In a recent interview with BoxingScene, Floyd Mayweather Sr hinted Manny Pacquiao hasn’t scored a knockout since 2009 because the latter stopped using Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs).
Did Pacquiao, at sometime in his career, benefit from a little extra, illegal help?
Who knows?
Many, like Floyd Sr, will use Pac-Man’s string of decision verdicts to back-up their theory that Manny was on PEDs but stopped taking them when amid public scrutiny. However, a thorough examination of Pacquiao’s bouts since his last knockout in November 2009 may tell a different story.
Is Manny’s knockout drought due to PEDs (or lack thereof), the fighting styles of his opponents or Pacquiao’s willingness to allow his foes to survive?
Joshua Clottey (03/2010): This bout was one-sided as Pacquiao unleashed punches in bunches against a tough, heavily defensive Joshua Clottey who, to this day, has never keen KO’d.
When fighters as tough and as skilled as Clottey decide to go into a defensive shell, they are nearly impossible to knockout.
Antonio Margarito (11/2010) In the 11th Round of a bout he was dominating, Pac-Man seemingly had Margarito badly hurt but kindly stepped back and asked the referee to stop the fight. When the referee refused, Pacquiao seemed content to allow Margarito go the distance.
Shane Mosley (05/2011): Shane was arguably competitive with Pacquiao until the Sugar Man was floored in the 3rd Round. After getting a dose of the explosive Filipino’s power, Mosley went into ‘survival mode,’ refusing to engage with the onrushing Pacquiao.
With 1:09 left in Round 10, Pacquiao went down from a Mosley push but it was ruled a knockdown. Seemingly enraged about the ruling, Pacquiao, showing flashes reminiscent of the ‘Pac Man’ of years past, tore into Mosley with a short but vicious assault.
After the round, Mosley attempted to retire on his stole but his trainer pleaded with him to finish the fight, and Shane did.
Juan Manuel Marquez (11/2011): Although the verdict was not received well by some, according to CompuBox statistics, Pacquiao outlanded Marquez in nine rounds while Marquez outlanded Pacquiao in just one round (the eighth), and they landed an equal number of punches in two rounds (the third and ninth).
And in terms of power punches landed, according to CompuBox statistics, Pacquiao outlanded Marquez in eight of the rounds. And by the way, to this day JMM has never been stopped inside the distance in his 60+ fight pro career.
Timothy Bradley (06/2012): This may be the only bout in recent memory where Pac-Man wasn’t quite himself. But don’t forget, Bradley was an undefeated top 10 pound-for-pound fighter back then and is still one of boxing’s most respected pugilists today. Moreover, neither Marquez or Provodnikov KO’d him nor Lamont Peterson or Diego Chaves. And to this day, Tim has never been knocked out.
Juan Manuel Marquez (12/2012): A tired, desperate, bloody Juan Manuel Marquez, seemingly on the verge of a getting knocked out by Pac-Man, landed a monstrous right hand that sent Manny Pacquiao to the canvas face first in Round 6. It marked the first KO defeat for Manny Pacquiao in 13 years.
Some forget that Marquez, prior to that perfect right hand counter, was in dire straits as Pac-Man had been unleashing some bitter hurt on his foe. Has JMM ever been in more trouble in his long career?
Brandon Rios (11/2013): “No fighter looked more sensational than Pacquiao the other night,” stated Iron’ Mike Tyson in reference to Pacquiao’s win over Brandon Rios.
Enough said.
Timothy Bradley Jr (06/2014): In their rematch, Manny failed to knockout a top 5 pound-for-pound fighter in his prime and there’s no shame in that as no one has stopped Tim inside the distance.
Chris Algieri (11/2014): Six knockdowns against a crafty, defensive-minded world champion. Enough said.
Looking back, Manny hasn’t lacked impressive performances nor explosiveness or punching power over the last 5 or 6 years. He has faced a few crafty, defensive-minded opponents and has seemed content to cruise to decision verdicts.
He’s also willingly let some foes ‘off the hook’ and got a bit sloppy with the one he didn’t.
Manny may not be quite the same fighter as he was in 2009 but, rest assured, he’s certainly not far removed.
