Pacquiao Edges Marquez Via Split Decision

Manny Pacquiao defeated Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday via split decision to capture the WBC and The Ring super featherweight world championships.

The bout was a rematch of a hotly-contested May 2004 draw.

Pacquiao earned scorecards of 115-112 and 114-113 to capture the title. One judge favored Marquez 115-112.

Though the fight was a back-and-forth battle in the ring and on the scorecards the decisive point came in round three when Pacquiao landed a left-hook knockdown for a 10-8 round, the deciding factor on the 114-113 scorecard.

Though there have been numerous calls for an immediate rematch, it is expected Pacquiao will next move to lightweight to take on David Diaz later this year while Marquez’s plans remain undecided.