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Pacquiao is boxing's savior
Pacquiao is boxing's savior
May 4, 4:39 PMMississippi Fight Sports ExaminerBrad Cooney
Back when I was growing up in New York I used to look forward to watching boxing on TV for free on the weekends. Now if you want to watch a big fight, be prepared to fork over about 50 bucks. With the fall of the heavyweight division the sport desperately needed a lift up. Along came Manny Pacquiao, a kid from General Santos City PI who would rise from poverty to international stardom in a few quick years.
The last person who carried the sport of boxing on their back was Mike Tyson. Since Tyson's retirement there has been nobody else able to do it. It would be a featherweight from the Philippines that would step up to the plate next. Manny Pacquiao has taken the torch from Tyson and has single handedly lifted the sport of boxing from it's death back to life.
Little by little Pacquiao would climb up the ranks and in doing so gained the attention of the boxing insiders. I spoke with the President of USA Boxing's Southern Association, Stan Nichols. He is also the Chief of Officials for the state of Mississippi. Nichols reflected back when he first saw Pacquiao, " I remember watching Pacquiao the first time he fought Marco Antonio Barrera. I remember asking myself, 'who the heck is this little guy?' I remember telling myself that this guy from the Philippines is going to be around for a long time."
On the way to the top, Pacquiao would clean out 7 weight divisions and he would defeat sure fire hall of famer's in doing so. The world would start to pay attention to boxing once again. Pacquiao brought boxing onto network television shows. Manny appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, he would be on Billboard's, Nike Commercials, singing tours, in movies, and the list goes on. And one thing that Pacquiao would not do? He would not get into trouble. He represents the sport with dignity and with respect for his peers.
Boxing desperately needed someone like Manny Pacquiao to come along. Manny has answered the call and has single handedly brought this sport back to life again. It's not that the sport hasn't had great fights without Manny, it has. With that said, there has not been anyone since Tyson that has been able to put the sport back into the mainstream.
Of course we all saw what Pacquiao did to Miguel Cotto and Clottey. And more recently we saw what Mayweather did to Shane Mosley. Obviously the fight that makes the most sense or cents for both guys is to fight each other. Hopefully an agreement can be reached and the two top fighters in the world can settle the score.
Read the latest on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather negotiations here - http://www.examiner.com/x-10947-Fili...ps-start-talks
Until that happens, it's Manny Pacquiao as the sports pound for pound king. As much as Floyd wants to claim that title again, he can't. He must take it back from Pacquiao inside of the ring.
May 4, 4:39 PMMississippi Fight Sports ExaminerBrad Cooney
Back when I was growing up in New York I used to look forward to watching boxing on TV for free on the weekends. Now if you want to watch a big fight, be prepared to fork over about 50 bucks. With the fall of the heavyweight division the sport desperately needed a lift up. Along came Manny Pacquiao, a kid from General Santos City PI who would rise from poverty to international stardom in a few quick years.
The last person who carried the sport of boxing on their back was Mike Tyson. Since Tyson's retirement there has been nobody else able to do it. It would be a featherweight from the Philippines that would step up to the plate next. Manny Pacquiao has taken the torch from Tyson and has single handedly lifted the sport of boxing from it's death back to life.
Little by little Pacquiao would climb up the ranks and in doing so gained the attention of the boxing insiders. I spoke with the President of USA Boxing's Southern Association, Stan Nichols. He is also the Chief of Officials for the state of Mississippi. Nichols reflected back when he first saw Pacquiao, " I remember watching Pacquiao the first time he fought Marco Antonio Barrera. I remember asking myself, 'who the heck is this little guy?' I remember telling myself that this guy from the Philippines is going to be around for a long time."
On the way to the top, Pacquiao would clean out 7 weight divisions and he would defeat sure fire hall of famer's in doing so. The world would start to pay attention to boxing once again. Pacquiao brought boxing onto network television shows. Manny appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, he would be on Billboard's, Nike Commercials, singing tours, in movies, and the list goes on. And one thing that Pacquiao would not do? He would not get into trouble. He represents the sport with dignity and with respect for his peers.
Boxing desperately needed someone like Manny Pacquiao to come along. Manny has answered the call and has single handedly brought this sport back to life again. It's not that the sport hasn't had great fights without Manny, it has. With that said, there has not been anyone since Tyson that has been able to put the sport back into the mainstream.
Of course we all saw what Pacquiao did to Miguel Cotto and Clottey. And more recently we saw what Mayweather did to Shane Mosley. Obviously the fight that makes the most sense or cents for both guys is to fight each other. Hopefully an agreement can be reached and the two top fighters in the world can settle the score.
Read the latest on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather negotiations here - http://www.examiner.com/x-10947-Fili...ps-start-talks
Until that happens, it's Manny Pacquiao as the sports pound for pound king. As much as Floyd wants to claim that title again, he can't. He must take it back from Pacquiao inside of the ring.
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