MACAU — Manny Pacquiao defeated Brandon Rios by unanimous decision on Sunday, returning to his winning ways after consecutive losses.
Back in the ring for the first time in almost a year, Pacquiao wore Rios down with his trademark combination punching and won 120-108, 119-109 and 118-110 on the scorecards at The Venetian casino in Macau.
It was an emotional victory for Pacquiao after a devastating typhoon swept through his home nation of the Philippines this month, killing thousands.
“This is not about my comeback,” Pacquiao said in the ring. “My victory is a symbol of my people’s comeback from a natural disaster and a natural tragedy.”
Pacquiao, who grabbed the WBO international welterweight title with the victory, got the better of the opening two rounds, sending Rios to the canvas in the opening frame, although the referee contentiously ruled it as a slip rather than a knockdown.
The American asserted himself in the third, landing some crisp blows that raised hopes of a genuine contest before Pacquiao — spurred on by a capacity crowd at the 13,000-seat Cotai Arena, including many Filipino fans — dominated the remainder of the contest.
Rios was game, continually walking forward to challenge Pacquiao, but was unable to land any telling blows.
After seven rounds, Rios was getting attention to cuts under both eyebrows, and with the scores going against him, needed something special.
Cautioned by the memory of his previous fight when he walked into a savage Juan Manuel Marquez punch that knocked him out, Pacquiao was on guard throughout the closing rounds but a tiring Rios offered little threat over the final four rounds.
“Recovering from the knockout and giving a good show was what I wanted to prove to myself and everyone,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao will now eye a potential rematch against Marquez.
The undercard
Russia’s Evgeny Gradovich retained the IBF featherweight title when Australia’s Billy Dib quit in the ninth round.
In a rematch of their March bout, Gradovich put Dib down in the sixth round and staggered him with a left hook in the eighth. Further punishment in the ninth prompted Dib’s corner to ask the referee to stop the fight on the undercard of the bout between Brandon Rios and Manny Pacquiao.
Mexican heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr. extended his unbeaten record when American opponent Tor Hamer quit after three rounds despite leading on two of the three judges’ scorecards. Ruiz retained his WBO intercontinental heavyweight belt and added the NABF title.
Zou Shiming, China’s two-time Olympic gold medalist, improved his professional record to 3-0-0 with a unanimous points decision in his six-round flyweight bout against Mexico’s Juan Toscano.
After an even opening couple of rounds, Zou poured on the pressure in the third, opening a cut under the Mexican’s right eye, and sustained his dominance from then on to claim an impressive victory.
Highly touted lightweight Felix Verdejo of Puerto Rico improved to 8-0-0 with a unanimous points decision over Petchsamuthr Duanaaymukdahan, exhibiting too much hand speed and movement for the resilient Thai.
The other bouts included Filipino lightweight Harmonito Dela Torre knocking out Indonesia’s Jason Butar Butar in the third round; China’s Ik Yang taking a split decision over Indonesia’s Hero Tito; local Macao fighter Kuok Kun Ng taking a unanimous decision over China’s Zeng YouJie; Hong Kong’s Rex Tso stopping Thailand’s Susu Sithjadaeng in the first round; and Filipino Dan Nazareno Jr. beating Liam Vaughan when the Englishman’s corner stopped the fight in the second round.