Manny Pacquiao did much more than end the world-class career of one of this generation’s finest talents when he destroyed Mexican great Erik Morales in three thunderous rounds in Las Vegas last Saturday night.
The manner of Pacquiao’s victory was so emphatic it marked the Filipino firebrand out as a serious contender to Floyd Mayweather’s coveted status as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.
It virtually booked his future place in the sport’s Hall of Fame, and when Pacquiao is one day inducted there is every likelihood it will be as the greatest fighter ever to come out of Asia.
That is an honour which for decades has been fought out between fans of the extraordinary, globe-trotting flyweight Pancho Villa, and lightweight star Flash Elorde, who beat both Sandy Saddler and Carlos Ortiz.
Pacquaio is a genuine superstar in the Philippines, and his star will blaze brighter across the continent if his next projected fight against Venezuelan sensation Edwin Valero comes to fruition.
Promoter Bob Arum wants to make the fight in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, creating arguably the biggest world title fight seen in Asia since the ‘Thriller in Manila’ 31 years ago.
Only Mike Tyson’s devastating knockout loss to James Buster Douglas in Tokyo in 1990 has since succeeded in bringing an Asian boxing event to a truly global audience.
The devastating Pacquaio, who mixes a kamikaze, come-forward style with ferocious power and blistering hand-speed, is now big enough news to sell out, whoever is standing in the opposite corner.
If it is the reigning WBA super-featherweight king Valero, it promises to be a mouth-watering showdown to rival Mayweather’s mooted clash with Oscar De La Hoya as the boxing event of 2007.
“We would like to make Manny’s next fight in Macau against the kid from Venezuela who can’t fight in the United States,” confirmed Arum. “How is that for a little present?”
Valero, who is banned from fighting in the United States following irregularities in an MRI scan, knocked out all of his first 18 professional opponents in the first round.
In his 19th fight he was extended to round two, before almost keeping his amazing early record intact in his world title challenge last August when he decked Vicente Mosquera twice in round one.
Mosquera got up and knocked Valero to the canvas one round later but the Venezuelan showed he was about much more than simple punch power by going on to finish the job in round 10.
Pacquaio has the ability to turn almost all his contests into true highlight reel affairs – his clash with Morales has already been compared with the three-round war that was Hagler versus Hearns.
Pacquaio shrugs off the plaudits foisted upon him in the manner of a man for whom the love of prize-fighting, and the love of millions of people in his homeland, is reward enough.
The debate over whether Pacquaio has now eclipsed even the exceptional talents of Mayweather will rage on satellite television stations and internet message boards for months to come.
He says: “I think the people will decide on that, not the fighter.”
But if he dispenses with Valero in similar style, the people will find the case for Pacquaio even harder to resist.
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Vitali Klitschko has dismissed claims made in some German newspapers that he is back in training in Hamburg and intending to make a comeback.
Klitschko was forced to retire as reigning world heavyweight champion due to persistent knee and back problems and insists those injuries will prevent him ever returning.
Klitschko said: “Due to all my injuries, my sports career is over. If I can feel the pain from an injury I cannot be thinking about a comeback. If I want to come back I have to be in top form.”
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Former IBF super-middleweight champion Jeff Lacy will have his first fight since his mauling by Joe Calzaghe when he meets Vitali Tsypko in Tampa on December 2.
Lacy has split with his promoter Gary Shaw and insists he has put the first loss of his career behind him.
Lacy told the Las Vegas Review Journal: “Everybody has a bad night and that was the worst night of my life.
“A lot of stuff was going on behind the scenes and it all came into play that night. I didn’t want to walk away from that fight, but maybe I should have.”
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The eastern European heavyweight invasion shows no signs of abating despite Sergei Liakhovich’s loss of his WBO title in dramatic fashion to Shannon Briggs this month.
Next up for 7ft 1in WBA champion Nikolai Valuev should be Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev, who earned his chance with a split decision win over former champion John Ruiz in Dusseldorf.
Valuev watched the fight from ringside and said he was ready to give Chagaev his chance. He said: “Chagaev won two or three rounds more than Ruiz – the win was earned.”
