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Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao outgunned undefeated champion Keith Thurman over the course of a 12-round barnburner to capture the WBA title via split decision. The iconic bout took place on July 29, 2019, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in New York City.
Pacquiao, boxing's only eight-division world champion, defied Father Time once again when he handed the much younger rising star Thurman his first career loss. It was evident that Pacquiao's explosiveness hadn't left him yet, as he was able to secure a first-round knockdown – the deciding factor once all was said and done.
In the lead-up to the bout, Thurman unloaded a truckload of smack talk on his opponent in a bid to turn the rivalry into something personal. However, his efforts were met with indifference from Pacquiao, with the Filipino senator saying he'd teach the youngster a lesson in response.
But once the fight was over, the legendary pugilist revealed that he harbored no ill-will against the man who vowed to "retire" and "crucify" him. During the post-fight interview, Pacquiao said:
“I'm not that kind of boxer who talks a lot; we were just promoting the fight," Pacquiao said. "I think he did his best, and I did my best. I think we made the fans happy tonight because it was a good fight."
Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman official scorecard
Two judges scored the bout 115-112 in favor of Manny Pacquiao, while a third judge awarded the 114-113 decision to Keith Thurman.
With the narrow win, Pacquiao, who was 40 at the time, extended his winning streak to three and improved his record to 62 wins, seven losses, and two draws. Meanwhile, Keith Thurman had his 29-win undefeated streak snapped, dropping to 29 wins and one loss.
Check out the full scorecard below:
Both competitors haven't returned to action since then due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manny Pacquiao was initially scheduled to fight undefeated champion Errol Spence Jr., but the American star was recently forced to withdraw from the mega-bout due to an injury. The Filipino will now fight Yordenis Ugás instead. He recently spoke about Errol Spence Jr.'s withdrawal and his new opponent.
