Last Vegas- There may have been a little controversy over the final decision on Saturday night, but that will prove to be largely insignificant. Manny Pacquiao dazzled a very pro-Manny crowd inside the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday night, cementing his legacy as one of the more gutsy fighters of all time.
“I really love the fans.” Pacquiao said humbly following the decision. “Thank you so much for coming here and witnessing the fight. I’m sure they were happy tonight because they saw a good fight. Even though Thurman lost, he did his best. He’s not an easy opponent. He’s a good boxer and he’s strong. I was just blessed tonight.”
Despite displaying a vast amount of brash bravado leading into the fight, previously unbeaten Keith Thurman remained humble in defeat.
“You get blessings and lessons. Tonight was a blessing and a lesson. Thank you everybody, and thank you Manny Pacquiao.”
The win continues Pacquiao’s career resurgence at the age of 40 and has proven him to be one of the most endearing fighters of this generation. After cementing his third consecutive victory, Pacquiao has no ideas about slowing down. Pacquiao claims he will fight “next year” after going back to the Philippines and figuring out his next move.
It was, indeed, an unforgettable night for fight fans in Vegas. It’s almost a given that Pacquiao’s presence will draw a loud and inspired audience and his performance tonight only fueled the crowd into a frenzy time and again throughout the 12 round bout. Sure, judge Glenn Feldman inexplicably scored the fight 115-114 in favor of Thurman, but this oversight certainly did not take away from the magic of the night.
