Manny Pacquiao retirement: 5 fights that define the Filipino icon

Building greatness: Five fights that define Manny Pacquiao.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in April of last year. We’re posting it again after Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing.

 

Greatness is achieved step by painstaking step over a substantial period of time.

Few get there. And those who do can generally point to defining victories that served as those rare stepping stones that lead directly to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. All great fighters have that in common.

With that in mind, Boxing Junkie is initiating an occasional series called “Building Greatness,” in which we select a special fighter and provide five stepping-stone victories that demonstrated his greatness.

Our first subject: Manny Pacquiao, who over more than two decades proved over and over again that he is one of the best fighters of all time.

Here are five fights that helped define him:

LEHLO LEDWABA

Manny Paquiao (right) arrived as an important fight by knocking out Lehlo Ledwaba in 2001. Jed Jacobsohn / Allsport

Date / site: June 23, 2001 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Junior featherweight
Records: Pacquiao 32-2; Ledwaba 33-1-1
At stake: Ledwaba’s IBF title
Result: Pacquiao TKO 6
Background: Ledwaba, a talented South African, was one of the hottest fighters in the world when he agreed to defend his 122-pound title against Pacquiao on the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Javier Castillejo card. Some believed he was a future pound-for-pounder. Pacquiao? Trainer Freddie Roach had an inkling that his little Filipino was special but few others were aware of his potential. Until this fight. Pacquiao, throwing quick, hard punches from impossible angles and at a remarkable rate, stunned Ledwaba and everyone watching by dominating the champion in every conceivable way en route to a spectacular knockout. Pacquiao won every round on all three cards through five rounds. The future Hall of Famer was a secret no more. He had arrived.

***

MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA

Pacquiao returned to a homecoming parade after his first victory over Marco Antonio Barrera. Joel Nito / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: Nov. 15, 2003 / Alamodome, San Antonio
Division: Featherweight
Records: Pacquiao 37-2-1; Barrera 57-3
At stake: Nothing
Result: Pacquiao TKO 11
Background: This was only the first of Pacquiao’s nine fights against one of the great Mexican trio of Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. But he proved in this fight — the main event at the Alamodome — that he was capable of dominating a truly great opponent. Pacquiao, too fast, too powerful, too good for Barrera, had wide leads on all three cards and was pounding Barrera at will when the victim’s corner ended the slaughter with four seconds remaining in the penultimate round. “This is a fight that will shake up the boxing world,” HBO commentator Larry Merchant said toward the end of the fight. And indeed it did. A star was born that night. Pacquiao would end up with a record of 6-2-1 against the Mexican Hall of Famers.

***

OSCAR DE LA HOYA

Pacquiao (right) established himself as a superstar with his victory over Oscar De La Hoya. AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

Date / site: Dec. 6, 2008 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 47-3-2; De La Hoya 39-5
At stake: Nothing
Result: Pacquiao TKO 8
Background: In retrospect, Pacquiao’s knockout victory over De La Hoya makes sense. The Mexican-American superstar was 35, in decline and dropped considerable weight to make the fight happen. However, at the time, it was difficult to imagine the diminutive Pacquiao beating such a gifted, experienced and naturally bigger opponent. We learned quickly that the young, dynamic Filipino was too much for this version of De La Hoya, who had neither the reflexes nor wherewithal to cope with Pacquiao’s speed and accurate punching. He battered his one-time idol for eight rounds – losing only one round on one card – before De La Hoya’s handlers decided enough was enough and he didn’t come out for Round 9. The victory proved to be Pacquiao’s threshold to superstardom.

***

MIGUEL COTTO

Miguel Cottos face tells the story of his one-sided fight against Pacquiao. Mark Ralston / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: Nov. 14, 2009 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 49-3-2; Cotto 34-1
At stake: Cotto’s WBO title
Result: Pacquiao TKO 12
Background: Pacquiao followed his stunning victory over De La Hoya with perhaps his greatest knockout, a breathtaking, one-punch stoppage of the durable Ricky Hatton on May 2, 2009. However, his victory over Cotto was more important. The Puerto Rican had built a reputation as one of the best fighters in the world over the previous half decade. And, frankly, Pacquiao had his way with him. Cotto felt Pacquiao’s power early – going down in Rounds 3 and 4 – and had no appetite to exchange punches from then on. Instead, he turned to his formidable skill set and dancing ability but even that failed him in the end. Cotto, his face a battered mess, was taking a pounding when referee Kenny Bayless finally stopped the fight.

***

KEITH THURMAN

Pacquiao (right) fooled those who though he was too old by outpointing Keith Thurman last year. John Gurzinski / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: July 20, 2019
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 61-7-2; Thurman 29-0
At stake: Thurman’s WBA title
Result: Pacquiao SD 12
Background: Pacquiao had many more-dominating performances than this one in his nearly quarter-century career. The elements that made this one special? Pacquiao’s age (40) and Thurman’s perceived ability. Pacquiao certainly wasn’t a has-been, having beaten Adrien Broner in his previous fight, but he was relatively old, couldn’t fight at the same pace he once did and was a small 147-pounder. All that figured to work in favor of Thurman, a big, strong welterweight who was in the second fight of a comeback from injuries. Turned out that even a diminished version of Pacquiao could still beat an elite 147-pounder. Pacquiao got off to a quick start by putting Thurman down in Round 1 and then fought in energy-conserving bursts to win rounds and ultimate the fight, albeit by a narrow margin. Surprise, surprise. The great one still had more to give.

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Manny Pacquiao retirement: 5 fights that define the Filipino icon

Building greatness: Five fights that define Manny Pacquiao.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in April of last year. We’re posting it again after Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing.

 

Greatness is achieved step by painstaking step over a substantial period of time.

Few get there. And those who do can generally point to defining victories that served as those rare stepping stones that lead directly to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. All great fighters have that in common.

With that in mind, Boxing Junkie is initiating an occasional series called “Building Greatness,” in which we select a special fighter and provide five stepping-stone victories that demonstrated his greatness.

Our first subject: Manny Pacquiao, who over more than two decades proved over and over again that he is one of the best fighters of all time.

Here are five fights that helped define him:

LEHLO LEDWABA

Manny Paquiao (right) arrived as an important fight by knocking out Lehlo Ledwaba in 2001. Jed Jacobsohn / Allsport

Date / site: June 23, 2001 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Junior featherweight
Records: Pacquiao 32-2; Ledwaba 33-1-1
At stake: Ledwaba’s IBF title
Result: Pacquiao TKO 6
Background: Ledwaba, a talented South African, was one of the hottest fighters in the world when he agreed to defend his 122-pound title against Pacquiao on the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Javier Castillejo card. Some believed he was a future pound-for-pounder. Pacquiao? Trainer Freddie Roach had an inkling that his little Filipino was special but few others were aware of his potential. Until this fight. Pacquiao, throwing quick, hard punches from impossible angles and at a remarkable rate, stunned Ledwaba and everyone watching by dominating the champion in every conceivable way en route to a spectacular knockout. Pacquiao won every round on all three cards through five rounds. The future Hall of Famer was a secret no more. He had arrived.

***

MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA

Pacquiao returned to a homecoming parade after his first victory over Marco Antonio Barrera. Joel Nito / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: Nov. 15, 2003 / Alamodome, San Antonio
Division: Featherweight
Records: Pacquiao 37-2-1; Barrera 57-3
At stake: Nothing
Result: Pacquiao TKO 11
Background: This was only the first of Pacquiao’s nine fights against one of the great Mexican trio of Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. But he proved in this fight — the main event at the Alamodome — that he was capable of dominating a truly great opponent. Pacquiao, too fast, too powerful, too good for Barrera, had wide leads on all three cards and was pounding Barrera at will when the victim’s corner ended the slaughter with four seconds remaining in the penultimate round. “This is a fight that will shake up the boxing world,” HBO commentator Larry Merchant said toward the end of the fight. And indeed it did. A star was born that night. Pacquiao would end up with a record of 6-2-1 against the Mexican Hall of Famers.

***

OSCAR DE LA HOYA

Pacquiao (right) established himself as a superstar with his victory over Oscar De La Hoya. AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

Date / site: Dec. 6, 2008 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 47-3-2; De La Hoya 39-5
At stake: Nothing
Result: Pacquiao TKO 8
Background: In retrospect, Pacquiao’s knockout victory over De La Hoya makes sense. The Mexican-American superstar was 35, in decline and dropped considerable weight to make the fight happen. However, at the time, it was difficult to imagine the diminutive Pacquiao beating such a gifted, experienced and naturally bigger opponent. We learned quickly that the young, dynamic Filipino was too much for this version of De La Hoya, who had neither the reflexes nor wherewithal to cope with Pacquiao’s speed and accurate punching. He battered his one-time idol for eight rounds – losing only one round on one card – before De La Hoya’s handlers decided enough was enough and he didn’t come out for Round 9. The victory proved to be Pacquiao’s threshold to superstardom.

***

MIGUEL COTTO

Miguel Cottos face tells the story of his one-sided fight against Pacquiao. Mark Ralston / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: Nov. 14, 2009 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 49-3-2; Cotto 34-1
At stake: Cotto’s WBO title
Result: Pacquiao TKO 12
Background: Pacquiao followed his stunning victory over De La Hoya with perhaps his greatest knockout, a breathtaking, one-punch stoppage of the durable Ricky Hatton on May 2, 2009. However, his victory over Cotto was more important. The Puerto Rican had built a reputation as one of the best fighters in the world over the previous half decade. And, frankly, Pacquiao had his way with him. Cotto felt Pacquiao’s power early – going down in Rounds 3 and 4 – and had no appetite to exchange punches from then on. Instead, he turned to his formidable skill set and dancing ability but even that failed him in the end. Cotto, his face a battered mess, was taking a pounding when referee Kenny Bayless finally stopped the fight.

***

KEITH THURMAN

Pacquiao (right) fooled those who though he was too old by outpointing Keith Thurman last year. John Gurzinski / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: July 20, 2019
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 61-7-2; Thurman 29-0
At stake: Thurman’s WBA title
Result: Pacquiao SD 12
Background: Pacquiao had many more-dominating performances than this one in his nearly quarter-century career. The elements that made this one special? Pacquiao’s age (40) and Thurman’s perceived ability. Pacquiao certainly wasn’t a has-been, having beaten Adrien Broner in his previous fight, but he was relatively old, couldn’t fight at the same pace he once did and was a small 147-pounder. All that figured to work in favor of Thurman, a big, strong welterweight who was in the second fight of a comeback from injuries. Turned out that even a diminished version of Pacquiao could still beat an elite 147-pounder. Pacquiao got off to a quick start by putting Thurman down in Round 1 and then fought in energy-conserving bursts to win rounds and ultimate the fight, albeit by a narrow margin. Surprise, surprise. The great one still had more to give.

[lawrence-related id=24002,23991,23360,22603]

Building Greatness: Five fights that define Tyson Fury

Here are five fights that helped define heavyweight king Tyson Fury.

Tyson Fury’s most formidable opponents have been his own demons. In the ring? The Gypsy King has been almost untouchable.

Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) battled for years to earn a shot at longtime champion Wladimir Klitschko’s titles, beating solid opponents such as Derek Chisora (twice), Kevin Johnson, Steve Cunningham and Christian Hammer along the way.

When he finally stepped into the ring with Klitschko, he shocked the Ukrainian and the world by winning a wide decision to become the lineal heavyweight champ.

Fury struggled with a number of issues after that but rallied to make history again earlier this this year.

Here are five fights that helped define him:

DEREK CHISORA I

Date / site: July 23, 2011 / Wembley Arena, London
Division: Heavyweight
Records: Fury 14-0; Chisora 14-0
At stake: Chisora’s Commonwealth and British titles
Result: UD (118-111, 117-112, 117-112)
Background: Chisora was closer than Fury to a shot at Wladimir Klitschko’s heavyweight title at this point of their careers, as two proposed fights between the Londoner and the Ukrainian had fallen through the previous eight months. And Chisora was a slight favorite over Fury, meaning it was still unclear how Fury might do against a top contender. Things started fairly well for Chisora, who staggered Fury in the second round and stunned him one or two more times in the next few rounds. However, in the end, this was a coming out for Fury. The 6-foot-9 Mancunian, obviously well conditioned, boxed circles around Chisora and threw punches at a far greater rate than his overweight foe to win a wide decision and move up the ladder toward a shot at a world title. He had broken through. “This is a dream come true and it means the world to me,” Fury said. The two would meet again three years later.

***

DEREK CHISORA II

Date / site: Nov. 29, 2014 / ExCel London
Division: Heavyweight
Records: Fury 22-0; Chisora 20-4
At stake: Chisora’s European and vacant British titles
Result: UD (119-108, 119-110, 119-108)
Background:  Fury had already proved that he was better than Chisora in 2011 but trash talk in the build up to the fight – as well as the perception that Chisora remained a threat – made their rematch compelling, at least until they stepped into the ring. Chisora had won five consecutive fights since losing three in a row to Robert Helenius, Vitali Klitschko and David Haye but, once again, he was no match for Fury. The bigger man surprised everyone by fighting from a southpaw stance from the second round on, boxed beautifully behind his long jab and just never let Chisora get anything going. Hence the near-shutout decision in Fury’s favor. “Which other heavyweight in the world can box southpaw against a world-class fighter like Dereck, a fighter who will give any other heavyweight a tough fight?” Fury said. “I’m very proud of my performance.” A long awaited shot at Wladimir Klitschko’s titles was near.

***

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

Date / site: Nov. 28, 2015 / Espirit Arena, Dusseldorf, Germany
Division: Heavyweight
Records: Fury 24-0; Klitschko 64-3
At stake: Klitschko’s three world titles
Result: UD (115-112, 116-111, 115-112)
Background: Klitschko was in the midst of one of the great championship runs in history when he met Fury. The Ukrainian made 18 successful defenses in the second of his two heavyweight reigns, second only to Joe Louis’ 23. And he was champion for more than nine years, again second only to Louis’ 11-plus. He hadn’t lost since Lamon Brewster stopped him in 2004. And Klitschko was around a 4-1 favorite, which are wide odds in boxing. All of that is why it was difficult to imagine Klitschko losing, even at 39 years old. And it’s why it was stunning to watch as the fight unfolded. The skillful, fleet and long Fury outboxed the champion from the beginning, using feints and movement to baffle the smaller man and consistently beat him to the punch. It wasn’t exciting to watch but it was brilliant. Fury, 27, was heavyweight champion. “This is a dream come true.  We worked so hard for this. I’ve done it.” The joy wouldn’t last long.

***

DEONTAY WILDER I

Date / site: Dec. 1, 2018 / Staples Center, Los Angeles
Division: Heavyweight
Records: Fury 27-0; Wilder 40-0
At stake: Wilder’s world title
Result: SD Draw (113-113, 115-111, 112-114)
Background: Fury didn’t fight for 2½ years after his victory over Klitschko as he battled his formidable personal demons, including depression. He twice pulled out of a rematch with Klitschko, tested positive for a banned substance, was later suspended and gave up his belts as he worked to get his life together. Plus, he had ballooned to more than 350 pounds. It wasn’t clear whether he’d ever fight again. Then, in one of the sport’s more remarkable comebacks, he learned to cope with his problems, got back into the gym, shed most of the excess weight and got back to fighting. He won two tune-up fights in 2018 and then agreed to meet Wilder, who had 39 KOs in his 40 fights. Did Fury still have it? Indeed he did. He outboxed a limited boxer and would’ve won had he not gone down in Rounds 9 and 12. He proved two things, though. He was back. And he was more resilient than anyone realized. The fact he got up from the second knockdown was remarkable. And he was just getting started.

***

DEONTAY WILDER II

Date / site: Feb. 22, 2020 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Heavyweight
Records: Fury 29-0-1; Wilder 42-0-1
At stake: Wilder’s world title
Result: TKO 7
Background: Fury, disgusted with what he believed was a robbery in the first fight, was determined to prove something of which he was certain: He was the better man. He parted ways with trainer Ben Davison and hired SugarHill Steward, a disciple of uncle Emanuel Steward who Fury believed would help him fight effectively in a more aggression fashion. Fury gained weight (273 pounds at the weigh-in) and a puncher’s mentality. He even suggested he’d stop Wilder. And then he did it. Fury was in his nemesis’ face from the opening bell, never allowing Wilder the time or distance to unload his vaunted right hand. Wilder went down from a right in Round 3. He hit the canvas again from a body shot in Round 5. And, badly beaten, a barrage of unanswered punches with Wilder’s back against the ropes prompted the referee to stop the fight at 1:39 of Round 7. Fury had made it all the way back. He was the heavyweight king.

Building greatness: Five fights that define Canelo Alvarez

Building greatness: Five fights that define Canelo Alvarez

Greatness is achieved step by painstaking step over a substantial period of time.

Few get there. And those who do can generally point to defining victories that served as those rare stepping stones that lead directly to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. All great fighters have that in common.

With that in mind, Boxing Junkie is initiating an occasional series called “Building Greatness,” in which we select a special fighter and provide five stepping-stone victories that demonstrated his greatest.

Our subject this week: Superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has become one of the greatest Mexican warriors of all time and probably the most-marketable non-heavyweight fighter in the world.

Here are five fights that helped define him:

AUSTIN TROUT

Date / site: April 20, 2013 / Alamodome, San Antonio
Division: Junior middleweight
Records: Alvarez 41-0-1; Trout 26-0
At stake: Title unification
Result: Alvarez UD 12 (118-109, 115-112, 116-111)
Background: This was Alvarez’s first significant challenge, unless you count a past-his-prime Shane Mosley two fights earlier. We don’t. Trout, 27, was an excellent all-around fighter at the peak of his abilities. Only four-plus months earlier he had made a big statement by easily outpointing future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto, an ominous sign for any opponent. And Alvarez was only 23. Well, the young Mexican, motivated by the fact Trout had beaten his brother Rigoberto to win the title, passed the test. Alvarez wasn’t as active as Trout but, boxing cleverly and economically, he made the most of his output in an entertaining fight. He landed 43 percent of his power shots, which is particularly impressive given Trout’s ability. Alvarez proved he could beat an elite opponent in his prime. “This is for my brother,” Alvarez said.

***

ERISLANDY LARA

Date / site: July 12, 2014 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: 155-pound catch weight
Records: Alvarez 43-1-1; Lara 19-1-2
At stake: Nothing
Result: Alvarez SD 12 (117-111, 115-113, 113-115)
Background: Members of Alvarez’s team reportedly didn’t want this fight. He had lost badly to Floyd Mayweather 10 months earlier, a crazy 114-114 score aside. Lara was no Mayweather but his southpaw stance combined with unusual skills honed in the Cuban amateur system made life extremely difficult for his opponents. Still, Alvarez, obviously inspired by a challenge, demanded the fight and it was made. It wasn’t easy. Alvarez accused Lara of running; Lara would call it boxing. Either way, the rising Mexican star had trouble landing punches cleanly. He connected on only 23% of his shots. At the same time, he kept the pressure on Lara and was able to cut off the ring enough to win rounds. In the end, he escaped with a majority-decision victory that helped erase memories of the Mayweather fight. “I came to fight,” Alvarez said. “I didn’t come to run. You don’t win by running. You win by hitting.”

***

GENNADIY GOLOVKIN II

Date / site: Dec. 6, 2008 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Middleweight
Records: Alvarez 49-1-2; Golovkin 38-0-1
At stake: Golovkin’s titles
Result: Alvarez MD 12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114)
Background: The first Alvarez-Golovkin fight, which ended in a split draw, left a bad taste in the mouths of both fans and pundits who were convinced that Triple-G was robbed. Adalaide Byrd’s 118-110 score for Alvarez will live on in infamy. In other words, Alvarez had a lot to prove in the rematch. And he went after it, keeping pressure on his arch rival and often backing him up. Triple-G scored consistently with his formidable jab and was busier but Alvarez was more accurate with his punches and landed the more telling blows. In the end, we had another fight that could’ve gone either way. This time, Alvarez received the nod. And cries of foul play weren’t as vociferous. Alvarez demonstrated that he could make adjustments from one fight to the next and rise to the occasion. “He was the one who was backing up,” Alvarez said. “I feel satisfied because I gave a great fight. It was a clear victory.”

***

DANNY JACOBS

Date / site: May 4, 2019 / T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Division: Middleweight
Records: Alvarez 51-1-2; Jacobs 35-2
At stake: Title unification
Result: Alvarez UD 12 (116-112, 115-113, 115-113)
Background: Alvarez had still not beaten an elite middleweight convincingly going into this fight. Yes, he rebounded from the controversial draw with Golovkin to win the rematch but doubts remained. Against Jacobs, Alvarez faced a big, strong, accomplished 160-pounder who had given Triple-G problems in defeat a few years earlier. This was a challenge. And, again, Alvarez overcame it. He had to work hard in a give-and-take fight but he gave an excellent all-around performance, combining accurate punching with his improving defensive skills to win the majority of rounds and the fight. Alvarez certainly didn’t dominate Jacobs but he demonstrated that even a well-schooled bigger man couldn’t beat him. “It was just what we thought,” Alvarez said. “We knew he was going to be a difficult fighter, but thank god we did things the right way.”

***

SERGEY KOVALEV

Date / site: Nov. 2, 2019
Division: Light heavyweight
Records: Alvarez 49-1-2; Kovalev 34-3-1
At stake: Kovalev’s title
Result: Alvarez KO 11
Background: Yes, Kovalev had more trouble with relative novice Anthony Yarde than he should have in his previous fight. And, yes, he probably was in decline to some degree at 36. Still, it was a risk for Alvarez to move up two weight classes and take on the Russian. Kovalev at 70 percent was still a good fighter. And he was natural light heavyweight with light heavyweight power. Kovalev held his own for much of the fight, using his underappreciated skills to confound Alvarez. However, Alvarez gradually cut off the ring and broke down his naturally bigger opponent until the time came to take him out. A left hook, a big right and it over. Alvarez had beaten a proven 175-pounder and won a title in a third division. “I’m very thankful,” Alvarez said. “This is just a step in my career, in my history, and all I ask of you is to be patient because Canelo will make history. That’s a guarantee.”

 

Building greatness: Five fights that define Manny Pacquiao

Here are five victories that defined Manny Pacquiao as one of the greatest fighters of his generation.

Greatness is achieved step by painstaking step over a substantial period of time.

Few get there. And those who do can generally point to defining victories that served as those rare stepping stones that lead directly to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. All great fighters have that in common.

With that in mind, Boxing Junkie is initiating an occasional series called “Building Greatness,” in which we select a special fighter and provide five stepping-stone victories that demonstrated his greatness.

Our first subject: Manny Pacquiao, who over more than two decades proved over and over again that he is one of the best fighters of all time.

Here are five fights that helped define him:

LEHLO LEDWABA

Manny Paquiao (right) arrived as an important fight by knocking out Lehlo Ledwaba in 2001. Jed Jacobsohn / Allsport

Date / site: June 23, 2001 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Junior featherweight
Records: Pacquiao 32-2; Ledwaba 33-1-1
At stake: Ledwaba’s IBF title
Result: Pacquiao TKO 6
Background: Ledwaba, a talented South African, was one of the hottest fighters in the world when he agreed to defend his 122-pound title against Pacquiao on the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Javier Castillejo card. Some believed he was a future pound-for-pounder. Pacquiao? Trainer Freddie Roach had an inkling that his little Filipino was special but few others were aware of his potential. Until this fight. Pacquiao, throwing quick, hard punches from impossible angles and at a remarkable rate, stunned Ledwaba and everyone watching by dominating the champion in every conceivable way en route to a spectacular knockout. Pacquiao won every round on all three cards through five rounds. The future Hall of Famer was a secret no more. He had arrived.

***

MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA

Pacquiao returned to a homecoming parade after his first victory over Marco Antonio Barrera. Joel Nito / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: Nov. 15, 2003 / Alamodome, San Antonio
Division: Featherweight
Records: Pacquiao 37-2-1; Barrera 57-3
At stake: Nothing
Result: Pacquiao TKO 11
Background: This was only the first of Pacquiao’s nine fights against one of the great Mexican trio of Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. But he proved in this fight — the main event at the Alamodome — that he was capable of dominating a truly great opponent. Pacquiao, too fast, too powerful, too good for Barrera, had wide leads on all three cards and was pounding Barrera at will when the victim’s corner ended the slaughter with four seconds remaining in the penultimate round. “This is a fight that will shake up the boxing world,” HBO commentator Larry Merchant said toward the end of the fight. And indeed it did. A star was born that night. Pacquiao would end up with a record of 6-2-1 against the Mexican Hall of Famers.

***

OSCAR DE LA HOYA

Pacquiao (right) established himself as a superstar with his victory over Oscar De La Hoya. AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

Date / site: Dec. 6, 2008 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 47-3-2; De La Hoya 39-5
At stake: Nothing
Result: Pacquiao TKO 8
Background: In retrospect, Pacquiao’s knockout victory over De La Hoya makes sense. The Mexican-American superstar was 35, in decline and dropped considerable weight to make the fight happen. However, at the time, it was difficult to imagine the diminutive Pacquiao beating such a gifted, experienced and naturally bigger opponent. We learned quickly that the young, dynamic Filipino was too much for this version of De La Hoya, who had neither the reflexes nor wherewithal to cope with Pacquiao’s speed and accurate punching. He battered his one-time idol for eight rounds – losing only one round on one card – before De La Hoya’s handlers decided enough was enough and he didn’t come out for Round 9. The victory proved to be Pacquiao’s threshold to superstardom.

***

MIGUEL COTTO

Miguel Cottos face tells the story of his one-sided fight against Pacquiao. Mark Ralston / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: Nov. 14, 2009 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 49-3-2; Cotto 34-1
At stake: Cotto’s WBO title
Result: Pacquiao TKO 12
Background: Pacquiao followed his stunning victory over De La Hoya with perhaps his greatest knockout, a breathtaking, one-punch stoppage of the durable Ricky Hatton on May 2, 2009. However, his victory over Cotto was more important. The Puerto Rican had built a reputation as one of the best fighters in the world over the previous half decade. And, frankly, Pacquiao had his way with him. Cotto felt Pacquiao’s power early – going down in Rounds 3 and 4 – and had no appetite to exchange punches from then on. Instead, he turned to his formidable skill set and dancing ability but even that failed him in the end. Cotto, his face a battered mess, was taking a pounding when referee Kenny Bayless finally stopped the fight.

***

KEITH THURMAN

Pacquiao (right) fooled those who though he was too old by outpointing Keith Thurman last year. John Gurzinski / AFP via Getty Images

Date / site: July 20, 2019
Division: Welterweight
Records: Pacquiao 61-7-2; Thurman 29-0
At stake: Thurman’s WBA title
Result: Pacquiao SD 12
Background: Pacquiao had many more-dominating performances than this one in his nearly quarter-century career. The elements that made this one special? Pacquiao’s age (40) and Thurman’s perceived ability. Pacquiao certainly wasn’t a has-been, having beaten Adrien Broner in his previous fight, but he was relatively old, couldn’t fight at the same pace he once did and was a small 147-pounder. All that figured to work in favor of Thurman, a big, strong welterweight who was in the second fight of a comeback from injuries. Turned out that even a diminished version of Pacquiao could still beat an elite 147-pounder. Pacquiao got off to a quick start by putting Thurman down in Round 1 and then fought in energy-conserving bursts to win rounds and ultimate the fight, albeit by a narrow margin. Surprise, surprise. The great one still had more to give.