What a weekend in combat it was. Who benefited the most?
We, the fans. Lets take a look back at all this past weekends action.
Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2) Defeats Timothy Bradley (33-2-1) for the WBO International Welterweight Title
Boxings only 8-division world champion picked up his last belt last Saturday winning the rubber match against friendly nemesis, Timothy Bradley via unanimous decision.
The HBO pay-per-view fight was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in front of 14,665 fans, which although reminiscent at times of the action presented in the first two pairings of the fighters, lacked in overall sensationalism.
That is until Bradley took a fall in the seventh round by an apparent slip that was labeled a knock down due to a punch landing simultaneously. However, in the ninth round amid a flurry, Pacquiao landed one of his classic powerful left hands that sent Bradley somersaulting on the canvas to the ropes.
According to CompuBox, Pacquiao landed 122 of 439 punches according to CompuBox, where Bradley connected on 99 of 302, landing the higher percentage but throwing and connecting on far fewer.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
All three judges had it 116-110 for Pacquiao who reiterated his retirement, but did mention he would think about a return while back home in the Philippines helping his countrymen.
Anthony Joshua Stops Charles Martin in the UK to Become Heavyweight Champion
Also on Saturday, live from the O2 Arena in London, British Heavyweight and reigning Olympic gold medalist, Anthony Joshua destroyed Charles The Prince Martin to become the IBF Heavyweight champion.
The 26-year-old Joshua (16-0) is his country’s sixth heavyweight world titleist, and also just the fourth man to win a pro heavyweight crown while still a reigning Olympic champion.
It took less than five minutes for Joshua to disassemble the 29-year-old Martin (23-1-1), who was unbeaten before the showdown. Martin was the first southpaw Joshua had faced since turning pro, but that fact would prove irrelevant.
(Photo Credit: www.telegraph.co.uk)
It took Joshua half of the first round to find his range and Martin, who threw docile probing jabs, never did. When Joshua found it though, he landed a few big right hands that rattled Martin.
It was all down hill from there as a heavy left hook early in the second round, followed by a beautiful right put Martin on the canvas. He rose at the count of eight, but regretted it soon after when another massive right put him down again, forcing referee Jean-Pierre van Imschoot to count him out on his feet with 1:32 elapsed in the second and final round.
Joshua looks towards to winner of Tyson Fury and Vladimir Klitschko after they fight again on July 9. Fury, being one of Joshua biggest critics, vacated his IBF Heavyweight belt for the Klitschko rematch. Other notables like a returned David Haye and Deontay Wilder make for a resurgence in Heavyweight boxing action.
Junior Dos Santos Bests Ben Rothwell and Derrick Lewis KOs Gabriel Gonzaga
The UFC returned to action in Zagreb, Croatia when former UFC Heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos bullied Ben Rothwell for a unanimous decision victory.
Santos (18-4) looked like a more cautious version of his former self and displayed his power with push kicks and power strikes, remembering to keep distance from Rothwell (36-10), who is a submission ace, after every offensive attempt.
In the co-main event, Derrick Lewis (15-4) managed to avoid an early ground attack from veteran fighter, Gabriel Gonzaga (17-11), securing a vicious right hand collapse of Gonzagas jaw and the victory all in the first round.
