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Daniel Herbert of Boxing News lists the Filipino whirlwind Manny Pacquiao’s greatest nights in the ring
January 29, 2016
10. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ (II) W PTS 12
Manny Pacquiao has enjoyed a great four-fight rivalry with slick Mexican Marquez, drawing the first, edging a majority decision in the third and losing the fourth via sixth-round KO. So this March 2008 joust at the Mandalay Bay for the WBC super-feather title was his best showing, when Manny’s energy edged him home on a split verdict.
9. ERIK MORALES (II) W RSF 10
In March 2005 Morales had won a close unanimous decision over Pacquiao, who was thus gunning for revenge in this January 2006 return at the Thomas & Mack in Las Vegas. And Manny got it, wearing down Morales and dropping him twice in round 10 as he handed the Mexican his first inside the distance defeat.
8. DAVID DIAZ W RSF 9
Manny’s amazing climb up through the weights began with this WBC lightweight challenge at Las Vegas in June 2008; it was his first bout above 130lbs. Southpaw Diaz was a 1996 Olympics bronze medallist with a 34-1-1 pro record, yet Pacquiao destroyed him with almost contemptuous ease, winning every round and dropping him heavily at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
7. TIM BRADLEY (I) LPTS 12
Yes, this June 2012 WBO welter title bout was one of Pacquiao’s best displays; it’s just that the Las Vegas judges didn’t recognise it, bizarrely awarding Bradley a split decision. Manny dominated the first half and even though his intensity dropped over the last six rounds, he still appeared to win widely. A 2014 rematch seemed closer, yet Pacquiao won that unanimously.
6. OSCAR DE LA HOYA W RTD 8
It’s difficult to remember now, given how one-sided this turned out to be, but at the time (December 2008) many considered this a mismatch – with Pacquiao sure to be battered. After all, he was WBC lightweight champ and De la Hoya a welterweight who had boxed as high at middle. Yet super-fresh Manny won just about every round until Oscar remained on his stool after eight sessions.
5. CHATCHAI SASAKUL W KO 8
Manny was still 13 days short of his 20th birthday when his first world title shot arrived – at 112lbs (flyweight) in December 1998. Sasakul had reached the quarter-finals of the 1988 Olympics, was 32-1-1 (23) as a pro, and defending in homeland Thailand – but Pacquiao put him down for the count in round eight.
4. MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA (I) W RSF 11
Pacquiao’s IBF super-bantam belt was not at stake when he met Barrera in a non-title featherweight 12-rounder at the Alamodome in San Antonio (November 2003). The Mexican had schooled Naseem Hamed and enjoyed the crowd’s support, but Manny dominated to lead on all cards when a halt was called in the penultimate session.
3. RICKY HATTON W KO 2
Pacquiao’s only super-lightweight world title contest (May 2009) produced one of the most sickening knockouts of recent years, with hugely popular Hatton the unfortunate recipient. Ricky looked the bigger man, but that counted for nothing as Manny dropped him twice in round one then out him down and out – and we mean out – with a crunching left in the second. The ending stunned Hatton’s numerous fans at the MGM Grand.
2. ANTONIO MARGARITO W PTS 12
Manny’s first world title had been at 112lbs, so surely this November 2010 clash for the vacant WBC crown at 154lbs would prove a step too far? After all, Margarito was 4 1/2ins taller than the 5ft 6ins Pacquiao, and scaled bang on the catch-weight of 150lbs, some 5 1/2lbs heavier than the Filipino. But the 41,000 fans at the fabulous Dallas Cowboys Stadium saw Pacquiao throw an amazing 1,069 punches as he won a wide unanimous decision.
1.MIGUEL COTTO W RSF 12
November 2009 saw Pacquiao at his fighting zenith, when he battered WBO welter king Cotto relentlessly in a display of skill and ferocity at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. True, the Puerto Rican had to sweat off 2lbs to make a 145 catchweight, but Manny dropped him in the third and again in the fourth before Miguel was rescued 2 minutes 5 seconds from the final bell. Then Pacquiao performed a pop concert for his adoring fans at another hotel!
January 29, 2016
10. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ (II) W PTS 12
Manny Pacquiao has enjoyed a great four-fight rivalry with slick Mexican Marquez, drawing the first, edging a majority decision in the third and losing the fourth via sixth-round KO. So this March 2008 joust at the Mandalay Bay for the WBC super-feather title was his best showing, when Manny’s energy edged him home on a split verdict.
9. ERIK MORALES (II) W RSF 10
In March 2005 Morales had won a close unanimous decision over Pacquiao, who was thus gunning for revenge in this January 2006 return at the Thomas & Mack in Las Vegas. And Manny got it, wearing down Morales and dropping him twice in round 10 as he handed the Mexican his first inside the distance defeat.
8. DAVID DIAZ W RSF 9
Manny’s amazing climb up through the weights began with this WBC lightweight challenge at Las Vegas in June 2008; it was his first bout above 130lbs. Southpaw Diaz was a 1996 Olympics bronze medallist with a 34-1-1 pro record, yet Pacquiao destroyed him with almost contemptuous ease, winning every round and dropping him heavily at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
7. TIM BRADLEY (I) LPTS 12
Yes, this June 2012 WBO welter title bout was one of Pacquiao’s best displays; it’s just that the Las Vegas judges didn’t recognise it, bizarrely awarding Bradley a split decision. Manny dominated the first half and even though his intensity dropped over the last six rounds, he still appeared to win widely. A 2014 rematch seemed closer, yet Pacquiao won that unanimously.
6. OSCAR DE LA HOYA W RTD 8
It’s difficult to remember now, given how one-sided this turned out to be, but at the time (December 2008) many considered this a mismatch – with Pacquiao sure to be battered. After all, he was WBC lightweight champ and De la Hoya a welterweight who had boxed as high at middle. Yet super-fresh Manny won just about every round until Oscar remained on his stool after eight sessions.
5. CHATCHAI SASAKUL W KO 8
Manny was still 13 days short of his 20th birthday when his first world title shot arrived – at 112lbs (flyweight) in December 1998. Sasakul had reached the quarter-finals of the 1988 Olympics, was 32-1-1 (23) as a pro, and defending in homeland Thailand – but Pacquiao put him down for the count in round eight.
4. MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA (I) W RSF 11
Pacquiao’s IBF super-bantam belt was not at stake when he met Barrera in a non-title featherweight 12-rounder at the Alamodome in San Antonio (November 2003). The Mexican had schooled Naseem Hamed and enjoyed the crowd’s support, but Manny dominated to lead on all cards when a halt was called in the penultimate session.
3. RICKY HATTON W KO 2
Pacquiao’s only super-lightweight world title contest (May 2009) produced one of the most sickening knockouts of recent years, with hugely popular Hatton the unfortunate recipient. Ricky looked the bigger man, but that counted for nothing as Manny dropped him twice in round one then out him down and out – and we mean out – with a crunching left in the second. The ending stunned Hatton’s numerous fans at the MGM Grand.
2. ANTONIO MARGARITO W PTS 12
Manny’s first world title had been at 112lbs, so surely this November 2010 clash for the vacant WBC crown at 154lbs would prove a step too far? After all, Margarito was 4 1/2ins taller than the 5ft 6ins Pacquiao, and scaled bang on the catch-weight of 150lbs, some 5 1/2lbs heavier than the Filipino. But the 41,000 fans at the fabulous Dallas Cowboys Stadium saw Pacquiao throw an amazing 1,069 punches as he won a wide unanimous decision.
1.MIGUEL COTTO W RSF 12
November 2009 saw Pacquiao at his fighting zenith, when he battered WBO welter king Cotto relentlessly in a display of skill and ferocity at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. True, the Puerto Rican had to sweat off 2lbs to make a 145 catchweight, but Manny dropped him in the third and again in the fourth before Miguel was rescued 2 minutes 5 seconds from the final bell. Then Pacquiao performed a pop concert for his adoring fans at another hotel!
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