Mayweather’s win: Ebonyi Boxing fans express mixed feelings

Boxing fans in Ebonyi have expressed mixed feelings over America’s Floyd Mayweather’s victory over Manny Pacquiao of Philippines in their World Boxing Unification title fight which ended in the early hours of Sunday.

Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by a unanimous decision to pick the unified World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) unification title-fight held in Las Vegas.

The three ring-side judges scored 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112, respectively, in favour of Mayweather, winning the $300 million world-title bout, tagged the “fight of the century”.

Some of the respondents in Abakaliki felt that Mayweather deserved the victory while others said that Pacquiao was a victim of what they dubbed ‘American conspiracy’.

The Secretary of Ebonyi Sports Council, Hillary Obiesie, said that Mayweather truly deserved his victory, noting that the American boxer has proven his mettle as the most proficient boxer in the lower-weight category.

“Mayweather displayed a brilliant performance with accurate jabs and precise thinking which ensured victory, even though he was largely on the defensive side.

“His experience came to bear in the fight because he discovered that Pacquiao was fitter and though he did not throw many punches, he landed them with precision whenever they came.”

The Boxing Head Coach of the Ebonyi Sports Council, Lambert Ogbuzuru, pointed out that Maywhether’s experience gave him an edge over Pacquiao.

“Mayweather employed a tactics that ensured he conserved much energy and concentrated in accumulating points with precise and on-the target punches.

“I thought that his controversial statement before the fight that he was better than the legendary Mohammed Ali, would affect him.

“But he maintained his composure to enact a performance that only great boxing minds could interpret,” he said.

Chief Kingsley Nwali, Ikwo Local Government Area Council official and a former amateur boxer, disagreed with the positions of the earlier respondents, saying that Pacquiao was deliberately denied victory.

“Mayweather failed to ‘bail’ himself from trouble whenever Pacquiao unleashed attacks but employed negative tactics such as grabbing and holding his opponents; hitting and running away in the process.

“The judges were compromised because these negative tactics should ordinarily count against Mayweather but surprisingly counted in his favour.”

A boxing Analyst, Mr Henry Ike, said that the bias of the ring-side judges was obvious, noting that Pacquiao dominated the fight.

“By the eighth round, I felt certain that Mayweather could only win the bout through a knock-out, as he did not ‘land’ a single-weighty punch until the third round in contrast with the good punches from Pacquiao.

“Maywheather missed his target in a number of times, as he was either running from his opponent or cringing to the ropes and in my judgment; he did not win up to three of the entire rounds.”

A Physical and Health Instructor, Eugene Esonwune, pointed out that the venue of the fight was a decisive factor in its outcome, as the United States of America would not like to lose in such a high-profile, money-spinning fight.

“Pacquiao’s promoter and coach both confirmed reports that Pacquiao was denied a recommended shoulder injection by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, over an injury he sustained before the fight.

“This alongside the lopsided decisions of the ring-side judges proved that Mayweather was unduly favoured in the fight.

“I urge Pacquiao to immediately seek a rematch to be held probably in the Philippines,” he said.