Next five of Pacman’s 10 best fights

In last Sunday’s column, we listed the first five of Manny Pacquiao’s 10 best fights, not in order of preference but chronology. Here are the next five.

6. Ricky Hatton, May 2, 2009, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. The English Hitman came out smoking with bad intentions but Pacquiao easily punctured his defense to score two knockdowns in the first round. Hatton went straight at Pacquiao to open the second canto and paid a hefty price for the senseless attack. Pacquiao landed a picture-perfect left hook that sent Hatton flat on his back. Referee Kenny Bayless didn’t bother to count and quickly waved in the ringside physician. Pacquiao wrested the IBO lightwelterweight crown with the KO at 2:59 of the second round.

7. Miguel Cotto, Nov. 14, 2009, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. The three judges gave Cotto the first round as he controlled the action in the center of the ring. Pacquiao made a critical adjustment in the next stanza, inviting the Puerto Rican to punch away with his back on the ropes. The clever Ali-type tactic brought Cotto away from the middle of the ring and allowed Pacquiao to counter from short range. In the third, Pacquiao decked Cotto who went down again in the fourth. Referee Kenny Bayless stepped in at 0:55 of the 12th to save a defenseless Cotto from more punishment. Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight crown.

8. Antonio Margarito, Nov. 13, 2010, Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas. This was for the vacant WBC superwelterweight title with a catchweight of 150 pounds. Margarito scaled 150 and Pacquiao, 144 1/2. When the bell rang, Margarito had ballooned to 165 while Pacquiao went up to 147. The bigger, longer and heavier Margarito was an easy target for Pacquiao who was much quicker and smarter. It was a one-sided affair between David and Goliath as at least twice, Pacquiao looked at referee Laurence Cole, wondering why he wouldn’t stop the massacre. It went the distance with the scores 120-108, 118-110 and 119-109. Margarito wound up with a fractured orbital bone.

9. Timothy Bradley, April 9, 2016, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Bradley won their first meeting via a controversial split decision then Pacquiao took the rematch on a unanimous verdict. The rubber match settled the dispute once and for all. Pacquiao floored Bradley in rounds seven and nine to win the decision on identical 116-110 scores. It was for the vacant WBO International welterweight crown.

10. Keith Thurman, July 20, 2019, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Pacquiao held the WBA “regular” welterweight title while the unbeaten Thurman was the WBA “super” champion so this was a showdown to unify recognition. Pacquiao set the tone by flooring Thurman in the first round but needed a rally down the stretch to seal the deal. A vicious left to the liver nearly sent Thurman down in the 10th as he spat out his mouthpiece into his glove to gasp for air and that set the stage for Pacquiao’s rousing finish. Judges Dave Moretti and Tim Cheatham had it 115-112 for Pacquiao but judge Glenn Feldman surprisingly saw it 114-113 for Thurman.

Boxing News (London) recently recounted Pacquiao’s 10 best fights and listed the Morales rematch, the Bradley rematch and the KO over David Diaz. The list had seven fights in common with mine. My choices that were not in Boxing News’ list were the Chatchai bout and the third meetings with Morales and Bradley. Clearly, Pacquiao deserves a Hall of Fame induction as one of the greatest fighters, if not the greatest, of all time.