HAVING LOST CLOSE CALLS, FILIPINO GETS A BREAK!
Las Vegas, NV-A focused, rejuvenated, and motivated Bobby “Drama Setter” Pacquiao, along with Carlos “Famous” Hernandez, engaged in a ten round match that ended in a disputed split decision. Pacquiao, now 25-11-3 11 KO’s, opened the fight like a machine, landing serious accurate and devastating combinations to the slow starting Hernandez. Carlos’ “famous” chin wasn’t all that at the end of the second round, when Pacquiao dropped Hernandez with a left hook.
HERNANDEZ TOOK OVER AFTER THAT
Excited, overconfident, or tired, Bobby Pacquiao was never as effective in the proceeding rounds as he was in the first two. Although Hernandez, now 41-6-1 (24), didn’t overwhelm or dominate the younger Pacquiao, he did out hustle him in key moments in rounds three through eight. Carlos, who isn’t a hard puncher, worked effectively to the body, and the expression on Pacquiao’s face late in the fight was that of a desperate fighter, who needed to find lightning in a bottle.
LAST PAIR OF ROUNDS MADE IT CLOSE
In round nine, Pacquiao tried to his best to knock Hernandez down, or out. However, he faded in three through eight, and Hernandez came back, throwing soft, but accurate hooks, up and down Pacquiao’s head and body. In between rounds nine and ten, trainer Freddie Roach pleaded to his fighter to show him the same intensity he had in the early going. Pacquiao came out blazing, rocking Hernandez with his best punch, a straight left. After a quick surge, Carlos came back again and both fighters finished things off throwing punches.
“TWO” DIFFERENT FACES TOLD THE STORY
In one corner, Bobby Pacquiao’s team, which included brother Manny, were patiently waiting for the scorecard, whereas the celebration was underway for Hernandez, who was looking to climb back into the race for the championship in a red hot super featherweight division. Heard on television, promoter of Hernandez, Bob Arum, unprofessionally told his fighter (and the TV audience) that the judges gave the other guy the fight; even before Jimmy Lennon Jr. announced the winner. Confusion ran wild in the Hernandez corner as the scores were read, 97-92 for Hernandez, 95-94 & 95-93 for Pacquiao.
WASN’T EXACTLY “HIGHWAY ROBBERY”
Although I scored the fight for Hernandez, 95-94, he did not dominate Pacquiao to the extent some people are claiming. Simply put, the two judges who scored the fight for Pacquiao gave every close round to the harder puncher, which was Bobby. Let’s not forget that Pacquiao dropped Hernandez in the second, which resulted in a 10-8 round, favoring the Filipino. Judges have different styles in determining who wins rounds. The fact that the majority of the boxing media scored the fight for Hernandez does not mean this was a rip off, as the media and the judges have disagreed on many occasions.
NO NEED FOR A REMATCH!
At the age of 34, Hernandez has everything to gain and nothing to lose against Bobby Pacquiao, who because of the controversy might not replace Carlos at #5 in the WBC rankings. This was a crossroads fight for both fighters, and neither has yet shown they can currently compete against the Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao, and Zahir Raheems of the world. A rematch is what Arum and Hernandez will vie for. A good opponent for Pacquiao is #4 Javier Jauregui, who recently defeated Randy Suico. For Hernandez, the nature of his loss should give the veteran one last crack!
FANS SHOULD STILL BE PROUD OF THE DRAMA MAN!
Bobby Pacquiao has once again thrilled the U.S audience, and continues to prove the Filipino boxing experts wrong. Many people thought Pacquiao was done after losing to a former Manny victim. Experts questioned his heart, stamina, and chin, then laughed at the prospect of Bobby competing against the top of the 130lb division. With a win, although disputed and split, last Saturday, he becomes a player in a competitive game. And with a last name that’s changed pop culture in the Philippines, Bobby hopes to become a champion, preferably along side his brother. Bloodlines or not, Bobby winning a title would be against the odds.
