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Manny Pacquiao’s junior middleweight fight with Antonio Margarito is not his most significant bout in recent years, but it’s notable that the Filipino icon faces his heaviest opponent yet and will likely be the heaviest of his Hall-of-Fame career.
If Pacquiao elects to weigh-in at the contracted weight of 150, he will weigh 44 pounds more than the weight at which he turned pro as a skinny 16 year old; 38 pounds more than he weighed for his first title fight, which took place in the flyweight division.
If you think the incredible amount of weight Pacquiao has climbed in the past 10 to 15 years is unheard of, though, you’re wrong. Other fighters -- many of whom are enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame -- have packed on as much (and even more) weight than Pacquiao has.
The fighters have been arranged in order of those whose careers have spanned the most weight.
JAMES TONEY
Lightest weight: 157
Heaviest weight: 237
Weight span: 80
Weight classes competed in: middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight.
SAM LANGFORD
Lightest weight: 139
Heaviest weight: 204
Weight span: 65
Weight classes competed in: lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
ROBERTO DURAN
Lightest weight: 119
Heaviest weight: 176
Weight span: 57
Weight classes competed in: junior lightweight, lightweight, welterweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight and super middleweight.
THOMAS HEARNS
Lightest weight: 144
Heaviest weight: 191
Weight span: 47
Weight classes competed in: welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight.
ROY JONES JR.
Lightest weight: 153
Heaviest weight: 193
Weight span: 40
Weight classes competed in: middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight.
MANNY PACQUIAO
Lightest weight: 106
Heaviest weight: 145
Weight span: 39
Weight classes competed in: flyweight, junior featherweight, featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight.
MICKEY WALKER
Lightest weight: 139
Heaviest weight: 174
Weight span: 35
Weight classes competed in: welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight
JIMMY MCLARNIN
Lightest weight: 112
Heaviest weight: 147
Weight span: 35
Weight classes competed in: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight
OSCAR DE LA HOYA
Lightest weight: 128
Heaviest weight: 160
Weight span: 32
Weight classes competed in: junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight.
MIKE MCCALLUM
Lightest weight: 150
Heaviest weight: 182
Weight span: 32
Weight classes competed in: junior middleweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and cruiserweight.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Henry Armstrong -- the all-time great three-division champ fought from 120-148 pounds (a 28-pound span), taking on Petey Sarron (KO 6), Baby Arizmendi (L 10, L 12), Midget Wolgast (UD 10), and Rodolfo “Baby” Casanova (KO 3, LF 4) at featherweight; Lou Ambers (SD 15, L 15), Beau Jack (L 10), Albert “Chalky” Wright (TKO 3), Mike Belloise (KO 4, UD 10), Pete DeGrasse (KO 10), and Tony Chavez (TKO 1, KO 10) at lightweight; Sugar Ray Robinson (L 10), Barney Ross (UD 15), Fritzie Zivic (L 15, TKO’d 12), Sammy Angott (UD 10), Lew Jenkins (TKO 6, TKO 8), and Juan Zurita (KO 2) at welterweight; and Ceferino Garcia (Draw 10) at middleweight.
Tony Canzoneri -- the all-time great three-division champ fought from 117-143 pounds (a 26-pound span), taking on Bud Taylor (Draw 10, L 10) at bantamweight; Johnny Dundee (UD 15) and Benny Bass (SD 15) at featherweight; Lou Ambers (UD 15, L 15, L 15), Jackie “Kid” Berg (KO 3, UD 15, L 10), Kid Chocolate (KO 2, SD 15), Baby Arizmendi (UD 10), Sammy Mandell (L 10), Al Singer (KO 1, D 10), Billy Petrolle (UD 15, L 10) and Frankie Klick (TKO 9 UD 10) at lightweight; Barney Ross (L 15, L 10), and Johnny Ja**** (UD 10, L 10) at junior welterweight; and Jimmy McLarnin (UD 10, L 10) at welterweight.
Sugar Ray Leonard -- The five-division titleholder and hall of famer fought from 141-165 pounds (a 24-pound span), taking on Roberto Duran (L15, TKO 8), Thomas Hearns (TKO 14), Wilfredo Benitez (TKO 15), Randy Shields (UD 10), Andy Price (KO 1), Armando Muniz (TKO 6) and Pete Ran zany (TKO 4) at welterweight; Terry Norris (L 12), and Ayub Kalule (TKO 9) at junior middleweight; Marvelous Marvin Hagler (SD 12), Duran (UD 12), and Hector Camacho (TKO by 5); and Hearns (Draw 12) and Donny Lalonde (TKO 9) at super middleweight.
Pernell Whitaker -- The four-division titleholder and hall-of-famer fought from 134-155 pounds (21-pound span), taking on Azumah Nelson (UD 12), Jose Luis Ramirez (UD 12, L 12), Roger Mayweather (UD 12), Greg Haugen (UD 12), Freddie Pendleton (UD 12), and Jorge Paez (UD 12) at lightweight; Rafael Pineda (UD 12) and Harold Brazier (UD 12) at junior welterweight; Julio Cesar Chavez (Draw 12), Felix Trinidad (L 12), Oscar De La Hoya (L 12), and Buddy McGirt (UD 12, UD 12) at welterweight, and Julio Cesar Vazquez (UD 12) at junior middleweight.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- The five-division titleholder has fought from 129-150 pounds (21-pound span), and taken on Genaro Hernandez (TKO 8), Diego Corrales (TKO 10), Jesus Chavez (TKO 9), Carlos Hernandez (UD 12), Gregorio “Goyo” Vargas (UD 12), and Angel Manfredy (TKO 2) at junior lightweight; Jose Luis Castillo (UD 12, UD 12), Victoriano Sosa (UD 12), and Philip Ndou (TKO 7) at lightweight; Arturo Gatti (TKO 6) and DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (UD 12) at junior welterweight; Shane Mosley (UD 12), Zab Judah (UD 12), Ricky Hatton (TKO 10), Carlos Baldomir (UD 12), and Sharmba Mitchell (TKO 6) at welterweight; and Oscar De La Hoya (SD 12) at junior middleweight.
If Pacquiao elects to weigh-in at the contracted weight of 150, he will weigh 44 pounds more than the weight at which he turned pro as a skinny 16 year old; 38 pounds more than he weighed for his first title fight, which took place in the flyweight division.
If you think the incredible amount of weight Pacquiao has climbed in the past 10 to 15 years is unheard of, though, you’re wrong. Other fighters -- many of whom are enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame -- have packed on as much (and even more) weight than Pacquiao has.
The fighters have been arranged in order of those whose careers have spanned the most weight.
JAMES TONEY
Lightest weight: 157
Heaviest weight: 237
Weight span: 80
Weight classes competed in: middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight.
SAM LANGFORD
Lightest weight: 139
Heaviest weight: 204
Weight span: 65
Weight classes competed in: lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
ROBERTO DURAN
Lightest weight: 119
Heaviest weight: 176
Weight span: 57
Weight classes competed in: junior lightweight, lightweight, welterweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight and super middleweight.
THOMAS HEARNS
Lightest weight: 144
Heaviest weight: 191
Weight span: 47
Weight classes competed in: welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight.
ROY JONES JR.
Lightest weight: 153
Heaviest weight: 193
Weight span: 40
Weight classes competed in: middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight.
MANNY PACQUIAO
Lightest weight: 106
Heaviest weight: 145
Weight span: 39
Weight classes competed in: flyweight, junior featherweight, featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight.
MICKEY WALKER
Lightest weight: 139
Heaviest weight: 174
Weight span: 35
Weight classes competed in: welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight
JIMMY MCLARNIN
Lightest weight: 112
Heaviest weight: 147
Weight span: 35
Weight classes competed in: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight
OSCAR DE LA HOYA
Lightest weight: 128
Heaviest weight: 160
Weight span: 32
Weight classes competed in: junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight.
MIKE MCCALLUM
Lightest weight: 150
Heaviest weight: 182
Weight span: 32
Weight classes competed in: junior middleweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and cruiserweight.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Henry Armstrong -- the all-time great three-division champ fought from 120-148 pounds (a 28-pound span), taking on Petey Sarron (KO 6), Baby Arizmendi (L 10, L 12), Midget Wolgast (UD 10), and Rodolfo “Baby” Casanova (KO 3, LF 4) at featherweight; Lou Ambers (SD 15, L 15), Beau Jack (L 10), Albert “Chalky” Wright (TKO 3), Mike Belloise (KO 4, UD 10), Pete DeGrasse (KO 10), and Tony Chavez (TKO 1, KO 10) at lightweight; Sugar Ray Robinson (L 10), Barney Ross (UD 15), Fritzie Zivic (L 15, TKO’d 12), Sammy Angott (UD 10), Lew Jenkins (TKO 6, TKO 8), and Juan Zurita (KO 2) at welterweight; and Ceferino Garcia (Draw 10) at middleweight.
Tony Canzoneri -- the all-time great three-division champ fought from 117-143 pounds (a 26-pound span), taking on Bud Taylor (Draw 10, L 10) at bantamweight; Johnny Dundee (UD 15) and Benny Bass (SD 15) at featherweight; Lou Ambers (UD 15, L 15, L 15), Jackie “Kid” Berg (KO 3, UD 15, L 10), Kid Chocolate (KO 2, SD 15), Baby Arizmendi (UD 10), Sammy Mandell (L 10), Al Singer (KO 1, D 10), Billy Petrolle (UD 15, L 10) and Frankie Klick (TKO 9 UD 10) at lightweight; Barney Ross (L 15, L 10), and Johnny Ja**** (UD 10, L 10) at junior welterweight; and Jimmy McLarnin (UD 10, L 10) at welterweight.
Sugar Ray Leonard -- The five-division titleholder and hall of famer fought from 141-165 pounds (a 24-pound span), taking on Roberto Duran (L15, TKO 8), Thomas Hearns (TKO 14), Wilfredo Benitez (TKO 15), Randy Shields (UD 10), Andy Price (KO 1), Armando Muniz (TKO 6) and Pete Ran zany (TKO 4) at welterweight; Terry Norris (L 12), and Ayub Kalule (TKO 9) at junior middleweight; Marvelous Marvin Hagler (SD 12), Duran (UD 12), and Hector Camacho (TKO by 5); and Hearns (Draw 12) and Donny Lalonde (TKO 9) at super middleweight.
Pernell Whitaker -- The four-division titleholder and hall-of-famer fought from 134-155 pounds (21-pound span), taking on Azumah Nelson (UD 12), Jose Luis Ramirez (UD 12, L 12), Roger Mayweather (UD 12), Greg Haugen (UD 12), Freddie Pendleton (UD 12), and Jorge Paez (UD 12) at lightweight; Rafael Pineda (UD 12) and Harold Brazier (UD 12) at junior welterweight; Julio Cesar Chavez (Draw 12), Felix Trinidad (L 12), Oscar De La Hoya (L 12), and Buddy McGirt (UD 12, UD 12) at welterweight, and Julio Cesar Vazquez (UD 12) at junior middleweight.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- The five-division titleholder has fought from 129-150 pounds (21-pound span), and taken on Genaro Hernandez (TKO 8), Diego Corrales (TKO 10), Jesus Chavez (TKO 9), Carlos Hernandez (UD 12), Gregorio “Goyo” Vargas (UD 12), and Angel Manfredy (TKO 2) at junior lightweight; Jose Luis Castillo (UD 12, UD 12), Victoriano Sosa (UD 12), and Philip Ndou (TKO 7) at lightweight; Arturo Gatti (TKO 6) and DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (UD 12) at junior welterweight; Shane Mosley (UD 12), Zab Judah (UD 12), Ricky Hatton (TKO 10), Carlos Baldomir (UD 12), and Sharmba Mitchell (TKO 6) at welterweight; and Oscar De La Hoya (SD 12) at junior middleweight.
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