Ricky ‘Fatton’ is history. Hitman’ returns for exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera on Saturday in England.
Ricky Hatton has already won.
Ricky “Fatton,” as some called him because of his propensity to gain weight between fights, is back in fighting shape going into his exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera on Saturday in Manchester, England.
Hatton, 44, reportedly lost 40 pounds for his first action since his last sanctioned bout in 2012.
The former 140-pound champion was supposed to have faced Barrera in July. However, the meeting was postponed when undercard fighter Hughie Fury pulled out with an injury.
“When I first went into training for the first one [in July] obviously I looked like a beached whale again,” Hatton said. “When I started getting into training and kept the weight off, I started getting a lot of feedback.
“They were saying, ‘If you can get the weight off at 44 …. I’ve enjoyed inspiring people. I’ve enjoyed it for my own well being. When the fight was postponed I carried on training through the next training camp.
“I think everyone loved Ricky Fatton [but] I think Ricky Fatton is gone now. It took me 44 years to get it. The days of me ballooning are behind me now.”
Hatton said he e gave up alcohol and junk food to shed the weight.
“I like pints of beer, it has been well known, but you can’t do that,” Hatton told British Boxing TV. “I think that is the main thing with the weight. If you go out and have pints seven days a week you won’t be walking around with a six pack.
“I think it is just sensible, eating the right things small and often and regular workouts. Some days I have thought, ‘Can I have a rest day?’ and then I have thought I will take my foot down on the pace and go for a run to keep a sweat on.
“I do two workouts a day so my metabolism is always racing. Cut it down on treats, I have 12 cups of tea a day normally but it has to just be a one-off.”
Barrera, 48, was among those who have been impressed with Hatton’s weight loss.
“I’m very shocked at Ricky’s transformation and very proud of him, very happy,” the Mexican Hall of Famer said. “I’m very honored to be a small part of his transformation knowing that this exhibition came through and he started to focus on himself.
“We saw him three months ago at the Tyson Fury fight. He’s a completely different person from what we see today. We’re very happy for him.”
Ricky ‘Fatton’ is history. Hitman’ returns for exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera on Saturday in England.
Ricky Hatton has already won.
Ricky “Fatton,” as some called him because of his propensity to gain weight between fights, is back in fighting shape going into his exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera on Saturday in Manchester, England.
Hatton, 44, reportedly lost 40 pounds for his first action since his last sanctioned bout in 2012.
The former 140-pound champion was supposed to have faced Barrera in July. However, the meeting was postponed when undercard fighter Hughie Fury pulled out with an injury.
“When I first went into training for the first one [in July] obviously I looked like a beached whale again,” Hatton said. “When I started getting into training and kept the weight off, I started getting a lot of feedback.
“They were saying, ‘If you can get the weight off at 44 …. I’ve enjoyed inspiring people. I’ve enjoyed it for my own well being. When the fight was postponed I carried on training through the next training camp.
“I think everyone loved Ricky Fatton [but] I think Ricky Fatton is gone now. It took me 44 years to get it. The days of me ballooning are behind me now.”
Hatton said he e gave up alcohol and junk food to shed the weight.
“I like pints of beer, it has been well known, but you can’t do that,” Hatton told British Boxing TV. “I think that is the main thing with the weight. If you go out and have pints seven days a week you won’t be walking around with a six pack.
“I think it is just sensible, eating the right things small and often and regular workouts. Some days I have thought, ‘Can I have a rest day?’ and then I have thought I will take my foot down on the pace and go for a run to keep a sweat on.
“I do two workouts a day so my metabolism is always racing. Cut it down on treats, I have 12 cups of tea a day normally but it has to just be a one-off.”
Barrera, 48, was among those who have been impressed with Hatton’s weight loss.
“I’m very shocked at Ricky’s transformation and very proud of him, very happy,” the Mexican Hall of Famer said. “I’m very honored to be a small part of his transformation knowing that this exhibition came through and he started to focus on himself.
“We saw him three months ago at the Tyson Fury fight. He’s a completely different person from what we see today. We’re very happy for him.”
Manny Pacquiao: Boxing’s one and only four-decade champion.
The fact Manny Pacquiao won titles in a record eight divisions – of 17 total – is generally cited as his greatest accomplishment. Another of them might never be topped.
Pacquiao, who announced his retirement on Tuesday, is believed to be the first fighter to hold major titles in four decades. The Filipino icon, who turned pro at 16 in 1995 and is now 42, won his first world title (flyweight) when he stopped Chatchai Sasakul in eight rounds in 1998 and his most-recent belt (welterweight) when he defeated Keith Thurman by a split decision this in July 2019.
Here are Pacquiao’s major titles by decade:
1990s
WBC flyweight (1998) – KO 8 Chatchai Sasakul
2000s
IBF junior featherweight (2001) – TKO 6 Lehlo Ledwaba
*-Featherweight (2003) – TKO 11 Marco Antonio Barrera
WBC junior lightweight (2008) – SD 12 Juan Manuel Marquez
Manny Pacquiao: Boxing’s one and only four-decade champion.
The fact Manny Pacquiao won titles in a record eight divisions – of 17 total – is generally cited as his greatest accomplishment. Another of them might never be topped.
Pacquiao, who announced his retirement on Tuesday, is believed to be the first fighter to hold major titles in four decades. The Filipino icon, who turned pro at 16 in 1995 and is now 42, won his first world title (flyweight) when he stopped Chatchai Sasakul in eight rounds in 1998 and his most-recent belt (welterweight) when he defeated Keith Thurman by a split decision this in July 2019.
Here are Pacquiao’s major titles by decade:
1990s
WBC flyweight (1998) – KO 8 Chatchai Sasakul
2000s
IBF junior featherweight (2001) – TKO 6 Lehlo Ledwaba
*-Featherweight (2003) – TKO 11 Marco Antonio Barrera
WBC junior lightweight (2008) – SD 12 Juan Manuel Marquez
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.
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.
Manny Pacquiao: Ranking the Filipino icon’s success division by division.
Manny Pacquiao has fought in 11 of the 17 weight divisions in his 26-year professional career. He has won world titles in eight of them, an all-time record that has made him a legend.
The Filipino dynamo has a winning record in all 11 weight classes, from 108 to 154 pounds, although he fought only once in three of them.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) has fought more times in his current division – welterweight – than in any other, having gone to war at 147 pounds in 17 of his 71 bouts. He’ll face titleholder Yordenis Ugas at welterweight on Saturday in Las Vegas (pay per view).
But in which division did he have his most success?
Boxing Junkie did the research to answer that question. In this special feature, we rank Pacquiao’s success by weight class. We start with No. 11 and work our way up to the division in which we believe he had his most success.
Note: We used Pacquiao’s weight to determine the division in each of his fights, with one exception: He weighed under the welterweight limit when he fought Antonio Margarito for a 154-pound title. That counts as a junior middleweight bout.
Also, he won sanctioning body titles in six divisions, Ring Magazine belts in the other two.
Manny Pacquiao: Ranking the Filipino icon’s success division by division.
Manny Pacquiao has fought in 11 of the 17 weight divisions in his 26-year professional career. He has won world titles in eight of them, an all-time record that has made him a legend.
The Filipino dynamo has a winning record in all 11 weight classes, from 108 to 154 pounds, although he fought only once in three of them.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) has fought more times in his current division – welterweight – than in any other, having gone to war at 147 pounds in 17 of his 71 bouts. He’ll face titleholder Yordenis Ugas at welterweight on Saturday in Las Vegas (pay per view).
But in which division did he have his most success?
Boxing Junkie did the research to answer that question. In this special feature, we rank Pacquiao’s success by weight class. We start with No. 11 and work our way up to the division in which we believe he had his most success.
Note: We used Pacquiao’s weight to determine the division in each of his fights, with one exception: He weighed under the welterweight limit when he fought Antonio Margarito for a 154-pound title. That counts as a junior middleweight bout.
Also, he won sanctioning body titles in six divisions, Ring Magazine belts in the other two.
Paulie Ayala spoke with Boxing Junkie about his two classic fights with Hall of Famer Johnny Tapia in 1999 and 2000.
Editor’s note: Showtime will televise the two fights between Johnny Tapia and Paulie Ayala at 10 p.m. ET / PT tonight (Friday) as part of its Showtime Boxing Classics series.
***
Johnny Tapia was the good natured wild man, famously living the vida loca. He was the star. Paulie Ayala was the blue-collar fighter, a quiet man who happened to be a talented boxer. Together they created fireworks in 1999 and again in 2000.
Ayala, who turns 50 on April 22, watches videos of those fights occasionally and the emotion floods back every time. “Especially in the first fight, when the announcer says ‘And the newwwwww …’” Ayala told Boxing Junkie. And he remembers the circumstances that led to the two encounters and the fights themselves – both of which took place in Las Vegas – as if they happened yesterday, not two decades ago.
Ayala had championship pedigree from his amateur days, when he contended for a place on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team and trained at the same Forth Worth, Texas gym as the Curry brothers (Donald and Bruce), Gene Hatcher, Troy Dorsey and Stevie Cruz.
However, going into the first Tapia fight, he was 30 years old and had failed in his only attempt to win a major world title. He had traveled in 1998 to Japan to challenge WBC bantamweight beltholder Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, a two-time champion. The two were engaged in a spirited, competitive brawl when an accidental head butt caused a deep cut over Tatsuyoshi’s right eye and the fight was stopped. Ayala lost a close technical decision.
That fight wasn’t televised in U.S., as Ayala recalls, which he believes might’ve played a role in the decision of the 32-year-old Tapia and his team to defend his WBA title against him.
Paulie Ayala celebrates his victory over Johnny Tapia in 1999. John Gruzinski / AFP via Getty Images
“They didn’t see that fight,” Ayala said. “As far as they were concerned, I was good enough to be in the mix but didn’t have that extra oomph to win a title. Ring Magazine did a good article at the time. They interviewed everyone. Johnny gave [Top Rank] my name. [Matchmaker] Bruce Trampler gave him names of guys he thought would be easier but he decided to fight me. I’m thankful for that.”
Ayala was well aware of Tapia, whose abilities were obvious in spite of his mercurial, self-destructive life outside of ring. He wasn’t fazed, though, not with his vast amateur background and 28 pro fights under his belt. He was confident.
“I didn’t see anything I hadn’t seen before,” Ayala said.
That was evident before and during the fight, which took place on June 26, 1999 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Tapia and Ayala traded obligatory barbs in the lead up to the fight, each trying to gain a psychological edge. Ayala wanted to provoke Tapia, to make him angry so he’d engage in more of a war than a boxing match.
And he succeeded. As the fighters were being introduced, Tapia walked over to Ayala and gave him a shove, which set the tone for an intense encounter.
Tapia, a slick boxer and a better athlete than some might realize, boxed and moved in the early rounds but eventually began to stand and trade with Ayala. The give and take – hard shots to the body from both fighters, head-snapping combinations, a frenetic pace – had the crowd in a tizzy in what would ultimately be named The Ring Magazine Fight of the Year.
When it was over, Ayala had won a close, but unanimous decision and Tapia had his first loss.
“I dreamed of becoming a world champion since I was a little boy,” said Ayala, who also was named Fighter of the Year. “I grew up in a fight town, in Forth Worth. Six world champions in the 1980s trained simultaneously in the same gym. I used to spar with some of them. I had a lot of experience preparing myself.
“And back in the late ’80s, I used to watch Johnny on TV. I liked the way he fought. I thought he was a flashy, entertaining fighter. To have it come full circle, to face this guy for a world title and win, was great.”
Ayala (left) Tapia gave fans another compelling fight in their rematch. John Gurzinski /AFP via Getty Images
Then came the rematch on Oct. 7, 2000 at the MGM Grand.
Of course, Tapia wanted a chance to regain his title. And Ayala was more than happy to oblige him. He knew his victory was no fluke but he wanted to prove that to doubters. He also knew that the rematch would earn him a career-high purse, reportedly $400,000.
The fighters agreed to a catch weight of 124 pounds, a nod to Tapia, who was battling weight issues. If he was more comfortable in the rematch, however, it didn’t show. The fight was competitive and entertaining once again, and the scores were close, but Ayala felt he handled his rival more easily than he had in their first meeting.
“He got me with some single shots at first but I was able to pick him apart a little easier than the first fight,” he said.
Ayala (35-3, 12 KOs) would successfully defend his title three times and then go on to beat Bones Adams in two memorable junior featherweight fights in 2001 and 2002, both of which went the distance. He lost to the great Mexicans Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera in 2002 and 2004 and then called it quits.
He lives with his wife in Fort Worth as an empty nester but might be busier now than he was when he was fighting. He owns and runs a gym, where many of his clients use a boxing regimen to battle Parkinson’s disease. He doesn’t have many regrets.
“I wish I’d done a little more trash talking,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe I would’ve made a little more money.”
Tapia (59-5-2, 30 KOs)? He would continue to fight with some success for another decade, into his 40s. And then he was gone. The man who survived multiple suicide attempts and drug overdoses was found dead at his home in Albuquerque on May 27, 2012 at 45. Official cause of death: Heart disease.
The three-division titleholder, who was inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017, was the type of character who will never be forgotten. The same might be said of his two-fight series with Ayala, at least for hardcore fans. They were classics.
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.
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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.
