Given the common opponent, Pacquiao's boxing skills are somewhere marginally behind Richar Abril's still.
Hey fought smart he didn't get reckless to me I think that's why everybody saying he slowed he just wasnt crazy wild to me!!!
His movement and slipping of punches was as exquisite as the DLH fight. Pac have always had underrated boxing skills mostly overshadowed by his electrifying KOs during his prime.
Looked great after a 1 year lay off and after that KO he suffered previously and to win against a big puncher in Rios. Damn, Pac taking Rios's shots what a chin after that KO he suffered against Marquez.
He still has a great sense of positioning, not too far not too close. He still mixes up his feints to set-up the lead. Whatever look he gives you, means any number of things, and he does this back-to-back-to-back. He still maintains discipline setting up the lead, coming in accurately, and then angling out, all the way to the final bell, dozens of times each round. If someone's not impressed, maybe it's because you've seen Pac do it so often you become jaded.
People need to understand that the level of opponent that people are in the ring with plays a huge part on how a persons particular trait or skills look on display. This is Brandon Rios we are talking about. A guy Mike Alvarado was able to outbox. Pac has faded. Hes obviously a great fighter, which is why he is able to dominate contenders like Rios while being faded.... but his skills were not all that elite tonight, and were not on the level of a few years ago. Just imo. I respect that others think hes still got it. But imo they are in for a rude awakening when he fights a top tier fighter (which Rios is most definitely not) This fight was always about making Pac look good. Im a fan of Pac, and I hope he proves me wrong.