Glory 12 is on Spike TV, for those who don’t want to pay for their combat sports fix, and we’ll be covering Pacquiao vs. Rios for those combat sports heads with $70 in their wallet. We’ll have coverage of the card as soon as Rios/Pacquiao starts, live from Macau, China.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios
Judges are Lisa Giampa, Manfred Kuchler and Michael Pernick.
Referree is Geno Rodriguez
Manny’s the favorite and Macau loves him. He’s out to “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC.
Round 1: Manny cautious at first and neither fighter is throwing much. Manny’s looking to go down the middle and press hard. Rios is patient right now; he’s going to gauge distance and Manny’s speed. Manny is landing some nice shots early down the middle. He’s more aggressive and Rios is playing defense right now. He’s looking for a counter but not throwing it; my guess is he’s trying to figure out Manny’s speed so he can gauge his reaction time. Slip from Rios at the two minute mark. Manny is really throwing a lot. R$ios is eating some big shots and goes to the clinch, landing some nice body shots. Some big shots from Manny to finish the round. Pacquiao 10-9
Round 2: Manny is throwing straight down the middle some more. He looks really good so far; Rios is trying to adjust to his speed but Manny is taking most of the punishment to the body. Manny is letting his hands go early; he’s using his jab effectively to set up the big shots. Rios comes out wild midway through the round but he’s not landing anything clean. It’s sound and fury but no damage. Manny is landing nice combinations, working the body and moving up. Manny is baiting him to work the body when he gets in because Rios is letting him land flush to the head. Great straight left to the head near the end. Pacquiao 10-9, 20-18
Round 3: Rios comes out more aggressive this round, looking to get close and get inside. He’s throwing more and Manny is on his bicycle early. Pacquiao is darting in and out, landing nice combinations and getting back out. Rios is getting out-pointed so far. Rios is trying to corner him but Manny is doing a great job covering up. Manny is baiting him to get inside and throw a lot, but isn’t absorbing much. Manny with a nice flurry with 30 seconds left. His hand speed is appreciably greater and he’s got no problem lighting him up so far. Rios is doing everything right but Manny is doing it better right now. Pacquiao 10-9, 30-27
Round 4: Rios is still coming forward as he’s trying to trap Manny in a corner. Manny is using hand speed to land some nice combinations and Rios is baiting him to do so. Rios looks plodding against Manny because of his speed. Rios with some nice rib shots in the clinch. Rios gets warned for hitting in the back of the head halfway through the round. Manny is out boxing him right now, pure and simple. Rios is trying to ugly this up but Manny is too much for him. Pacquiao looks terrific as Rios just can’t keep up. 10-8 Pacquiao, 40-36
Round 5: Rios comes out a bit more hesitant this round, not quite bull in a china shop like he did earlier. To the clinch early and he’s not landing much. Straight left that looked incredible and Rios smiles. Nice body shot from Manny as he’s landing some great combinations. Rios can’t counter him right now. Pacquiao is using movement to keep him one step behind and he’s peppering him whenever he gets situated. Rios is starting to get a little dirty as he’s getting frustrated. Manny with a great combination working the body and the head. Tremendous combination from Manny and he’s landing en masse. 10-9 Pacquiao, 50-45
Round 6: Manny comes out sticking and moving some more. He’s landing on Rios, who’s trying to get into the clinch and stay there with Manny. Manny is back to moving, landing nice combinations and staying one step ahead with his combinations. Manny is landing a ton on Rios right now. Rios is landing when he gets inside, and some of it is borderline dirty, but the best and cleanest shots are coming from Pacquiao right now. Rios is clearly frustrated right now. Manny’s speed is something he can’t compensate for and as such he’s just getting dirty and making this fight as ugly as he can. 10-9 Pacquiao, 60-54
Round 7: Rios comes out doing more of the same, trying to get Pacquiao in a hittable range, but Pacquiao is having none of it. He’s landing in volume and his movement and hand speed are terrific. Rios is a gamer but he’s getting out-classed right now. Nice combination and Rios is smiling through it. Rios is trying to land big but Manny is too fast for him. 10-9 Pacquiao, 70-63
Round 8: Rios is a tough, tough guy but there has to be a point where his corner throws the towel in. He doesn’t need to eat 100-50 more punches at this point in hopes of landing the hail mary. He’s not fast enough to tag Manny, who’s doing this round but what he did in the last seven. Landing en masse, moving out of the way and out-boxing him en masse. Rios is landing on the inside, in the clinch, but Manny’s landing the better shots at this point. Rios hasn’t hit him with one flush shot at this point and Manny has done that multiple times every minute. Nice combination to end the round as Rios taunts him immediately thereafter. 10-9 Pacquiao, 80-72
Round 9: Manny repeating the same formula that’s been winning him the fight so far. Stick, move, don’t get hit and land before he knows what’s going to happen. Rios is trying to get him into the corner and into the clinch, to dirty it up, but Manny is too much. Beautiful combination to the head as Manny is putting on a clinic right now. Manny lands some hard shots in the final 30 seconds as Rios keeps coming. 10-9 Pacquiao, 90-81
Round 10: Manny out and isn’t taking his foot off the gas pedal just yet. Rios has a tough chin but he’s eating a lot of punishment right now. Rios goes back to trying to go to the clinch, and fouls in frustration. Ref gives him a warning but no point deducted. Manny is lighting Rios up right now. He’s peppering Rios right now, trying to set up a fight ending combination but Rios has a heck of a chin. Pacquiao 10-9, 100-90
Round 11: Rios comes out trying to pin him against the ropes again and, like in the previous ten rounds, Manny is too fast for him. Manny is peppering him some more as Rios is too tough for his own good. Rios is a gamer and is making it a go but Manny is just too much for him. The 11th is the same as every other round. Rios nearly double legs Manny with 30 seconds left out of frustration. 10-9 Pacquiao, 110-99
Round 12: Manny comes out more cautious this round, using movement to not engage in a firefight. He knows he’s winning and Rios is a defeated man. He wants to make it to the end of the 12th on his feet. Pacquiao is still going after him but he’s not taking big risks. He backs Rios into the corner and lands a nice combination as Rios begs him to continue, to try and land something, and Manny backs right out of the fight. Manny is coasting right now, doing just enough to out point but not do any real damage. Rios is trying to go back to his clinch work when he should be throwing wild, hoping to land the hail mary. He’s just trying to get through the fight, nothing more, and Manny ends this round like the last one. Pacquiao 10-9, 120-108
Official decision: 120-108, 119-109, 118-110 for Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao wins via unanimous decision
