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By Cliff Rold - It’s not just another fight. Since winning their first world titles in 1998, Mayweather and Pacquiao have developed into the defining faces of their generation. When they square off on Saturday night, there will be three Welterweight belts on the line.
There will also be plenty of history up for grabs.
Over the course of this series, each man’s fights from first title win to the present day was examined with an eye on who they fought and where those fighters were regarded going into the fight.
On the eve of their long awaited clash, let’s take a deeper look at the various accomplishments of both men and break down the numbers, hopefully in ways some may not yet have considered.
We begin with the history that might be at hand.
Historical Stakes
The fight is already making history at the box office. On Saturday, we could see some very unique history in the ring. Entering Saturday, Pacquiao and Mayweather are the first two fighters in the history of boxing to win historical titles in four separate weight classes, as outlined in the chart below.
There is debate about Mayweather’s position as the current lineal champion at Welterweight in what would be his second such reign. BoxingScene, Ring Magazine, and the Cyber Boxing Zone all recognize Mayweather as the proper current king at 147 lbs. The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board does not but rates them as 1 (Mayweather) and 2 (Pacquiao).
The winner of this bout, with apologies to IBF titlist Kell Brook, will be the undisputable champion of the division. Further, they will cement their place as the defining Welterweight of the last decade.
If that man is Pacquiao, he will break the record of lineal titles in four weight divisions that he first set with a knockout of Ricky Hatton in 2009.
More than that, as noted in the first chapter of this series, Pacquiao would be only the third man to win lineal crowns in three of boxing’s storied ‘original eight’ weight divisions, joining Bob Fitzsimmons (Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight) and Henry Armstrong (Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight).
The ‘original eight’ are Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight.
While there have been others to win titles in three of those divisions like Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Roy Jones, none since Armstrong have held the historical crown in all of them.
Pacquiao would also become the first former Featherweight Champion since Armstrong to win the Welterweight crown. Pacquiao is already the only former lineal Flyweight Champion to win those honors at Featherweight.
There will be ample debate about where his feat rates next to Fitzsimmons and Armstrong should Pacquiao pull off the upset. Consider this for perspective: Fitzsimmons and Armstrong won titles in consecutive divisions. Pacquiao would have done it across a span of five of the ‘original eight,’ skipping over Bantamweight and Lightweight.
There is a chance Sunday we could be discussing Pacquiao as the greatest winner of championships ever. [Click Here To Read More]
There will also be plenty of history up for grabs.
Over the course of this series, each man’s fights from first title win to the present day was examined with an eye on who they fought and where those fighters were regarded going into the fight.
On the eve of their long awaited clash, let’s take a deeper look at the various accomplishments of both men and break down the numbers, hopefully in ways some may not yet have considered.
We begin with the history that might be at hand.
Historical Stakes
The fight is already making history at the box office. On Saturday, we could see some very unique history in the ring. Entering Saturday, Pacquiao and Mayweather are the first two fighters in the history of boxing to win historical titles in four separate weight classes, as outlined in the chart below.
There is debate about Mayweather’s position as the current lineal champion at Welterweight in what would be his second such reign. BoxingScene, Ring Magazine, and the Cyber Boxing Zone all recognize Mayweather as the proper current king at 147 lbs. The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board does not but rates them as 1 (Mayweather) and 2 (Pacquiao).
The winner of this bout, with apologies to IBF titlist Kell Brook, will be the undisputable champion of the division. Further, they will cement their place as the defining Welterweight of the last decade.
If that man is Pacquiao, he will break the record of lineal titles in four weight divisions that he first set with a knockout of Ricky Hatton in 2009.
More than that, as noted in the first chapter of this series, Pacquiao would be only the third man to win lineal crowns in three of boxing’s storied ‘original eight’ weight divisions, joining Bob Fitzsimmons (Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight) and Henry Armstrong (Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight).
The ‘original eight’ are Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight.
While there have been others to win titles in three of those divisions like Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Roy Jones, none since Armstrong have held the historical crown in all of them.
Pacquiao would also become the first former Featherweight Champion since Armstrong to win the Welterweight crown. Pacquiao is already the only former lineal Flyweight Champion to win those honors at Featherweight.
There will be ample debate about where his feat rates next to Fitzsimmons and Armstrong should Pacquiao pull off the upset. Consider this for perspective: Fitzsimmons and Armstrong won titles in consecutive divisions. Pacquiao would have done it across a span of five of the ‘original eight,’ skipping over Bantamweight and Lightweight.
There is a chance Sunday we could be discussing Pacquiao as the greatest winner of championships ever. [Click Here To Read More]
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