Manny Pacquiao looked like the fighter of old in scoring first TKO in 9 years

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In the fifth round, Manny Pacquiao lands a punch forcing his opponent to take a knee.

MANNY PACQUIAO did something that no other senator in the Phlippines -- or the U.S. -- has ever done. He knocked out his opponent.

Even though boxing has become secondary to his day job as a senator in the Philippines Senate, the 39-year old Pacquiao showed that he still has what it takes by knocking out Argentinian Lucas Matthysse in the 7th round of their match in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

In scoring his 60th fight victory with his first knocckout in nine years, the Filipino icon also captured Matthysse's WBA regular welterweight title. It is Pacquiao's 11th world title in a legendary career that has made him a national hero in his native Philippines.

Talk about Pacquiao's demise proved premature. Unlike his last fight when he lost to Jeff Horn, the Filipino boxer looked focused and physically prepared.

Prior to his 7th round TKO, scorekeepers had Pacquiao winning all the rounds that included two other knockdowns. The 35-year old Matthysse looked sluggish and unable to keep up with Pacquiao's speed. The Argentnian's reputation as a power puncher failed to materialize.

Referee Kenny Bayless called off the fight in the seventh round when Matthysse buckled following another stiff uppercut and spat out his mouthguard as he was being counted.

Despite the loss, Matthysse made it clear he was not considering retirement.

"Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose," Matthysse said. "Today was my turn to lose and I lost to a great fighter and a great legend in Manny Pacquiao."

Pacquiao also refused to entertain retirement. "We are planned to fight again in 2018," he said.

Correction: July 15, 12:20 p.m. Manny Pacquiao's correct age.

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Filipino boxers making history ... in Fresno?

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Filipino boxers Jerwin Ancajas, left, and Jonas Sultan stare down each other at the weigh-in over the weekend
 at the Filipino Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

IT''S BEEN almost a century since the last time two Filipino fighters fought for a title. IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas will defend his title against Jonas Sultan will fight for the title Saturday (May 26) in Fresno, Calif.

Their fight in Fresno State University's Save Mart Center will be the first world title bout between two Filipino fighters in 93 years (when Pancho Villa defended the world flyweight title against Clever Sencio on May 2, 1925 in Manila).

Ancajas, 29-1-1 (20), is promoted by international boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. Many are predicting that the polite and humble Ancajas may just be the fighter to step up and take over as the biggest star in Philippine boxing as Pacquiao enters the downside of his history-making career.

Ancalas is on the cusp of becoming a major star. His promoters hope the Fresno fight will give him the exposure to make that step to international fight fans

It will be Sultan's first fight in the U.S. Sultan (14-3) is ranked No. 1 by the International Boxing Federation and is coming off his biggest victory, a knockout of John Riel Casimero on Sept. 16 in Cebu, Philippines.


Before this fight was scheduled, neither fighter had ever been to Fresno. Choosing the place of the fight was no accident.

They probably didn't know of the city's existence. Organizers hope to attract some of California's estimated 3.5 million Filipinos, the bulk who live in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. Fresno sits strategically in the middle, almost equidistant from San Francisco and Los Angeles, each about a three-hour drive away.

Al Perez, a Fresno-area promoter for the event recognizes that Filipinos are big boxing fans. "They mirror the Mexican/American community in terms of their love for boxing. And, of course, having a world champion like Manny Pacquiao ups the profile with the Filipino pride that Manny has brought to the sport."

Perez told ESPN that he traveled with his adviser, Titus Verzosa, a lifetime member of the Filipino American Association of Fresno & Vicinity, on a grassroots tour to spread word about the fight at grocery stores, restaurants and in the nearby farming community of Delano, which has a sizable Filipino/American population.

With the popularity of the sport among Filipinos and Filipino/Americans, it is a wonder that aren't more fights featuring Filipino fighters. Promoters like to use the racial angle -- Filipinos vs. Latinos, Latinos vs. African/Americans, African/Americans vs. white -- to garner more fans.

Fresno doesn't have the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas, nor the history and traditon of Madison Square Garden, but the fighters are happy to be fighting in the U.S.

"This is an historical fight for every Filipino out there," said Michael Aldeguer, president and CEO of the Ala Promotions team backing Sultan. He told ESPN, "To be here in the U.S., in the boxing mecca of the world, and to showcase our fighters on the world stage, this is it. They have to be inspired to be part of history. I hope Filipinos realize that and come Saturday so they can say, 'I was there watching the first Filipino title fight in 93 years.'"

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