Manny Pacquaio and the Biggest 'Nice Guy' Assassins in Boxing History

Manny Pacquiao is one of the nice guys in the game of boxing.

In addition to his charitable endeavors that have focused on health care, education and sports in his native Philippines, he has focused on political activity in his homeland that will give him a greater opportunity to help disadvantaged individuals.

Of course, Pacquiao has been on one of the greatest fighters of his era. He has a 54-4-2 record and is recognized as one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers with his slashing style. He has registered 38 knockouts in his 54 victories, and his two-fisted attacks have made him one of the most dangerous fighters of his era.

Here's a look at six other dangerous "assassins" who were also nice guys outside of the ring.

Alexis Arguello

Alexis Arguello was one of the most unimposing great fighters to ever enter a boxing ring.

He had the look of a sophisticated opera goer, but he punched with power. Known as "El Flaco Explosivo" (The Explosive Thin Man), Arguello had a record of 77-8 and registered 62 knockouts.

Arguello went into politics in his native Nicaragua and was known for his work on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised in his native country.

Arguello committed suicide at the age of 57 by shooting himself in the heart. The cause of the tragic event remains shrouded by mysterious circumstances.

Floyd Patterson

Floyd Patterson was the heavyweight champion of the world, winning the crown at the age of 21 at the expense of veteran fighter Archie Moore.

Patterson was known for his back-and-forth battles with Ingemar Johansson and the knockouts he suffered at the expense of hard-punching Sonny Liston.

Patterson is known for his gentlemanly behavior both in and out of the ring. After knocking out Johansson, Patterson carried his limp body back to the corner so medical officials could attend to him (source: ESPN.com).

Joe Louis

Joe Louis is arguably the greatest heavyweight championship of all-time.

While Louis did not have the speed of Muhammad Ali, he had all the other tools needed to become the most talented fighter in heavyweight history.

Louis represented the hopes of a nation when he met Max Schmeling in their second fight at Yankee Stadium in 1939. Schmeling was seen as a symbol of Germany's Nazi tyranny. He had also beaten Louis in a previous fight. Louis was a finely tuned machine for the fight, and he knocked out Schmeling in the first round.

Louis was one of the first African-American sports heroes. Not only was he idolized in the black community, but he was also appreciated by white Americans who applauded his victory over a German fighter.

Louis made financial errors outside the ring, and that caused him many problems. However, he was known for taking care of many individuals in need when he had money, and he was the kind of individual who would never turn his back on a friend who was going through difficult times.

Gerry Cooney

"Gentleman" Gerry Cooney (source: Boxing101.com) was viewed as one of the top contenders for the heavyweight title during the late 1970s and early '80s. While he was beaten when he got in the ring with heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, Cooney had some big wins, including a knockout over Ken Norton (above).

Cooney finished his career with a 28-3 record, and after his ring career was over, he dedicated himself to helping retired fighters find new careers with the Fighters' Initiative for Support and Training.

Max Schmeling

Max Schmeling was one of the top fighters in the 1930s, and he actually beat Joe Louis in their first meeting in 1936.

Louis came back and knocked out Schmeling in the return match, but the first victory should not be overlooked. While Louis did not have a great night, he was still one of the great champions of all time, and he knocked out Louis in the 12th round.

Schmeling may have been a German and a symbol of pride for Adolf Hitler, however Schmeling was never a mouthpiece for the Nazi party. He knew how they attempted to use his success for their benefit, but he did not speak on their behalf.

Louis became one of Schmeling's greatest friends, and Schmeling helped Louis out with his financial difficulties (source: BBC.co.uk).

Schmeling was known as a gentleman who would help aspiring boxers with their careers whenever possible.

George Foreman

During the first part of George Foreman's career, he was one of the hardest punching and intimidating fighters to box in the heavyweight division.

When he knocked out Joe Frazier with a series of devastating punches in 1973, his reputation as a great champion was made. He looked unbeatable, but he was inexplicably knocked out by Muhammad Ali in 1974, and his career seemed to come to an end when he was beaten by Jimmy Young in 1977.

However, a decade after that defeat, Foreman started a comeback. While he may have come across like Sonny Liston's mean little brother in the first part of his career, he came back as a smiling and charismatic fighter with a winning personality when he returned to the ring 1987.

In addition to regaining the World Heavyweight championship when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994, he became one of boxing's best public relations men as he made the tours of national talk shows and regularly appeared on HBO's boxing broadcasts.