Manny Pacquiao's Shoulder Injury Isn't to Blame for Loss to Floyd Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao fans have an excuse for the disappointment against Floyd Mayweather, but the reality is a loss was coming no matter what.

After the match, it was revealed Pacquiao was dealing with a significant shoulder injury that limited him in the bout. According to Ryan Songalia of Rappler, the Filipino fighter felt "sabotaged" Saturday night because he wasn't allowed to use numbing injections he was previously promised.

Rappler also provided translations for a press conference where Pacquiao claimed Mayweather knew about the injury and used it to his advantage:

ESPN's Dan Rafael later explained the significance of the issue, which was called a "significant tear" of the rotator cuff, a problem that will keep the boxer out of the ring for nine to 12 months. This is clearly something that shouldn't be taken lightly, especially without pain killers.

That said, we saw nothing in the ring to indicate Pacquiao has what it takes to beat Mayweather even when healthy.

Pacquiao was obviously less aggressive than his usual self, but the real issue was his inaccuracy when throwing punches. KO Radio provided a look at the final stats, via CompuBox:

These numbers weren't due to any injuries, but instead Mayweather's technique and strategy in the ring. While his fights are usually boring, he knows how to avoid getting hit, and opponents are rarely able to land a high percentage of punches.

The fact Pacquiao only landed 19 percent of punches in the match might have only been worse if he was more aggressive. This wasn't a fluke, it was Mayweather's usual game plan coming to life against a great opponent.

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports explained exactly what fans watched Saturday night:

Mayweather is truly the best fighter of his generation, and his style is just too perfect for an aggressive opponent like Pacquiao.

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports recently gave his opinion on the bout:

"

No matter what, healthy or not, at the top of his game or not, Manny Pacquiao was not going to defeat Floyd Mayweather Jr.

That's an opinion, and there are others who undoubtedly feel differently, but it's an opinion held after years of carefully watching both men. Nor is it meant to demean Pacquiao, who is one of the elite fighters in the world and has been for many years.

It's the simple, cold hard truth: Mayweather is the better fighter. Period.

"

Those arguing about the shoulder problem also have to remember that most boxers have injuries, especially when you get this late in a career. Mayweather explained his issues as well, via SportsCenter:

This battle was hyped as much as any sporting event in recent history. Fans were waiting for years to see the two stars in action against each other before being extremely disappointed in the result. This wasn't because boxing is dead or because of an injury, but instead it was due to Mayweather's "boring" strategy.

According to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, there is a potential for a rematch between the two sides after Pacquiao recovers from his injury. Some fans will boycott while others will hope for more action, but the result will likely be the same.

Mayweather does what it takes to win and should be able to do it again versus any opponent he faces before retiring.

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