The rousing tenth round TKO victory of welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr who handed Britain?s Ricky Hatton his first defeat in a knockdown, drag-out brawl before a jam-packed crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ensured that Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao will remain as No. 2 in Ring Magazine?s pound-for-pound ranking.
Prior to the telecast of the blockbuster fight card over the giant Philippine broadcast network ABS-CBN yesterday, Collins told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that if ?Pretty Boy? Mayweather won in a comprehensive manner he would almost surely retain the top spot which seemed certain after his TKO win.
The Ring editor-in-chief said that if Mayweather had won in a comprehensive but uninteresting manner he would have still most likely retained his No.1 spot.? But he won handsomely which means that for Pacquiao to have a chance of replacing Mayweather at the top he would have to demolish WBC super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Maquez in impressive fashion in their March 15 rematch.
Collins pointed out that ?something more important? than the mythical pound-for-pound title is at stake in the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch since the winner will be crowned the Ring junior lightweight champion.
Collins said that should Pacquiao win he will join Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather as the ?only two active fighters to win Ring Magazine belts in two weight classes.? Hopkins held the Ring middleweight title and is currently the light heavyweight champion while Mayweather is the former Ring lightweight champion and the current welterweight champion.?
Pacquiao had earlier received the Ring Magazine featherweight belt which was personally presented by Collins at a Malacanang ceremony graced by the presence of one of Pacquiao?s staunches supporters through the years ? President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
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