MANILA, Philippines - Most if not all of Manny Pacquiao’s fans are used to seeing the pound-for-pound king slug it out against an opponent, only to see the latter be knocked out for another victory for the Pacman.

Sunday’s match against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey, however, was a far cry from the usual Pacquiao fight. There were no knockdowns and no toe-to-toe exchanges. All they saw was Pacquiao relentlessly looking for an opening in the turtle-like defense that Clottey put up virtually all fight long.

After the fight, many who commented on the social web described the match in one word: boring.

Local boxing analysts said Pacquiao is not to blame for having a “not so Pacquiao like” show.

“Every time they watch Manny, they expect to always see an exciting fight, but that fight was not Manny's fault. It was because of an opponent who was unwilling to trade leather with Manny,” lamented analyst Dennis Principe.

Another analyst, Ed Tolentino, said it was evident that Pacquiao was very well conditioned and ready to slug it out against Clottey for the full 12 rounds. He added, however, that the bout was like “a dance that did not happen as choreographed. “

“Maganda naging performance ni Manny Pacquiao. Talagang pulido at maganda kondisyon. Pero wag nating kakalimutan that in boxing, it takes two to tango. It was only Mannny Paquiao who showed up in the fight, ready to fight, ready to dance, ready to rock and roll. E itong si Joshua Clottey mukhang rhythm and blues nasa utak e,” he said.

Fans dissatisfied

Veteran boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz said it was understandable that some boxing fans would feel dissatisfied with the conduct of the fight.

He added, however, that boxing purists and aficionados were able to appreciate the class and savvy that Pacquiao showed amidst the conditions set by Clottey.

“Somebody who always wants a KO or a blood-and-guts fight will not be satisfied with that, but a true boxing aficionado would be pleased with that. It was not a fighter's fight. It was a boxer's fight. Clottey was the grandmaster, but in this game of chess if you will, Pacquiao was the international grandmaster,” he said.

The experts said Clottey realized he couldn’t win and opted to hide and count his money even before the fight was over.

Principe said Clottey came to the realization as early as round 3.  “I think he realized after 3 or 4 rounds wala syang panalo kay Manny so he thought to preserve his reputation as someone na hindi pa napapabagsak,” he said.

Nathanielsz said Clottey could not afford to gamble by going on the offensive if he did not want to risk his record of never being knocked out. “He realized that if he exposes himself, the speed of Pacquiao will eventually get him and knock him out, so he went back to his shell. Even if Lenny de Jesus was screaming at him in the corner ‘You're losing every goddamn round. Throw some punches, let it go, take some risks.’ But no, he was going off with $2 milllion and his record intact that he has never been knocked out.”

But one thing was certain for the experts: it was that amidst the sure-win that was clear as early as the 4th round, Manny Pacquaio still went for the kill. He threw an average of 100 punches per round even until the final bell. Pacquiao showed the courage and commitment to entertaining the 50,000+ fans who paid to see his show. 

“Remember, he's not just a warrior, he's an entertainer.  He always says he wants to give the fans a show, and if you have 50,000 people watching you, what are you supposed to do? You go out and give them a show, and he went out in style,” Nathanielsz said.

As for Manny’s next opponent, the analysts are in unison. It must be Floyd Mayweather Jr., that is, if he defeats Sugar Shane Mosely in his own bout on May 1.