops Mayweather. Right hook from Manny, and a left. Good last moments for Pacquiao, but still: 69-64 Mayweather

Round 8: Mayweather comes out jabbing. A right. A big left from Pacquiao pushes Mayweather back. Followed by a right jab. Mayweather jabs. Pacquiao stalks. Right to Mayweather’s body. Jab from Mayweather. Hard right lands from Mayweather. They clinch. Manny charges, into the corner. Left from Pacquiao. Mayweather hook. Another. They vie. Combination form Manny.  79-73 Mayweather

Round 9: They meet in the middle of the ring. Mayweather just misses with hook. Jabs. Left to the body from Pacquiao. Mayweather lands nice right. Another. Countered by Pacquiao right hook. Pacquiao charges, nothing. Pacquiao chasing Mayweather. Jab from Mayweather. Against the ropes. Left to the body from Pacquiao. Back in the middle of the ring. Pacquiao charges, they cling to each other. Jab, Pacquiao. Mayweather moving a lot this round. 88-83 Mayweather

Round 10: Floyd comes out moving. Pacquiao jabs to the breadbasket and pushed Floyd to the ropes. He slips and Pacquiao lands a left to the face. Right hand from Mayweather, counters Pacquiao. Pacquiao comes back with right. Mayweather on the move. Manny charges, the clinch. Left to the body from Pacquiao. Right from Pacquiao, Mayweather misses with counter. 97-93 Mayweather

Round 11: Mayweather with a big right to start the round. Followed by hook. Wow! Pacquiao drives back, Mayweather misses. Pacquiao to the body. Countered by Floyd’s right hand. Pacquiao chasing, trying to corner Mayweather. Right from Mayweather. Left from Pacquiao to the body. Right from Pacquiao to the head. Mayweather lands a right. Left from Mayweather. 107-102 Mayweather

Round 12: Pacquiao comes out jabbing, Mayweather tries to keep him back. Pacquiao jabs more. Left from Pacquiao, and followed by another to the body. Pacquiao moving in on Mayweather, trying to get close. Mayweather keeping away. Nice stiff jab from Pacquiao. Mayweather moving, running down the clock. Pacquiao continues after him but time running out. 116-112 Mayweather

Official scores: 118-110, 116-112, 116-112 all for Mayweather