Manny Pacquiao fought Floyd Mayweather with shoulder injury
Manny Pacquiao said after losing Saturday's highly anticipated world welterweight championship to Floyd Mayweather that he fought with a shoulder injury sustained in training.
Pacquiao also sought to take an anti-inflammatory shot before the fight, but Nevada officials denied his request.
Pacquiao, who entered the fight as the underdog to Mayweather, lost in a unanimous decision.
"You know, this training camp, I thought we were planning to postpone our event," Pacquiao said after the fight. It had been two weeks I didn't train good, or I didn't use my right hand."
Pacquiao, who was out-punched 435–429 by Mayweather, took anti-inflammatory shots during camp, but his request to take the shot before the fight was denied by the Nevada Athletic Commission shortly after 9 p.m. ET, reports Yahoo Sports.
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Trainer Freddie Roach said Pacquiao sustained the injury about a month ago when Pacquiao threw a right-handed punch during training. Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said it was the same injury Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant suffered, a torn rotator cuff that ended his 2014–2015 season.
Mayweather responded to questions regarding Pacquiao's injury after the fight.
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"I'm going to answer the best way I know how," Mayweather said. "I had injuries also, going into this fight. If he would've came out victorious, the only thing I could've got up here and said is, 'You know what, I got to show respect and say he was the better man' if he beat me. Both of my arms was injured, both of my hands was injured. But like I said before, I will always find a way to win.
- Mike Fiammetta