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By Jake Donovan - Going into the fight, the assessment of Manny Pacquiao’s leap-frogging through weight classes conjured up memories of boxing’s most famous triple threat, Henry Armstrong.
It was more than 70 years ago when the legendary human windmill became the only fighter in boxing history to simultaneously reign as lineal champions in three separate weight classes, ruling the roost at – in order – featherweight, welterweight and lightweight.
There was no world title – or trinket of any kind – at stake in Saturday night’s main event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, but present day pound-for-pound king Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao doesn’t need a belt around his waist to keep the discussion relevant.
In fact, a new discussion begins. It doesn’t end with his referral as a modern day Henry Armstrong. It instead extends to where he belongs amongst the ranks of names like Armstrong, Ali, Louis, Duran and Robinson after racking up the most high-profile win of his caree, scoring an upset of the ages after forcing Oscar de la Hoya to quit on his stool after eight shockingly one-sided rounds.
A boxing match threatened to break out in the early going, with de la Hoya working behind the jab, though often falling way short. Pacquiao remained on the outside, measuring up Oscar in seeking the perfect opportunity to creep inside. That moment would come a minute in, when the Pinoy phenom cracked him with a straight left and a right hook.
It was Pacquiao who remained the aggressor for most of the round, though de la Hoya rediscovered his jab with about a minute to go. The stick hardly bothered Pacquiao, who came right back with consecutive straight lefts to seal the round. [details]
It was more than 70 years ago when the legendary human windmill became the only fighter in boxing history to simultaneously reign as lineal champions in three separate weight classes, ruling the roost at – in order – featherweight, welterweight and lightweight.
There was no world title – or trinket of any kind – at stake in Saturday night’s main event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, but present day pound-for-pound king Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao doesn’t need a belt around his waist to keep the discussion relevant.
In fact, a new discussion begins. It doesn’t end with his referral as a modern day Henry Armstrong. It instead extends to where he belongs amongst the ranks of names like Armstrong, Ali, Louis, Duran and Robinson after racking up the most high-profile win of his caree, scoring an upset of the ages after forcing Oscar de la Hoya to quit on his stool after eight shockingly one-sided rounds.
A boxing match threatened to break out in the early going, with de la Hoya working behind the jab, though often falling way short. Pacquiao remained on the outside, measuring up Oscar in seeking the perfect opportunity to creep inside. That moment would come a minute in, when the Pinoy phenom cracked him with a straight left and a right hook.
It was Pacquiao who remained the aggressor for most of the round, though de la Hoya rediscovered his jab with about a minute to go. The stick hardly bothered Pacquiao, who came right back with consecutive straight lefts to seal the round. [details]
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