MANILA, Philippines — It’s a standoff.
There’s no breaching historical past. No stirring comeback. No winner.
The extremely anticipated return of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao after a four-year lull towards WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios resulted in a controversial majority draw with the Mexican retaining the title.
And within the course of, Barrios emerged the digital winner for preserving the title and the belt as Pacquiao didn’t unload his vaunted explosive offensives towards the champ.
The tall Barrios used his top and heft to his benefit and fired away with jabs and mixtures to maintain the Pinoy challenger at bay.
The judges scored it 115 -113, 114-114 and 114-114.
“I believed I received,” Pacquiao stated.
It delivered to thoughts his combat with Juan Manuel Marquez in Could 2004 in Las Vegas – a bout that additionally resulted in a controversial draw on choose’s error.
Pacquiao blasted away proper within the first spherical, flattening Marquez 3 times however the Mexican recovered and held his personal to complete the combat bloodied however nonetheless steaming with vitality.
Nevertheless it resulted in a surprising break up draw.
Two judges submitted 115 -110, and 110-115, and the third choose American Burt Clemons scored 113-113 by giving Pacquiao a 10-8 on the primary spherical whereas the 2 different judges had it similar 10-6.
The draw gave delivery to the fierce rivalry that will undergo 4 fights over three a long time which Pacquiao would use as key that opened the cutthroat world of prizefight which the Filipino phenom would dominate for the subsequent 31 years.
