What a fabulous year it’s been for Manny Pacquiao! His rags-to-riches story continues and if the rumors circulating throughout the boxing world come to pass, the best is yet to come for the Filipino Sensation. Hailed as ‘The Mexi-cutioner’, Pacquiao’s boxing skills have apparently improved with each new division he’s ascended to, an unheard of feat in modern boxing. Perhaps it’s the result of working with Freddie Roach for several years that has resulted in this stunning metamorphosis, but the fact remains that Manny has taken less and less punishment each year, culminating in his shutout stoppage of Oscar De La Hoya ten days ago. Now, a showdown with Rickie ‘Hitman’ Hatton looms on the horizon…or maybe not! With accomplished stars like Timothy Bradley at 140 lbs. and Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto at 147 lbs., the sky’s the limit in terms of future mega-fights for the diminutive superstar from General Santos City in the Philippines. And don’t forget about a third showdown with Marquez or the fact that Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather is believed to be coming out of retirement or that Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera are both signed to fight in the coming months or that Nate Campbell and Juan ‘Baby Bull’ Diaz are both chomping at the bit for a shot at boxing’s newest rainmaker or…Well, you get the point. The possibilities are endless for Pacquiao because he’s become not only boxing’s new pound-for-pound king, but possibly its biggest box office attraction, as well!
Three major fights in three different weight classes have resulted in three victories achieved in three different ways. And the amazing aspect of it all is that each fight presented a different challenge.
In his rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez, it was widely believed that the Mexican possessed the refined boxing skills to reverse the hotly-disputed result of their first encounter, and he nearly did! The Compubox Punchstat numbers would indicate that based on accuracy and power punches landed, Marquez deserved the nod, but let’s leave that argument for another day. Again, however, an early round knockdown cost Marquez, and Pacquiao was able to escape with yet another narrow point?s victory over his greatest Mexican rival.
Pacquiao’s challenge of David Diaz for the lightly-regarded WBC Lightweight title had fans asking whether Manny could handle the extra five pounds against a crude puncher lacking the overall skills of a Marquez or Barrera. Well, Pacquiao answered that question and did so in spectacular fashion, scoring a stunning ninth round knockout over a bloodied and broken Diaz. So comprehensive was the destruction of Diaz that boxing experts were immediately entertaining the prospect of a Pacquiao-Hatton rumble at 140 lbs, but that fight would have to remain on the drawing board because when ‘The Golden Boy’ comes calling with pockets full of cash and pay-per-view percentages, everyone listens. Let’s just call Oscar the ‘E.F. Hutton’ of boxing.
As ill-advised as the bout with Oscar in yet another weight class seemed, Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, strongly-believed that Manny had the elusiveness and varied attack to not only elude Oscar’s vaunted left hook, but make him pay with precise counter-punching. And that’s exactly what happened on the night of December 6, 2008. Oscar not only couldn’t find Manny all night; he took a severe beating, as well! Speed killed that evening in Las Vegas, and it was the legendary career of Oscar De La Hoya that was rendered lifeless by a constant barrage of lead overhand lefts and uppercuts. In almost every round following the second, it seemed as though Pacquiao couldn’t miss landing whatever he threw, if he tried. Oscar knew it. Freddie knew it. Spectator?s ringside and viewing on HBO PPV knew it. It marked the culmination of a year unlike any the sport of boxing has seen in quite some time. Though he won title fights in three different weight classes, in truth, Manny Pacquiao scaled four weight classes and seventeen pounds, moving seamlessly from 130 lbs. to 135 lbs. to 147 lbs., bypassing the 140 lb. division altogether! Quite remarkable stuff!
So while boxing fans like myself will grumble and grouse about the fact that Manny ?left too many fights on the table? in other weight classes, bouts against the likes of Chris John at 126 lbs., Edwin Valero at 130 lbs., and Nate Campbell and Juan Diaz at 135 lbs., we also have to keep in mind that his amazing career is not over. We can look forward to potential showdowns with Bradley, Mayweather, Cotto and Margarito. While Pacquiao could very well compete favorably against the accomplished but still developing Bradley and the punishment-prone Cotto, it’s doubtful that he’d be able to neutralize Mayweather’s versatility or Margarito’s size, relentlessness and propensity for breaking his opponent’s wills.
So while we wish Manny Pacquiao a Happy Thirtieth Birthday, we do so with much gratitude for a 2008 filled with amazing accomplishments and the anticipation of even bigger things to come in 2009!
