In winning his fourth world title, the WBC share of the lightweight division title last June 28 in Las Vegas from David Diaz of the US, Manny Pacquiao established himself as perhaps one of the greatest multi-titled boxing champions. His recent victory made him the first Filipino to hold the 135-lb. division world title and the first also to have won more than just one title. In fact, he is also the first from Asia to become a multi-titled boxing champion. However, what are most remarkable and amazing facts in facing and beating Diaz were that despite moving up to a heavier level, he was still tagged as the heavy favorite prior to the fight, being paid more than the champion and how he easily and masterfully dominated and outclassed the champion throughout, and knocked him out to win the world title. Though his newly won title is his fourth in his much storied career, in reality it could have been his seventh world title, that is — categorically and if he aspired to win all the boxing titles one after the other in their proper sequence.
As can be recalled, Pacquiao first fought professionally as a skinny light-flyweight (108-lb.) but won his first world title as a flyweight (112) in 2000. Unable to make the 112-lb weight limit in his title defense, he lost his title by disqualification even before he climbed the ring. Overwhelmed by his Thai challenger early in the fight, Pacquiao lost the fight by a knockout, solely due to dehydration. Outgrowing farther the next divisions, he moved up to the super bantamweight (122) and won the title in 2002 knocking out the champion and by the process, skipped two divisions in between – the super flyweight (115) and the bantamweight (118). From there, he moved up again to fight at 126 pound or featherweight and it was here where he was propelled to fame and greatness as a world-beater.
Facing a high profile opponent with an impressive ring record Mexico’s “Baby-faced assassin” Marco Antonio Barrera, he stunned everybody by easily demolishing him in a classic fight knocking him out in eleven rounds. Barrera was a world former featherweight champion and considered then as the world’s best “pound for pound” fighter thereby installing him a 3 to 1 favorite over an unknown Pacquiao. Even without gaining a world title in beating Barrera who was then without a title to defend, his impressive win won him the name “the destroyer” to become a feared and most sought after fighter in his division. Thereafter, Ring Magazine perhaps impressed by his convincing performance against Barrera installed him as its featherweight champion and presented Pacquiao with a championship belt in Manila.
In May 2004, Pacquiao challenged another great Mexican fighter and champion Juan Manuel Marquez for his WBA/IBF featherweight title in his first ever pay-per-view or PPV fight in Las Vegas. Despite having floored the champion three times in the first round alone, Pacquiao managed to get just a “draw” when he should have won instead via a split decision. As admitted by one of the judges, he erred in giving just a 10-7 score instead of 10-6 for Pacquiao in the first round for the three knockdowns he scored in the same round. With that error, it resulted to a tie, 114-114 in his scorecard after the 12-round fight that resulted to a “split draw” verdict as the other two judges gave opposing scores. Unable to get an immediate rematch, he got stalled in this division without a world title until he outgrew it again.
Moving up further to a higher level, the super featherweight (130 lb.) or jr. lightweight, Pacquiao fought another great Mexican fighter in Erik “El Terrible” Morales who like Barrera, was also a former world champion and without a title at the time. Witnessed by this writer in Las Vegas in March 2005, Pacquiao lost by a unanimous but close decision. Not contented of his loss, however, and even more determined to avenge it and show what he’s still got, Pacquiao asked for a rematch and was granted. In their rematch held in Las Vegas, Pacquiao kayoed Morales in the 10th rd. and it marked the first time Morales was ever floored or lost by a knockout. Believing he is not yet through with Pacquiao, it was Morales this time who threw the challenge for a final showdown and Pacquiao gave in to the challenge.
Reminiscent of the many classics Muhammad Ali fights; the Pacquiao-Morales trilogy resembled the 1966 Ali-Williams title fight in its entirety. Whereas in 1966 Ali demonstrated then his most unique and well-publicized boxing stance, the “Ali Shuffle” to masterfully outclassed and knocked out Cleveland Williams in just three rounds, Pacquiao did the same exhibiting a fast-paced fight to rattle and knock out Morales, also in just three rounds. Overwhelming and relentlessly pursuing Morales throughout the fight, he landed many punches that Morales could hardly cope up eluding them. And while on a defensive in the second round with his back on the ropes parrying Morales’ punches, he sprung from an awkward position to unleash one of his classics left punch that smacked right on Morales’ right ear forcing him to fall on his knee and be given an automatic mandatory 8 count. From thereon, it was an all-Pacquiao show as he unleashed more power and accurate punches scoring two more knockdowns until Morales gave up in the third. Once again, Pacquiao was on top of his class.
As before, Pacquiao went home to the Philippines again a big hero to his countrymen. Motorcaded around Metro Manila, he was so overwhelmed and cheered by the million Filipinos that perhaps has no equal in the history of any country and to consider that he just a “boxer” is what amazed many. Before his emergence, it used only to be Ali who made Manila to stand still every time he fights in the 70s. But these days, it’s Pacquiao and he has surpassed this Ali phenomenon that dates back to his “Cassius Clay” days when Filipino boxing fans went gaga with everything “Ali”. And the more when Ali fought Joe Frazier in the famous and really thrilling “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975. This writer who boasts of being a witness to that historic Ali spectacle has his comparison of where both Ali and Pacquiao stand now in the world stage of boxing. Though Pacquiao looms big in the country, he, however still pales Ali when put on a global scale and overall as a fighter. Such that Ali can never be dislodged as “The Greatest” and he will just be next. But this he has to prove and from all accounts of how he performs now, he can prove it.
(To be continued…)
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