Manny Pacquiao puts on a show for fans … and Floyd Mayweather
It had the feeling — from the moment the matchup was announced, really — of Canelo Alvarez against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September 2013, when you had a young, talented fighter against one of the sport’s elite.
And elite was a whole lot better.
Alvarez wasn’t ready at the time to match a Hall of Fame opponent and a pound-for-pound king, much in the same way Jessie Vargas wasn’t near prepared to deal with all that is Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Pacquiao was challenger in name only and is now the WBO welterweight champion, having predictably beaten Vargas by unanimous decision before a spirited crowd of 16,132.
The scores: 118-109, 118-109 and, from judge Dave Moretti, an inexplicable and embarrassing 114-113.
As one boxing scribe quipped: “(Moretti) has seen a million fights, but apparently doesn’t remember any of them.”
Moretti incredibly gave Vargas five of the first six rounds — he really only won the sixth after landing a few good rights — but I’m sure he will be back at ringside to score the next championship fight.
Boxing judges are held less accountable than certain politicians.
Vargas raised his hands after the final bell, perhaps more to celebrate surviving 12 rounds than anything of note he managed during them.
He is the Palo Verde High School alumnus who is 10 years younger than the 37-year-old Pacquiao and nearly 5 inches taller, but such advantages were no match for the quickness and skill and experience and power of Pacquiao.
Yes, power.
Pacquiao dropped Vargas — the first time in his professional career that he hit the canvas — with a straight left in the second round.
From there, Pacquiao outclassed his opponent from all angles.
“Fighting (Pacquiao) is like playing a game of chess,” Vargas said. “He has tremendous speed, and sometimes you get caught with those quick shots you don’t see. He was very sharp. You have to be alert at all times. I tried my best. Fighting him elevated my game.”
It leaves us with the next obvious question for Pacquiao: What now?
His retirement after beating Timothy Bradley in April shouldn’t have been taken seriously by anyone, given Pacquiao backed off those claims in the ring afterward. The guy took about a minute to reconsider his options.
Seven months later and part of his rookie assignment as a senator in the Philippines behind him, he was back fighting Vargas.
Pacquiao’s name is such and his legacy long ago cemented that it’s more about who he fights as his career nears its end than any belts he might still collect on what is already an eight-division world championship resume.
Which brings us to that familiar name: Mayweather.
The mix of cheers and boos you might have heard from the arena around 8:45 p.m. was when Mayweather took a ringside seat while flanked by a few bodyguards.
Man, have I told you how much I miss the Mayweather Enablers?
Column writing was so much better when those guys were around. They’re instant material.
It’s interesting Mayweather made an appearance and even more so that Pacquiao is supposedly the one who invited him. All of it will only create conversation of Mayweather making a return, which means he would actually have to answer the telephone if a second fight is to be made with Pacquiao.
If the guy whose record stands at 49-0 should be so inclined to get back into the gym for real, you figure such a fight would occur in May or September of next year. Mayweather walked away from the sport after beating Andre Berto last year, and while his skills showed little sign of eroding, he will be 40 when he fights again.
Not if. When.
And even the slickest Bugatti tires show wear at some point.
If what was the richest fight in history can’t ultimately offer a second edition — this time with Pacquiao entering the ring with two healthy shoulders — then Top Rank will need to decide who the company’s pay-per-view star encounters next.
The best fight for Pacquiao after Mayweather would be Terence Crawford, but it’s a risk. Crawford could beat his fellow Top Rank fighter, which would take even more steam from a Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch should that opportunity still be available even further down the road.
Amir Khan. Shawn Porter. They are possible opponents for Pacquiao, both of whom the latter would enter as he did Saturday — a heavy favorite.
He also would beat either of them as he did Vargas.
“I feel happy,” Pacquiao said. “I was trying every round to knock him down but not be careless. I was very careful to go inside, because I knew he would counter me. I’m going back to the Senate now and will then talk to (Top Rank chairman) Bob (Arum).
“I am not picking an opponent. Whoever my promoter gives me, I will fight.”
Mayweather was asked immediately after the fight what he thought of the winner’s performance: “Not bad,” he said, smiling.
A sign of things to come?
Boxing hopes so.
Said Pacquiao: “I will fight who the people want.”
Hint: The guy who was sitting ringside.
Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on “Seat and Ed” on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.
