Manny Pacquiao Edges Keith Thurman for WBA Welterweight Crown

For a brief moment in their Premier Boxing Champions on Fox pay-per-view showdown, it looked like Manny Pacquiao was going to make quick work of previously-undefeated Keith Thurman.

Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO) was astonishingly fast against Thurman and dropped the Floridian with a blistering right to the jaw late in the opening round. Thurman wasn't badly hurt by the punch, but "Pac Man" began an early rounds assault on the American, and it looked as though the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer was in his mid-20s.

Pacquiao moved in and out, side-to-side and was busting "One Time" up with right jabs and powerful lefts to the head. The Filipino legend also dug powerful hooks to Thurman's body early and often, bloodied his nose and mouth and was dominating him for the first several rounds of action. Thurman, it seemed, couldn't figure out the eight-division world champion.

However, Thurman (29-1, 22 KO) found a second win in the second half of the fight. "One Time' began pressing the action, digging lefts to the body and tossing out scattered lefts and rights upstairs behind a slick left jab. Pacquiao slowed down considerably down the stretch and the tide was officially turned. What prevented Thurman from a complete takeover, though, was a wicked left to the guts from Pacquiao late in the 10th round that badly hurt the American.

The two 147-pound warriors exchanged solid blows in the championship rounds and Thurman rallied, but his late surge just wasn't enough. While one judge scored it 114-113 for Thurman, that tally was overturned by the other two officials, who both saw it 115-112 for Pacquiao, who won the contest via split decision for the WBA welterweight crown.