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By Douglas Batiste (Featured Columnist) on September 24, 2010
June 2008, Manny Pacquaio moved up in weight to fight David Diaz for his WBC Lightweight Championship.
Diaz was knocked out in the ninth round.
That would be the only time he fought in the weight class. The very next year, Pacquaio fought at Junior Welterweight for the first time in his career, and again he knocked Ricky Hatton out in the second round to win his first title and only title in that division.
Later that year, he fought Miguel Cotto at the Welterweight division at a catch weight of 145 pounds. He won that fight with a 12th-round stoppage, awarding him his first title in the Welterweight Division.
Since then, Manny Pacquaio hasn’t defended either belt at lightweight or Junior Welterweight. Floyd Mayweather would have been his first title defense at either weight class in almost two years if the negotiation were successful.
In the last two years, Manny Pacquaio has received three belts in three different weight classes. If he is successful November 13, that will be his fourth in two years.
Sounds real accomplished, but what’s also su****ious is none of the belts were ever defended.
I’m starting to think that Manny is not interested in fighting any top contenders in any of these weight classes. If he is able to put away Antonio Margarito for the vacated Super Welterweight WBC title, you can bet he won’t be defending that title either.
Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquaio is the dream fight, but right now seems really unlikely, since Floyd is having personal battles of his own.
Although we don’t have Floyd Mayweather, we still have the other person in that equation, and he’ll fight anyone. At least that’s what Top Rank is selling, but I’ve been observing closely, and I’ve realized its one place he won’t go.
The Junior Welterweight is full of great talent: Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander, Amir Khan, and Juan Marquez. The problem with this division is only the informed boxing fan will recognize these names and the talent they possess.
Right now, this division is not a money bag, but if you insert one name “Manny Pacquaio,” this division will reign supreme.
All of these fighters present a great threat to Pac-Man’s career because they all can fight. They are young, smart, and no one is one-dimensional.
These guys are not the walk-in, straight-line fighters Freddie Roach typically pairs his fighter against. In 2009, after beating Ricky Hatton, Pacquaio didn’t stick around to allow them to expose him either.
By far, destroying Miguel Cotto was his greatest accomplishment, but what is getting overwhelmingly obvious is Manny Pacquaio, for the last few years has been fighting losers instead of winners. De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, and now Margarito make up his last five fights, and all suffered career-changing losses right before he chose to fight them.
Boxing has always been a sport where your last fight determines your future. If you win, your chances to fight the best increases; if you lose, you go to the end of the line.
Somehow, Top Rank and Manny Pacquaio have rerouted the map to the top. In recent history, only if you lose in a big fight can you qualify to fight Manny Pacquaio.
June 2008, Manny Pacquaio moved up in weight to fight David Diaz for his WBC Lightweight Championship.
Diaz was knocked out in the ninth round.
That would be the only time he fought in the weight class. The very next year, Pacquaio fought at Junior Welterweight for the first time in his career, and again he knocked Ricky Hatton out in the second round to win his first title and only title in that division.
Later that year, he fought Miguel Cotto at the Welterweight division at a catch weight of 145 pounds. He won that fight with a 12th-round stoppage, awarding him his first title in the Welterweight Division.
Since then, Manny Pacquaio hasn’t defended either belt at lightweight or Junior Welterweight. Floyd Mayweather would have been his first title defense at either weight class in almost two years if the negotiation were successful.
In the last two years, Manny Pacquaio has received three belts in three different weight classes. If he is successful November 13, that will be his fourth in two years.
Sounds real accomplished, but what’s also su****ious is none of the belts were ever defended.
I’m starting to think that Manny is not interested in fighting any top contenders in any of these weight classes. If he is able to put away Antonio Margarito for the vacated Super Welterweight WBC title, you can bet he won’t be defending that title either.
Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquaio is the dream fight, but right now seems really unlikely, since Floyd is having personal battles of his own.
Although we don’t have Floyd Mayweather, we still have the other person in that equation, and he’ll fight anyone. At least that’s what Top Rank is selling, but I’ve been observing closely, and I’ve realized its one place he won’t go.
The Junior Welterweight is full of great talent: Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander, Amir Khan, and Juan Marquez. The problem with this division is only the informed boxing fan will recognize these names and the talent they possess.
Right now, this division is not a money bag, but if you insert one name “Manny Pacquaio,” this division will reign supreme.
All of these fighters present a great threat to Pac-Man’s career because they all can fight. They are young, smart, and no one is one-dimensional.
These guys are not the walk-in, straight-line fighters Freddie Roach typically pairs his fighter against. In 2009, after beating Ricky Hatton, Pacquaio didn’t stick around to allow them to expose him either.
By far, destroying Miguel Cotto was his greatest accomplishment, but what is getting overwhelmingly obvious is Manny Pacquaio, for the last few years has been fighting losers instead of winners. De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, and now Margarito make up his last five fights, and all suffered career-changing losses right before he chose to fight them.
Boxing has always been a sport where your last fight determines your future. If you win, your chances to fight the best increases; if you lose, you go to the end of the line.
Somehow, Top Rank and Manny Pacquaio have rerouted the map to the top. In recent history, only if you lose in a big fight can you qualify to fight Manny Pacquaio.
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