Six degrees of separation is a theory that everyone in the world is separated by no more than six social connections.
In other words, you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows Queen Elizabeth. Or so the concept goes.
We’re borrowing the six degrees concept – well, sort of loosely – to connect fighters from the past to their more contemporary counterparts in our new occasional feature, “Degrees of Separation.”
Example: Let’s connect Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Super easy; we did it in two steps. Senior fought Grover Wiley, who fought Junior.
In this installment of the Boxing Junkie feature, we decided to use Manny Pacquiao as a principal subject once again. A friend of mine suggested facetiously that Pacquiao could be linked any fighter in the history of boxing because he campaigned in so many divisions, 11 in all.
Of course, Pacquiao can’t be linked with everyone who has laced up the gloves. However, we thought it would be fun to try to connect him with fighters you might think are out of his reach, such as famous heavyweights.
Our goal: Link Pacquiao with “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, and current heavyweight king Tyson Fury. We succeeded.
Have a look:
ALI TO PACQUIAO
Muhammad Ali fought …
Larry Holmes, who fought …
Evander Holyfield, who fought …
John Ruiz, who fought …
Roy Jones Jr., who fought …
Bernard Hopkins, who fought …
Oscar De La Hoya, who fought …
Manny Pacquiao
***
FURY TO PACQUIAO
Tyson Fury fought …
Wladimir Klitschko, who fought …
David Haye, who fought …
John Ruiz, who fought …
Roy Jones Jr., who fought …
Bernard Hopkins, who fought …
Oscar De La Hoya, who fought …
Manny Pacquiao
***
And here’s a bonus: John L. Sullivan, the first heavyweight champion of the modern era, to Pacquiao. Note: Sullivan last fought in 1892.
JOHN L. SULLIVAN TO PACQUIAO
John L. Sullivan fought …
James J. Corbett, who fought …
James J. Jeffries, who fought …
Jack Johnson, who fought …
Bearcat Wright, who fought …
Max Baer, who fought …
Joe Louis, who fought …
Rocky Marciano, who fought …
Archie Moore fought …
Muhammad Ali, who fought …
Larry Holmes, who fought …
Evander Holyfield, who fought …
John Ruiz, who fought …
Roy Jones Jr., who fought …
Bernard Hopkins, who fought …
Oscar De La Hoya, who fought …
Manny Pacquiao
***
Could you do it in fewer steps? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook. Or you can contact me on Twitter. And please follow us!
Read more:
Degrees of separation: Connecting John L. Sullivan to Deontay Wilder
Degrees of Separation: Linking Filipino greats Flash Elorde, Manny Pacquiao
Degrees of Separation: Linking Japanese greats Fighting Harada and Naoya Inoue
Degrees of Separation: Linking Tyson Fury to first U.K.-born heavyweight champ
Degrees of Separation: Connecting Canelo Alvarez with Mexican legends
Degrees of Separation: Linking the Mayweathers
Degrees of Separation: Linking Manny Pacquiao to Pancho Villa