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Manny Pacquiao returned home on Friday. PICTURE: AP
Many readers have questioned my decision to include Floyd Mayweather inside my list of top-10 boxers of all time.
Others have queried my omissions of Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson.
Thanks for all your comments. I’d like to explain myself, and while I don’t expect you to agree with me, hopefully you can understand my thinking. Read More…
Manny Pacquiao arrived home on Friday. PICTURE: AP
It wasn’t exactly a taunt, but in his own quiet way Manny Pacquiao fired back at braggart Floyd Mayweather.
On his arrival home on Friday Pacquiao referred to the fact that his bout against Miguel Cotto earned more pay-per-views than Mayweather’s last fight. “We are not forcing a fight with him. It is right that he is the one challenging me, because my fights score more on pay-per-view.”
Well said, Pacman!
Manny Pacquiao will easily beat Floyd Mayweather jnr when – or if – they fight.
At least that’s what this poll shows (see below). Exactly 80% of respondents are tipping Pacman to beat Pretty Boy, with 64% even predicting the Filipino superstar to win inside the distance.
Only 18% think Mayweather will emerge victorious, of whom just 6% are tipping a stoppage triumph for the American.
Mayweather fans will undoubtedly poo-poo the poll results, but keep in mind that for the Pacquiao v Miguel Cotto showdown, 91% of 8,656 respondents polled had picked Pacquiao to win. An incredible 84% chose him to win by stoppage – I thought they were being optimistic, but they turned out to be absolutely correct.
Of course, democracy doesn’t always mean the right choice because once again. I reckon it would be a close fight.
[poll id="11"]
Where does Pacman rank among boxing's all-time greats?
Manny Pacquiao, winner of world titles at a record seven weights after his convincing victory over Miguel Cotto at the weekend, has surely etched his name into the upper echelons of world boxing.
When talking about the greatest fighters of all-time, boxing pundits will mention Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Willie Pep, Jem Driscoll, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Jimmy Wilde and Pernell Whitaker.
But without a shadow of a doubt, Pacquiao belongs on that list, as does Floyd Mayweather jnr!
So where would they fit in exactly? We’ll know a bit more if Pacquiao and Mayweather get to fight.
My personal top-10 list for the moment is: Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Pernell Whitaker, Willie Pep, Roberto Duran, Gene Tunney, Floyd Mayweather jnr.
What do you think?
[poll id="12"]
Antonio Margarito, the only other man to have beaten Miguel Cotto, may have packed hard pads in his hand wraps – but Manny Pacquiao carries iron in his fists! Read More…
One of boxing’s best-known cliches is: “A good big ‘un will always beat a good little ‘un.”
There’s a good reason for this – because in the majority of cases the bigger boxer beats the smaller one. History tells us this. Read More…
Archie is worried he could be one lunch poorer next week this time
Kaka is a colleague of mine, and I must admit he’s one of the more knowledgeable boxing fans I know.
And when he makes a prediction, you should listen. Kaka is tipping Miguel Cotto to beat Manny Pacquiao. His reasoning is simple: Pacquiao is going a bridge too far against a good, strong boxer like Cotto.
Whether you agree with Kaka or not, you’ve got to admire his conviction – he’s already bet my other colleague, Archie, to a lunch. The last time they bet – when Floyd Mayweather fought Ricky Hatton – poor Archie had to cough up.
Archie’s worried that he’ll be buying lunch for Kaka next week.
Pacman (left) is the favourite, but should he be such an overwhelming favourite?
Miguel Cotto has been slapped with the tag of underdog for his bout against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
A poll on this blog shows that 85% of fans are tipping Pacman to win by stoppage, while a further 7% reckon the Filipino superstar will win on points. By contrast, just 7% are tipping Cotto to win – points or stoppage – and 1% think it will be a draw.
The bookmakers agree that Pacquiao is the favourite, but not to the same degree. Ladbrokes have Pacquiao the favourite at 4/11 while Cotto is an ungenerous 2/1 (not exactly odds that are associated with the world’s biggest underdog). Read More…
Miguel Cotto after the Margarito fight
The World Boxing Council (WBC) has said the most common element among boxers who died in the ring was the fact that their fathers were in their corners.
Of course, the most famous boxer-dad combination right now is Miguel Cotto snr and his son, who defends his WBO welterweight title against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas next Saturday.
I think the WBC should investigate this issue further, because in South Africa we have seen some ring deaths in recent years which had a whole lot to do with incompetence of referees and trainers rather than family relations.
How much will Roach win if he wins his bet?
Trainer Freddie Roach has said he’s bet $1,000 on Manny Pacquiao to KO Miguel Cotto in rounds one, nine and 10.
I hope that $1,000 is small change to Roach, because if it isn’t, then it could spell trouble.
If Roach desperately needs to win that bet, it could well take his eye off the ball in the fight. Imagine if the fight is really even going into the 10th and Roach tells Pacquiao to go balls to the wall for a KO – and he gets nailed himself?
And if $1,000 is chicken feed to Roach, and if he wins the bet, then I hope he donates the winnings to a worthy Filipino charity. Actually, I’m sure he would do that.
