Philippines, 10 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Chunks of History


PhilBoxing.com




For the third time in his career, Manny Pacquiao was involved in a fight which had a historical and linear world title belt on the line from Ring Magazine.

The first was in November 2003 when he beat Marco Antonio Barrera for the Ring Magazine featherweight world title. Last March 2008, when he beat Juan Manuel Maquez for the WBC superfeatherweight world title, he was also considered the world 130 lb. champion by the publication considered as Boxings bible because Pacquiao and Marquez were ranked by the Ring as the top two in the division.

Pacquiao took the Ring magazine junior welterweight title from Britain's Ricky The Hitman Hatton with an electrifying two round blitzkrieg that shocked most boxing pundits who were expecting a more competitive bout. Hatton walked into a right hook in the first round, got up and fell down again after a lightning barrage but was saved by the bell. In the second, like all recent Pacman opponents, Hatton could not see Pacquiao's left coming for his jaw.

This places Pacquiao in a lofty place in boxing history. The likes of Henry Armstrong and Bob Fitzimmons won undisputed titles in three different weights during the time when there was still only one world sanctioning body.

Incredibly, Pacquiao has fought in four weight categories in a span of fifteen months and won world titles in three of them.
Aside from the Ring magazine belts, he has also won four world titles from the major sanctioning bodies - the WBC flyweight, IBF superbantamweight, WBC superfeatherweight and WBC lightweight in his fourteen year professional career. He is also the first Asian boxer to be ranked number one best fighter pound per pound in the world.

Ring magazine as a publication started in 1922 and started their own championship policy in 2002.

The junior welterweight division lineage started in 1925 with James Herring as its first champion. Roberto Cruz was the first Filipino to win the world junior welterweight championship when he knocked out Battling Torres of Mexico in a single round in a bout held in Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles in 1963 when the original WBA was the lone boxing sanctioning body.

The title was split when the WBC was created and Pedro Adigue of the Philippines became the first WBC jr.welterweight titlist in 1968 when he beat Adolf Pruitt of the U.S. by 15 round decision in a bout held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The WBA continued to recognize Nicolino Locche as its champion then he lost to Peppermint Frazier in 1972. The titles remained split since as the IBF emerged during the mid-1980s. The WBO started in 1988 while the IBO, whose belt Hatton also held, started during the late eighties and evolved as an organization during the early 1990's.

Other Filipinos who won titles at 140 pounds include Morris East (WBA 1992).

Kotsya Tszyu finally unified the titles again when he beat Miguel Angel Gonzales for the WBC belt in 1999, Sharmba Mitchell for the WBA title in 2000 and Zab Judah for the IBF belt in 2001.

When Tzsyu lost to Ricky Hatton by 11th round TKO in 2005, the linear title was passed on to the British fighter. Titles are won and lost inside the ring after all thus Pacquiao can lay claim to the lineage. Pacquiao has now distinguished himself in six weight divisions. Not bad for a guy who started at light flyweight.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Meinke-Vargas IBF Featherweight Female World Championship Set for 12 rounds?
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 10 Mar 2026
  • Ruiz and Veloz Earn Dominant Wins on Opening Day of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Tue, 10 Mar 2026
  • Top Rank Signs Undefeated Lightweight Prospect Sammy Contreras
    , Tue, 10 Mar 2026
  • 153 swimmers safely complete Davao-Samal-Davao Cross Channel
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Mar 2026
  • Leading World Cruiserweight Contender Ryan ‘The Bruiser’ Rozicki returns from 15-month layoff with another overpowering KO
    , Mon, 09 Mar 2026
  • Roca, Bernardino share top honors in Tea Block rapid chess tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 08 Mar 2026
  • Fastpitch Softball on March 20-22 in Calinan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 08 Mar 2026
  • Opetaia vs Glanton: Dana White Crowns First Boxing Champion. Is Fight Worthy?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sun, 08 Mar 2026
  • In Thrilling Showdown, Pagara Falls Short Against Polkinghorn by Points.
    , Sun, 08 Mar 2026
  • Unofficial Unification Tournament Brewing For Welterweights
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • Fight Results from Montreal: Steven Butler Obliterates Ramadan Hiseni; Wins by Lenar Perez, Jhon Orobio and Steve Claggett
    By Eric Armit, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • Former Champ Junior Makabu visits WBC offices in Mexico City
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • WEIGHTS FROM SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA
    , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • Weights from Atlantic City
    , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • PFL Releases Francis Ngannou
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • Polkinghorn, Pagara at the Scales in Perth, Australia
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • Young Briton Rising Star: Callum Dan's Quest for Boxing Glory
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • Chua rules Pattaya Open; pockets $22,500
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026
  • All Star Boxing live on ESPN DEPORTES Weights from Nicaragua
    , Fri, 06 Mar 2026
  • Ryan Rozicki’s Return: Presser Quotes from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
    , Fri, 06 Mar 2026
  • Undefeated Heavyweight Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo Returns to Headline “Havoc at the Hilton 3” March 7 in Florida
    , Fri, 06 Mar 2026
  • AQ Prime Chess bet Marius Zabanal Constante of Pasig City rules Elementary Division of NCR Palarong Pambansa Standard chess elims
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 06 Mar 2026
  • World-Ranked Light Heavyweight Najee Lopez Battles Mexican Strongman Manuel Gallegos
    , Fri, 06 Mar 2026
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Travels to Thailand for 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Fri, 06 Mar 2026
  • Eddie Hearn Signs UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall for New Matchroom Talent Agency
    , Fri, 06 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.