On Saturday night, Manny Pacquiao will challenge Miguel Angel Cotto for a version of the world welterweight championship. If Pacquiao wins, it will be his seventh title in a different weight class.
Granted, the number of weight classes has more than doubled since I first started following boxing in the 1950s and ’60s, and the number of sanctioning bodies have quadrupled, thereby somewhat watering down Pacquiao’s achievements. Still, he has demonstrated his greatness at various weight classes — not an easy thing to do.
In that regard, Pacquiao reminds me of some multi-division champs of the past. Such as:
Henry Armstong. In the 1930s, he won world titles in the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight divisions.
Sugar Ray Robinson. In the 1940s, he was welterweight champ. In the 1950s, he was middleweight champ. He also challenged for the light-heavyweight title, but lost.
Emile Griffith. In the 1960s, he won the welterweight and middleweight titles.
Carmen Basilio. In the 1960s, he also won the welterweight and middleweight titles.
Dick Tiger. In the 1960s (was this a golden age or what?) he won the middleweight and light heavyweight crowns.
Michael Spinks. In the 1980s, he won the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles.
