0 Pacquiao vs. Rios: Does Manny Matter Again After Dominant Win?

Brandon Rios was either going to be the perfect opponent for Manny Pacquiao or the worst imaginable one. It was obvious right away which it would be. Pacquiao, utilizing his fast feet and even faster hands, pitched a shutout in Macau, China, a big first step on the road back to relevance.

Rios, all the experts agreed, was there to be hit. It was a weakness he had turned into a strength of sorts, wading through hell and back, eating punch after punch, for the pleasure of throwing his own.

But it was a weakness nonetheless. 

Tops among Paquiao's myriad talents as a boxer has always been his hand speed. He throws punches with reckless abandon, using his incredible footwork and unorthodox angles to confuse opponents before landing power punches. The question was would they have enough on them to stop Rios in his plodding tracks? Did Rios stand the slightest chance against one of the best fighters of his generation?

The answers, quite clearly, were "yes" and "no," respectively. Pacquiao blistered Rios with rights and lefts, punches coming from every imaginable angle and in every conceivable combination.