The past year won?t go down as the most accomplished one of Manny Pacquiao’s career, but he was still able to come away with a pair of victories over veteran competition.
Pacquiao, the reigning WBO welterweight champion from General Santos City in the Philippines, successfully defended his belt in May against former five-time champion ?Sugar? Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in a fight void of much action or suspense.
<--- Slideshow: Reliving Manny Pacquiao's 2011 campaign, including his bouts with Marquez and Mosley plus a look behind the scenes
After a third round knockdown by Pacquiao, Mosley seemed to be in retreat mode for the remainder of the fight and took the intrigue away from the contest. And while you can?t put too much of the blame on Pacquiao, he seemed to be extremely plodding with his attack and a far cry from the dynamo who reached havoc against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, and others. Advertisement
Six months later and Pacquiao was again at the MGM Grand, this time facing off with Mexico City?s Juan Manuel Marquez for a third time. And despite being a heavy favorite heading into the fight, Pacquiao?s attack was deemed ineffective early as he seemed to have no answer for Marquez?s counter-punching style.
Pacquiao absorbed a lot of clean, telling punches throughout the melee and despite rallying over the second half of the fight, the decision was up in the air after twelve rounds. Pacquiao would escape with a majority nod but it wasn?t the showing of what those expected from the man looked at as the world?s premier pound-for-pound fighter heading in.
Pacquiao turned 33 years old on December 17th and it?s a legitimate question as to if he has passed his peak as a fighter or if his last two subpar performances can simply be attributed to the wrong mesh of styles.
And while a bout with Floyd Mayweather looks to be off for at least the first half of next year, hopefully 2012 will bring us some kind of answer as to what Pacquiao has left.
For an inside look at Pacquiao?s 2011 campaign, including his bouts with Mosley and Marquez, plus behind the scenes shots, please visit 2011 in Pictures: Putting Pacquiao?s year into perspective
