Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley highlights: Pacquiao wins final fight

Match result:

If this is to be Manny Pacquiao’s last fight, he still looked sharp, though doesn’t have the knockout power of his younger years.

REPORT: PACQUIAO BEATS BRADLEY IN FAREWELL FIGHT

The first six rounds of the fight were fairly even. Pacquiao clipped Bradley with a right hook in the seventh, forcing Bradley to touch the ground with his gloves to prevent himself from going down, which still counts as a knockdown in boxing.

The knockdown in the ninth was more conclusive, with a left hook rattling Bradley and then a straight left resulting in a clean knockdown.

Bradley was always going to need a knockout to win after being dropped twice, and it never looked like happening, though he battled on gamely. He never really looked like being knocked out himself either.

In the end, all three judges scored the fight 116-110 to Pacquiao. Effectively, that’s eight rounds to four, including the two knockdowns.

Great to see Manny bow out a winner, if he sticks to his retirement. He doesn’t have anything left to prove. His career record of 58-6-2 will stand the test of time, especially considering the quality opponents he fought across multiple weight divisions.

Match preview:

Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao will be fighting for the last time in his decorated 21-year professional career when he takes on American Tim ‘Desert Storm’ Bradley for the third time in Las Vegas. Join The Roar from 11am (AEST) for live fight coverage and debate in our live blog.

37-year-old Pacquiao has announced that win, lose, or draw, he will hang up the gloves after this fight. He is planning on running for a Senate seat in the Philippine elections in May, having been elected to the House of Representatives in his native country in 2010.

This is the deciding fight between Pacquiao and Bradley, with both having a points victory over the other in their two previous bouts. Bradley won a split decision in their first meeting in 2012, while ‘Pacman’ scored a unanimous decision victory in their rematch in 2014. That is the only loss so far in 32-year-old Bradley’s career.

Incredibly, Pacquiao has won world titles in eight different weight divisions in his career – from flyweight (52kg) to light middleweight (69.9kg). He is the only boxer to have achieved this feat.

He has had wins over legends of the sport including Juan Manuel Marquez (twice), Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera (twice) and Erik Morales (twice).

His only losses have been to Floyd Mayweather, Marquez, Bradley, Morales, and two little known fighters very early in his career. He turned pro when he was just 16.

The names on Bradley’s list of career victories aren’t as impressive. Beside Pacquiao, his biggest win was against Marquez – but they are 2 names that any boxer would love to have on their win list.

Age is also on Bradley’s side. Pacquiao has lost 3 of his last 6 fights over the past 4 years, suggesting that time may have caught up with him. But does he have one big performance left? Punters think so, he is currently the favourite with bookmakers.

Both fighters have legendary trainers so the banter in the corners between rounds is sure to be interesting. Pacquiao is trained by Freddie Roach and Bradley by Teddy Atlas.

Do you think ‘Pacman’ will go out a winner?

Join The Roar from 11am (AEDT) for live fight coverage and debate in our live blog.