Manny Pacquiao - the new king of Boxing

Floyd Mayweather Jr. took his daughter bowling Saturday night after announcing his return to the ring. Good thing, because if he had seen Manny Pacquiao fight he might have figured out what boxing fans now know _ that the future of boxing lies in the furious fists of a most unlikely new superstar.
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Had he been watching, Mayweather might have been as stunned at what he saw as his estranged father seemed to be in Ricky Hatton's corner. Fighters just aren't supposed to do the kind of things Pacquiao did to Hatton in 5 minutes and 59 seconds of utter domination before a thrilled crowd at the MGM Grand hotel.

All Mayweather can do now is get in line. The road to greatness now runs through a fighter who truly does let his fists do the talking.

"If Mayweather wants a piece of the little Filipino, just be my guest," promoter Bob Arum crowed when it was all over.

That's not likely to happen right away, but the odds are good it will happen eventually. There's too much money involved for it not to.

But give Pacquiao Round 1 already. On a day when Mayweather tried to steal his thunder by unretiring, Pacquiao went into the ring and showed why he is the most exciting thing to happen to boxing in a long, long time.

He didn't just beat Hatton. Didn't just knock him out.

He demolished a world class fighter who had never lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds, and he did it with such precision and ease that the talk afterward wasn't whether Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but whether he might be one of the best ever.

A right hook _ a punch most southpaws don't even have _ started it all, dropping Hatton midway through the first round. A left cross that may be one of the greatest single punches ever thrown in a big fight ended it with a dramatic flourish.

When it was over, Hatton was sprawled motionless on his back in the center of the ring. Pacquiao and his corner were celebrating and the sellout crowd was trying to digest what they had just seen.

And Mayweather was at a bowling alley somewhere trying to pick up a spare.

A few hours earlier, Mayweather had declared that "The king is back" and said he was ready to reclaim his title as the best pound-for-pound fighter. But boxing has a new king in an unassuming fighter so good that he won his last four fights in four different weight classes.

It's a remarkable story even in a sport where tales of rags-to-riches are commonplace. There was a time when Pacquiao lived in a cardboard shack in his native Philippines, and there didn't seem anything special about him when he fought his first fight there at 106 pounds in 1995.

But he began growing and started knocking people out. He hooked up with trainer Freddie Roach and learned how to use his right hand as well as his left.

He sent Oscar De La Hoya into retirement, and may have done the same to Hatton.

And he's such a hero at home that there's talk of him running for president.

Boxing fans have responded by embracing Pacquiao, filling every seat at the MGM Grand and spending $49.95 for the pay-per-view to watch him fight from home. With good reason, because he gives fight fans what they want to see.

While Mayweather plays the villain with great success, Pacquiao comes across as a humble fighter who cares about nothing except doing his job, then getting together with his band as he did after stopping Hatton to make some music. He's fairly fluent in English and makes a point of speaking it instead of relying on a translator, and he acts like a professional in everything he does in boxing.

Most importantly, though, he comes to fight. Oh, does he come to fight.

"He has the opportunity to become the best I've ever promoted," said Arum, who promoted Muhammad Ali and Marvelous Marvin Hagler among others. "Other fights reach a certain level and they think they know everything and never get better. Not Manny. He's always learning."

Pacquiao brought his mother over from the Philippines for her first trip to the United States, but she couldn't bear to watch her son fight. Instead, she stayed in a hotel suite praying for his success and health.

Pacquiao vs Hatton Predictions

Manny Pacquiao's performance against Oscar De La Hoya was magnificent but De La Hoya was as shot as Freddie Roach, Pacquaio's trainer and De La Hoya's ex-trainer, predicted that he would be. In his most recent meaningful fights against top-notch opponents, I thought he lost in a very close fight against Juan Manuel Marquez and he wasn't at his best in a rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera. If Ricky Hatton can get to him like Marquez did, he could make it difficult for Pacquiao but I see Pacquiao's footwork and hand speed being too much for Hatton. As much as beating that version of De La Hoya was not an accurate barometer of Pacquiao, Hatton's victory over Paulie Malignaggi in his last fight was also illusory, his struggle against Juan Lazcano more indicative of Hatton's inevitable decline because of bad living. His bravery will not be enough in the face of so much precise punching and Pacquiao will win inside eight rounds.

I think Pacquiao is at his peak coming in to the fight this weekend. His speed and accuracy will put him over the top and he'll cement his spot as the sports pound-for-pound king. Prediction: Pacquiao over Hatton by KO in the 8th.

Pacquiao vs Hatton Simulation

The hotly anticipated title bout between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao on Sunday has captured the imagination of the boxing public for its intriguing uncertainties as much its high quality.

Connoisseurs of the sport cannot wait to find out whether Hatton's raw power can overcome Pacquiao's lightning speed when the Briton defends his IBO light-welterweight belt.

While Filipino southpaw Pacquiao is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, he has never competed in the 140-pound division where Hatton is the undisputed king.

"I respect Manny for his skills and power but I think he should be a bit more worried about my power," Hatton said in the build-up to the showdown at the MGM Grand Hotel.

"He's had one fight about 135 pounds and that was against Oscar (De La Hoya). He's a southpaw, he's got his hand speed and his footwork so I'm aware of the dangers.

"But he should certainly be worried about my power. Manny has won world titles in different weight divisions but down there."

Hatton, 45-1 (32 KOs), has relished his billing as the underdog, with Las Vegas bookmakers and most boxing pundits having long installed Pacquiao as favourite to win the 12-round contest.

"I think you have all made your mind up already," the 30-year-old told reporters.

"I have been reading what you have been saying and what everyone has been saying. That doesn't scare me. I have been the underdog before.

"I hear what you say: 'He is an over-hyped, over-protected, fat beer-drinking Englishman'. Guess what..... that 'he' is going to shock the world again."

Pacquiao, who outclassed 10 times world champion De La Hoya in December to confirm his reputation as the sport's best pound-for-pound fighter, has mutual respect for Hatton.

"He's a strong fighter, a good fighter and he's quick," said Pacquiao, who is also 30 and has the nickname 'Pac-man'.

Pacquiao as best pound-for-pound fighter

MANILA, Philippines - The 2008 Annual Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards and Banquet of Champions will honor Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao for the eighth straight year as well as three world champions of the past year in ceremonies to be held during the 74th birth anniversary of the Da Flash on March 25 at the Manila Hotel Tent City.

Pacquiao, the Philippines’ most prominent boxer since 2001, will receive the distinct honor as the World’s Best Pound-for-Pound Boxer during the ninth Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards where Filipino national, international and world champions of 2008 will gather for the country’s most prestigious awards in professional boxing.

“The Elorde Memorial Awards had bestowed the highest honor in boxing to our very own Manny Pacquiao during the last seven years. Last year we inducted him into the Elorde Hall of Fame after he became the first boxer to earn the highest award for the seventh straight year.

“Now we are conferring on him another distinctive honor – the Best Pound For Pound Boxer Award – for which he is acclaimed the world over,” said Laura Elorde, wife of Da Flash.

The boxing awards are given annually by the family of the late Flash Elorde, the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion – from 1960 to 1967.

Elorde was the second Filipino, after Pancho Villa, to be enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Villa, the US flyweight champion from 1922 to 1925 and the first Filipino to be enshrined into the International Hall of Fame, will be posthumously enshrined into the Elorde Hall of Fame.

Villa, Elorde and Pacquiao are considered the country’s greatest boxers of their generation and the three greatest Filipino fighters of all time.

“It is only proper that the great fighter Pancho Villa occupies an honored place in Philippine boxing history through the Elorde Memorial Awards,” said the late champion’s wife.

Laura Elorde will herself present the Hall of Fame Award in honor of Villa as well as the World’s Best Pound for Pound Boxer Award to Pacquiao during the ceremonies which include the Banquet of Champions, an exclusive gathering of the country’s national, international and world champions, and other honorees in the field of boxing.

The Elorde Sports Foundation, which is holding the event in cooperation with the Elorde clan, said the Awards Night includes, for the first time, an amateur boxing award to be given to the most outstanding Filipino amateur boxing campaigner in 2008.

The regular awards categories include Boxer of the Year, Major Awards (World/International/national champions), best fight best boxing manager and citations.

The event will be capped with a women’s world boxing championship and a Philippine title fight.

The Elorde Awards is sponsored by the Johnny Elorde International Management, Elorde Foundation, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Manila Hotel. - (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Pacquiao vs Hatton Prediction

On May 2nd, Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao will go toe to toe for what is the ‘P4P’ championship. It already has boxing fans salivating at the prospect of their two all-action styles clashing in Vegas. There are so many intangibles with this fight I don’t know where to start, so lets examine their recent performances. 2008 was a phenomenal year for the Pacman, starting with a razor thin split decision over world class Juan Manuel Marquez..

Despite the controversy, these two guys put on a breathtaking spectacle for twelve rounds and neither really deserved to lose. Next he disposes of the extremely game but limited David Diaz. Diaz was the perfect opponent for Manny’s lightweight debut; his plodding feet and not much head movement meant it was just target practice for the Philippines. Then in December he is catapulted into the big league with a dominant win over the Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya. Whatever people say about this fight you cannot deny this was a masterpiece by the little man. Ok, so De La Hoya looked a bit shot but you could argue that Pacquiao made him look like that. The speed of his foot movement, his balance and combinations just blew him away.

On December 8th 2007, the Hitman was picked apart for the first time in his career by the surgeon Floyd Jr. This was a competitive bout for six rounds, but Maywether showed why he is the best in the world, taking advantage of Hatton’s increasingly gung ho tactics. Ricky still has frustration about the way the referee handled the bout. You may agree or disagree; personally I feel Joe Cortez was getting in way too much during the first four rounds. Whether that changed the result of the fight who knows, only a rematch in England would tell us. The ‘homecoming’ win over Juan Lazcano was a rusty performance, presumably because he was coming off such a crushing defeat. Then it emerges that training camps with Billy Graham are not what they once were resulting in Floyd sr taking over the reigns. This proved a wise decision after he took his nearest rival, Paulie Malignaggi to school for eleven rounds. As a result of his new trainer he showed more jabs, feints and head movement, which he will need in abundance against Pacquiao.

An obvious factor to look at in this fight is the weight and the size of the fighters. Hatton was born at 140 pounds and his best performances have come there. Pacquiao has never fought at 140 and is therefore an unknown quantity. The weight was not really an issue for him against De La Hoya because he was allowed to box his own fight, getting in and out quickly without wrestling and inside fighting. I imagine the first thing Hatton will do in this fight is get inside and see how strong he really is. In my opinion Hatton will throw him around like a rag doll, which will take a lot more out of Pacquiao. The tactical battle of both trainers will centre on this issue, with Hatton trying to impose his strength inside and Pacquiao trying to box from the outside.

Strength and punching power are two separate attributes, and although I’ve never been in a ring with Pacquiao, I imagine his punching power is more fearsome. He has scored some incredible knockouts, albeit in the lower divisions and because of this we don’t know if he really has the power to stop Hatton in his tracks. In contrast we know Hatton is a good puncher in this weight class, not a murderous puncher but one who can hurt you with the right shot. This could be a telling factor as the fight unfolds.

Pacquiao has a clear speed advantage of both hand and foot over his opponent. He has the ability to hit his rival with combinations and get out of range before they have time to react. This is the problem that De La Hoya and almost all his opponents have encountered. Hatton is no slouch either but he will have to be very sharp if he is going to catch him consistently.

This piece is entitled prediction, and as such I must give one despite my shocking record. I think Hatton knocks him out in the later rounds of what is a great fight. I feel his strength, body shots and aggression will pay dividends in the second half of the fight. My guess is that we will see an end similar to Cotto vs. Margarito where the little man simply has nothing left and folds. A fanciful idea I know, but I’ve got broad shoulders so the Pacquiao fans can unleash their bile on me.

by: By Jake Roberts

Manny Pacquiao is now 'Dr. Pacquiao'

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) by Southwestern University (SWU) in Cebu City, a television report said Thursday.

In her report aired over “24 Oras," GMA News’ Cebu City correspondent Lalaine Go said university president Dr. Eldigario Gonzales bestowed the award to Pacquiao on Wednesday evening at Waterfront Hotel.

Gonzalez said the doctorate degree was conferred to Pacquiao not just to honor his success in boxing but also for his initiative to help his country men.

The report said Pacquiao was supposed to receive Doctorate for Human Kinetic" but the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said such does not exist.

Pacquiao meanwhile welcomed the recognition. In his speech, he took pot shots at his critics when he said that intelligence is not measured by the books one reads.

"Ang katalinuhan at kagalingan ng Pilipino ay hindi nasusukat sa dami ng librong nababasa [The intelligence of a Filipino is not measured through the books he reads]," he said.

Pacquiao also thanked SWU for believing in him despite earning flak from groups who are opposed to it. “Sa kabila ng batikos sa Southernwestern University, pinagpatuloy niyo pa rin ang pagtitiwala sa akin. Maraming salamat po sa inyong pagtitiwala," he said.

[“Despite the criticism, you still honored me with this. Thank you for your trust."] - GMANews.TV. Manny Pacquiao is now 'Dr. Pacquiao'

Pacquiao vs. Hatton Live

Good footwork is a key element of Manny Pacquiao’s successful boxing career, a tool he used to advantage in pummeling to submission the bigger and stronger Oscar De La Hoya in their December 6 fight.

It’s a device he would need to employ again to the hilt when he tangles with British junior welterweight star Ricky Hatton in their coming May 2 bout, according to his renowned trainer Freddie Roach.

Nigel Collins, editor-in-chief of The Ring Magazine, observed that the signature move Pacquiao used in his “Dream Match” against De La Hoya carried the Filipino icon to his upset victory by “largely nullifying Oscar’s biggest weapon, his concussive left hook.”

“Pacquiao would step in quickly, deliver a rapid combination, pivot to his right, bend at the knee, and duck low,” Collins, a veteran boxing writer, wrote in his article “The Lost Art of Footwork” in the April issue of The Ring.

It is a routine that Pacquiao mastered at training camp and employed to near perfection during the fight, and handed De La Hoya, boxing’s biggest draw, his worst beating in his entire career.

“We developed that move especially to take away Oscar’s bread-and-butter [left hook] and work on it throughout camp,” said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainor for more than eight years. “Footwork is something of a lost art, but it was the key to Manny’s victory over Oscar.”

Collins observed that the top four boxers in The Ring’s current pound-for-pound ratings—Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins—are all known for employing intelligent footwork.

“Overlooked, misunderstood, and difficult to master, footwork [and its co-joined twin, balance] has always been and remains and remains the hallmark of the great fighter down throughout the generations,” said Collins, a keen student of The Sweet Science.

He said that among the iconic heavyweights, Jim Corbett, Jack Johnson, Gene Tunney, Joe Walcott, Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes were all gifted hoofers.

Collins said good movement in the ring also played a major role in the success of fighters not normally associated with fancy legworks, noting how the likes of Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson, or better yet, Roberto Duran cut off the ring in their prime.

Among active fighters, Collins mentioned the ageless Bernard Hopkins, who practically gave unbeaten middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik a boxing clinic using excellent footwork.

“It’s all about footwork, footwork and balance. They’re together,” Hopkins told Collins.

Hopkins said that “70 percent to 80 percent of winning a fight is based on positioning,” adding that it is proper footwork that allows a fighter to be in position to attack or defend himself.

Hopkins said the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard both had great footwork, a quality that helped earn them their status as best among the elite boxing greats in the history of the sport.

According to Collins footwork has always been a part of the development of boxing since the time of the bare-knuckle prizefighters of the 18th and 19th century.

“Footwork has always been the shifting foundation upon which boxing excellence is built,” Collins said. Pacquiao vs. Hatton Live