Pacquiao's Greatest Fights: Path of an All-Time Great Fighter

[Left Hook Tua]

Oscar Larios

Another tuneup in between fights of the Morales trilogy. A solid win against a very good fighter.

Larios was 56-4-1 at the time, a former WBC Junior Featherweight and later WBC Featherweight champion with wins over guys like Israel Vazquez, Willie Jorrin and Wayne McCullough.

Larios came in great shape and came to fight. He gave Pacquiao a tough time early in the fight until Pacquiao adjusted and took over in the 2nd half.

[Left Hook Tua]

David Diaz

Pacquiao's 1st fight above Super Featherweight, winning a title in his 5th weight class.

Diaz was 34-1 at the time and WBC Lightweight champion. Diaz best known for his amateur career as a 3-time National Golden Gloves Light Welterweight champion, 1996 U.S. Olympic team member and beating Zab Judah twice in the amateurs, was the 2nd ranked Lightweight in the world behind lineal champion Joel Casamayor and fellow champion Juan Diaz.

In his 1st fight at Lightweight, Pacquiao battered Diaz for 9 rounds before knocking him out. Pacquiao boxed and moved more this fight in anticipation of fighting bigger opponents in the future. Something he would show in spectacular fashion later that year.

[Left Hook Tua]

Oscar De La Hoya

This fight helped make Pacquiao a ppv superstar.

De La Hoya, another HOFer and ATG, was a heavy favorite. Though definitely past his best, people thought Oscar would be too big and too strong for tiny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao shocked the world by totally outclassing and retiring the bigger man.

[Left Hook Tua]

Ricky Hatton

Pacquiao's world championship in a 6th weight division and 4th lineal title.

Hatton was 45-1 at the time, the lineal champion at Junior Welterweight and ranked in the Top 10 P4P.

Pacquiao battered Hatton in the 1st round and scored a devastating one punch knockout in the 2nd round showing the De La Hoya fight was no fluke and he can compete in the higher weight divisions.

[Left Hook Tua]

Miguel Cotto

Pacquiao's world title in a 7th weight division and his 1st real fight at Welterweight not counting the De La Hoya sideshow.

Cotto, who was 34-1 at the time, the WBO Welterweight champion, one of the Top 2 or 3 ranked welterweights in the world and ranked in the Top 10 P4P.

Pacquiao dropped Cotto twice in the early rounds before stopping him late, totally outclassing him.

[Left Hook Tua]

Joshua Clottey

Pacquiao's 2nd true fight at Welterweight against another big, strong Welterweight.

Clottey was 35-3 at the time and people felt he had defeated Cotto in Cotto's fight prior to fighting Pacquiao. The former IBF Welterweight champion was ranked Top 5 in the division.

In a very dull fight, Pacquiao totally outclassed Clottey with his speed and forced Clottey into a shell. Unimpressive fight but impressive win considering the opposition.

[Left Hook Tua]

Antonio Margarito

Pacquiao's world title in a record 8th weight class for the vacant WBC Junior Middleweight title.

Margarito, who was 38-6 at the time, was a huge Welterweight and even bigger at a catchweight of 150 lbs. Margarito, who had been a 3-time Welterweight Champion with belts from the WBA, IBF and WBO and former Top 10 P4P ranked fighter, had large height and weight advantages.

Pacquiao battered Margarito in a one-sided but tough fight. Disfiguring Margarito's face and rocking him several times in a fight that honestly should have been stopped by the referee or Margarito's corner.

[Left Hook Tua]

Timothy Bradley

Two fights with the highly ranked veteran. First was a very controversial robbery that wasn't close in most people's opinion and Pacquiao avenged the loss in the rematch.

Bradley was an undefeated 28-0 at the time of the 1st fight, former 2-time WBC Junior Welterweight champion and former WBO Junior Welterweight champion. He was considered the best Junior Welterweight at the time and consistently ranked in the Top 10 P4P.

In both bouts Pacquiao showed the difference in class between a very good champion and an all-time great fighter. As hard as Bradley tried, Pacquiao was usually a level above. Impressive considering Bradley was a young and strong champion while Pacquiao was an aging fighter.

[Left Hook Tua]

This was a long time ago. What does this have to do with the Mayweather fight?

nothing.

who's mayweather?

[Hype job]

Chatchai Sasakul

Pacquiao's 1st world title and 1st lineal title.

Sasakul was 33-1 at the time, the WBC and lineal Flyweight champion and one of the TOP 2 Flyweights in the world.

Pacquiao went to Thailand to fight the Thai champ and stopped him for his 1st world title. Pacquiao was only 19 yrs. old.

He just became good out of nowhere doe