Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Key Stats That Prove Result Was Correct

In retrospect of Floyd Mayweather’s lopsided victory over Manny Pacquiao, there has been plenty of fallout.

Whether it’s the American being accused of sapping the fight of any entertainment value or the Filipino’s shoulder injury—with both the physical and now legal connotations being discussed, per BBC Sport—everyone seems to have an opinion on what went down in Las Vegas:

But the statistics emphatically indicate Mayweather was a worthy winner. With that in mind, just in case you still felt uneasy about the result of this bout, here are some figures to add credence to Floyd’s victory.

Statistics Emphatically Support Floyd’s Win

Pacquiao and his coach Freddie Roach were extremely critical of Mayweather’s style in the aftermath of the Filipino’s loss. The latter claimed that Money “ran well” during the fight, per Ben Dirs of BBC Sport, and as we can hear courtesy of AudioBoom, Manny actually believed in the immediate aftermath that he’d won the contest:

John Locher/Associated Press

While it’s not a perspective many in the boxing firmament have agreed on, their frustrations were clear. Not only did Pacquiao lose in one of the biggest fights in the sport’s history, but he didn’t get near his opponent for the majority of the 12 rounds. The result was a pretty short highlight reel when reflecting on the action.

Mayweather has also drawn plenty of plaudits for his technical, defensive display. But ESPN’s Skip Bayless has insisted that this style shouldn’t be winning him fights:

John Locher/Associated Press

But if we delve a little deeper into the minutiae of the action from Las Vegas, the statistics actually paint a completely different picture. While the pre-fight analysis was all about how Mayweather would deal with the flurry of punches in bunches from Pacquiao, the American was actually the busier hitter and much more accurate with his shots.

Indeed, as we can see here courtesy of Compubox (h/t the Press Association Sport), Floyd dominated almost every statistical category:

These numbers are stunning on reflection. Yes, many will point to Pacquiao’s shoulder injury as a debilitating factor in this fight, and it was abundantly clear that the Filipino was uncharacteristically cautious during his time in the ring.

As we can see here courtesy of Compubox, something definitely wasn’t quite right with Manny’s offensive approach:

Eric Jamison/Associated Press

However, the judges can only go off what’s in front of them, and as is obvious by the aforementioned infographic, Mayweather was unrelentingly dominant throughout this contest. As the American noted himself in the aftermath of the Vegas showdown, he was just on another level to his opponent:

With that in mind, the most important statistic of all is Mayweather’s new professional career record: 48 fights, 48 wins. So many classy opponents have tried and failed to breach Money’s impenetrable defensive shell, but his sharp counterpunching, refined in-ring instincts and complete mastery of the sweet science make him an immaculate fighter.

As noted here by Ian Darke of BT Sport, the American is almost too good for his own good:

Those wanting to see Mayweather get involved in a tear-up will be disappointed when tuning in to what is set to be his final fight later this year, but perhaps for one final time, we should all sit back and appreciate the extraordinary boxing skills this supreme fighter possesses.

Pacquiao now faces a spell on the sidelines with his injury problems, and it remains to be seen whether he makes a return to the ring after recovering. There will be an irrepressible sense of frustration as he undergoes a lengthy recuperation process and, although he stated otherwise in the aftermath, Manny will be acutely aware he was beaten by a maestro before the bright Vegas lights.