LAS VEGAS (AP) — From his first-round knockdown punches to his tenacious 12th-round finish, Manny Pacquiao gave yet another one-sided thrashing to Father Time.
Keith Thurman was a whole lot tougher to beat, but the 40-year-old Filipino senator managed to win that vote as well.
Pacquiao floored Thurman early and persevered late to an exciting split-decision victory Saturday night, adding a third straight win to his late-career resurgence.
Pacquiao (62-7-2) dropped his previously unbeaten opponent with a combination late in the first round, and the Pac-Man dominated the opening rounds with a combination of flair and power that recalled the incredible prime of the only eight-division champion in boxing history.
Thurman (29-1) showed remarkable tenacity in rallying through the middle rounds, repeatedly testing Pacquiao’s chin with big shots. Neither fighter managed another knockdown, but they pushed relentlessly in front of a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden that repeatedly chanted Pacquiao’s name from the moment he reached the ring.
“It was fun,” Pacquiao said. “My opponent is a good fighter and boxer. He was strong. ... I think he did his best, and I did my best. I think we made the fans happy tonight because it was a good fight.”
Two judges scored the bout 115-112 for Pacquiao, while Glenn Feldman scored it 114-113 for Thurman. The Associated Press also scored it 115-112 for Pacquiao.
“I knew it was close,” Thurman said. “He had the momentum because he got the knockdown in Round 1. ... I wish I had a little bit more output to go toe to toe. My conditioning, my output was just behind Manny Pacquiao’s tonight. Tonight was a blessing and a lesson.”
Pacquiao appeared to be declining as recently as two years ago, when he lost a listless decision to Jeff Horn. But while his political career flourished, Pacquiao also revived his ring career with solid back-to-back victories over Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner.
Thurman represented another major step up in competition, but Pacquiao’s strong start quieted any speculation that he would suddenly look old in a matchup with an elite welterweight champion.
Thurman’s effort was impressive on paper: He landed slightly more punches than the famously active Pacquiao, and his 192 power punches landed were the most by any Pacquiao opponent in his 43 fights that were tracked by CompuBox. But Pacquiao had a dominant jab, and he outworked Thurman in the 12th round, throwing 56 punches to win the round on two judges’ cards.
Both fighters started quickly with a series of good-looking exchanges, but Pacquiao changed the bout in an instant. He moved forward to land a left to the body and a right hook that sent Thurman to the canvas with 25 seconds left in the first round.
Thurman got up comfortably while the ecstatic crowd roared, but Pacquiao kept up his superior work for the next two rounds, repeatedly rocking Thurman with a variety of shots. Even when Thurman put together a solid fifth round, he was stunned several times in the final minute and left with blood on his face.
But Thurman gathered himself and soundly beat Pacquiao through the middle rounds, forcing Pacquiao to show off his durable chin. Pacquiao reversed the momentum in the 10th with a series of big shots, including a punch to the body that sent Thurman stumbling away in obvious pain.
Both fighters pushed to the final bell and embraced. Pacquiao won the final round on two judges’ cards, while Feldman’s 12th-round score for Thurman kept Pacquiao from winning by unanimous decision.
After graciously congratulating Pacquiao, Thurman called for a rematch. The pro-Pacquiao Vegas crowd vocally approved.
Nearly 25 years after a 16-year-old Pacquiao stepped onto the scales for his pro debut with rocks in his pockets just to make the 105-pound minimum weight, this middle-aged politician showed he could have several years left in a day job that paid him a guaranteed $10 million on Saturday night.
Thurman had been eager to retire Pacquiao, but he even couldn’t hurt the ageless wonder.
Thurman has held a version of the WBA 147-pound title for six years, but he had fought just once since March 2017, when he edged Danny Garcia to earn two welterweight belts. He sat out the next 22 months with injuries, and he looked rusty and tentative at times in his comeback victory over Josesito Lopez last January.
But Thurman embraced his guaranteed $2.5 million payday and the chance to take on an active legend. He also pumped up the promotion with a series of bold statements about Pacquiao’s age, ability and motivation. Thurman even managed to irk the normally placid Pacquiao, who acknowledged that even his mother hadn’t liked Thurman’s trash talk.
Before the bout, Floyd Mayweather got into the ring to wish both fighters good luck. The retired superstar watched intently from the crowd in the same arena where he beat an injured Pacquiao four years ago. Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, has said he hopes Mayweather will come out of retirement for a rematch with Pacquiao.
On the undercard, Cuban welterweight Yordenis Ugás battered previously unbeaten Omar Figueroa Jr. for a decision victory featuring three identical 119-107 scorecards. Caleb Plant also defended his IBF super middleweight title with a dominant third-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Mike Lee.
Benny the Butcher spoke to VladTV about feeling harassment from the feds and speaking about it before his crew was picked up. He also shared why he thinks some artists aren't ready for a VladTV interview, and Benny also questioned DJ Vlad about asking artists about their cases. You can hear the full conversation below.
Slim 400 thought he was a goner as a hail of bullets rained down on him during a drive-by shooting in Compton ... but he miraculously survived, and now he says he can't be stopped!!!
MONROE, La. (AP) — A former Louisiana State University lineman says he’s adjusting to life with a titanium leg after being shot by a dog while duck hunting in Mississippi.
Matt Branch tells the Clarion Ledger he was shot by the black Labrador named Tito last winter while hunting with friends near Eagle Lake. Branch and his friends were loading his truck when Tito jumped onto the truck’s bed, stepped on Branch’s loaded 12-gauge shotgun, causing the safety to turn off and the gun to fire.
Branch says the next few moments were more about a loss of feeling than any pain. He says he awoke nearly two weeks later to find he’d lost his left leg. Branch says he’s still adjusting to his new leg and plans to continue hunting.
Conway The Machine releases a new single titled "Bang" with his Shady Records boss, Eminem. Stream it up top. Available now on all streaming platforms.
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) — A North Texas jury found teen rapper Taymor McIntyre — also known as Tay-K — guilty of murder Friday morning.
Earlier, the jury has asked to see evidence presented when the medical examiner testified about the victim, Ethan Walker. The group took another look at autopsy photos, as well as the single bullet that killed the 21-year-old.
Walker was shot in the stomach after he told McIntyre and a group of other robbers that he didn’t have any drugs or money.
McIntyre wasn’t the person who fired the gun that killed Walker, and his attorneys argued that was one of the reasons he should be found not guilty.
Prosecutors made their case arguing that McIntyre knew the plan to steal drugs and money from the house in Mansfield in 2016, would end with someone being shot.
A 15-year-old girl actually planned the home invasion robbery. Earlier this week one of her friends testified that she reached out to McIntyre on Instagram, believing he could get guns for the robbery.
McIntyre responded to her saying he didn’t have a gun, but his friends did and he knew one who was “trigger happy.”
McIntyre gained notoriety when he went on the run after the murder, and recorded a song and video about fleeing.
For the murder of Walker, McIntyre faces between 5 and 99 years in prison.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky is being held for another week in pre-trial detention to allow police to finish investigating a June 30 fight in downtown Stockholm, a Swedish court said Friday.
Stockholm’s District Court decided to accept the request from prosecutor Daniel Suneson’s to hold A$AP Rocky — the stage name of Rakim Mayers — until Thursday July 25. Mayer is being held for suspected assault.
Earlier, Suneson said police “have worked intensively” with the preliminary investigation but needed more time to complete their probe. Once the investigation is complete, the prosecution will decide whether to formally charge the rapper.
On July 5, Mayers who was in Sweden to perform at a music festival, and his body guards were ordered held for two weeks after being detained two days earlier. Videos published on social media, show a person being violently thrown onto the ground by Mayers. It was not clear who else was involved.
“This was a self-defense situation,” his defense lawyer Slobodan Jovicic told reporters. Asked how A$AP Rocky felt about it, Jovicic replied this was “a very bad experience.”
The platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated artist has seen many celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West, her husband Kanye West and Justin Bieber come to his support since his arrest.
Soon after the news of his arrest broke, the movement #JusticeForRocky pushed for the rapper’s release. A petition calling for his release has also garnered half a million signatures. And Adriano Espaillat, a New York Democrat in the House of Representatives, is pushing for the release of the rapper, who was born in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.
“Everyone deserves to be treated equally and A$AP Rocky’s rights continue to be violated. It is not a fair process,” the congressman earlier said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Espaillat said he has been in contact with the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Sweden and wants everyone to continue showing their support to help us in this process of getting justice for Rocky.”
Kardashian West, her husband, rapper and record producer Kanye West have lobbied President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner in support of A$AP Rocky.
Kardashian West thanked the president and senior members of his administration, saying on Twitter that their “commitment to justice reform is so appreciated.”
Earlier this week, Sweden’s top prosecutor Petra Lundh said “the fact that a suspect or a plaintiff is known is no reason for the person to receive a special treatment.”
Carl Risch, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, was seen leaving the Kronoberg prison in Stockholm Friday, where Mayers and his two body guards were being held, Sweden’s TT news agency said. He declined to make comments as he left. The purpose of Risch’s visit was not known.
Keefe D opened up to VladTV about running into 2Pac several times over the years. He explained that the first time he saw him was when 2Pac was with Digital Underground, and the other two times were after he had made it big in the rap world as a solo artist.
To hear more, including rumors of Diddy hanging out in Compton and a $1 million bounty being on Suge's head, hit the clip below.
Report via TMZ -- R. Kelly is scared for his life behind bars ... fearing retaliation from fellow inmates who know he's accused of horrid sex crimes involving underage girls.
Kelly's attorney, Nicole Blank Becker, tells TMZ ... during a recent visit with the embattled singer in federal prison, he told solitary helps because he believes his life would be in real danger in gen pop. Kelly feels way safer by himself.
As we reported ... Kelly is behind bars for the foreseeable future because the judge denied bond during Tuesday's hearing. Prosecutors say they have their hands on the alleged sex tapes at the center of the probe, which they claim show Kelly having sex with underage girls.
Although Kelly thinks he's better off in solitary, his attorney says it creates a problem because he has no one to lean on. He can't read or write, and that makes even the most mundane tasks super difficult, such as figuring out what's on the commissary list.
Kelly has access to a phone for a total of 15 minutes a month to speak with family and friends. Prisoners in general pop have access to the phone all the time. There's also no access to TV or the internet.
As for supporters inside the prison ... we're told zilch.
Nas releases his highly anticipated "The Lost Tapes 2" project. It features Swizz Beatz, Al Jarreau, David Ranier and more.
Available on all streaming platforms
Tracklist:
1. No Bad Energy 2. Vernon Family 3. Jarreau of Rap (Skatt Attack) f. Al Jarreau & Keyon Harrold 4. Lost Freestyle 5. Tanasia 6. Royalty f. RaVaughn 7. Who Are You f. David Ranier 8. Adult Film f. Swizz Beatz 9. War Against Love 10. The Art of It f. J. Myers 11. Highly Favored 12. Queens Wolf 13. It Never Ends 14. You Mean the World To Me 15. QueensBridge Politics 16. Beautiful Life f. RaVaughn
In this clip, Benny the Butcher opened up about his rough upbringing in Buffalo, NY in the late 1980s and early 1990s' He spoke about his mother battling a drug addiction yet still managing to raise 8 children. Benny the Butcher also touched on the passing of his older brother and the circumstances around his killing.
Report via TMZ -- The L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. is raiding a Hollywood Hills home in connection to a shooting involving an SUV registered to YG, which left one deputy shot and an innocent bystander dead.
Sheriff's sources say the house is leased by YG ... but he was not detained or arrested and was not present on the property during the raid. Deputies got a judge to sign a search warrant in connection with the incident involving a wild police chase earlier this month.
As TMZ reported, someone inside an SUV registered to YG fired shots from inside the vehicle, striking a deputy. A pedestrian was killed during the crossfire between deputies and the shooter. The incident occurred on July 3 in Compton.
Four men have been handcuffed at the scene and have been placed in patrol cars while deputies continue their search inside the house.
We're told one person on the scene was arrested for a weapons charge.
YG denied he was there at the time of the shooting, saying, "I was nowhere near the scene of this incident and had been in a recording studio all day in Hollywood. I was there until after midnight on the 4th of July and didn't learn of these events until after they happened."
Former featherweight champion Cris Cyborg defended her title for the second time at UFC 222 last year against Yana Kunitskaya. Cyborg faces Felicia Spencer in the co-main event of UFC 240 on July 27.