Pacquiao outpoints Bradley and then confirms retirement
Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) outpointed Timothy Bradley (33-2-1, 13 KOs) in their third meeting on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Eight-division world champion Pacquiao, who was fighting for the first time since his points defeat to Floyd Mayweather last May, floored the American twice on the way to a unanimous decision victory in what he said was the last fight of his 21-year professional career.
Pacquiao officially won the trilogy 2-1. Bradley was awarded a controversial split decision when they met for the first time in 2012, although Pacquiao appeared to dominate the fight. Then Pacquiao won a unanimous decision in their 2014 rematch.
Pacquiao won the third bout by scores of 116-110 on all three judges scorecards.
Bradley boxed well in the early rounds and showed a lot of movement but Pacquiao was landing the harder shots.
Both fighters exchanged punches as the fight progressed but again it was the Filipino who landed the more meaningful blows and a right hook forced Bradley to touch his gloves to the canvas and take a count at the end of the 7th.
Bradley responded in the 8th, landing some good punches of his own, wobbling Pacquiao and forcing him into the ropes.
However, Pacquiao took charge again in the 9th and dropped Bradley heavily with a hard left hook. Bradley bravely got up and fired back but Pacquiao continued to get the better of the action until the final bell.
With the win, Pacquiao won the WBO International welterweight title.
"Bradley is a good boxer, a great fighter and a good man. It was not easy tonight," said Pacquiao.
After a glorious career, winning world titles at flyweight, super bantamweight, featherweight, super Featherweight, lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight, Pacquiao maintained that this fight would be his last before he concentrates on his political career in the Philippines.
"I am retired," he said. "I have a commitment to my family that I’m going to retire after this.
"Thank you to all the fans in boxing, especially the Filipino people. I've really appreciated all your help and support."
Also on the card, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs) dethroned "King" Arthur Abraham (44-5, 29 KOs) by a shutout decision to win the WBO super middleweight title.
All three judges scored the fight 120-108 for Ramirez.
Ramirez utilized his superior reach and tagged Abraham with a series of stinging jabs from the start.
The Mexican rocked Abraham with a right hook in the second and by the end of the fifth, the German veteran had swelling around both eyes.
Ramirez continued to dominate the action, moving in and out of range landing blows at will.
With the win, Ramirez became the first Mexican fighter to hold a super middleweight world title.