Pacquiao vs. Rios: Tracing Evolution of Both Fighters Ahead of Main Event

Warriors in boxing are often the recipients of praise from fans who respect their heart, but these fighters also absorb their share of punishment because of their desire to gladiate. Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao and Brandon "Bam-Bam" Rios are both warriors. 

Boxing fans will rejoice when the two men battle in Macau, China, on Nov. 23 because the bout will almost certainly be a slugfest. When it is over, the loser—and possibly the winner—will wear the marks of an in-ring war. 

You get the feeling that neither man would have it any other way. 

Pacquiao's rise to prominence has been fueled by his in-ring talents, sustained success through a myriad of weight classes and the many battles he's fought along the way. Rios' history isn't as long or as storied, but in a shorter time, he has already solidified his standing as one of the sport's most exciting and explosive bangers.

Both Pac-Man and Bam-Bam are nicknames that evoke youthful references, but this fight will not be child's play. With both men coming off losses in their last bouts—the last two in Manny's case—this fight is huge for both men.

In many ways, this is a crossroads bout for Pacquiao and Rios. There will be serious questions to answer for both if they should come up short. At one time, Pacquiao and Rios were champions at the top of their sport, but because of recent defeats, neither is riding high at the moment. 

How did they get here?

Jr. Pac-Man

Though Pacquiao is just 34 years old, he has been fighting professionally for more than 18 years. He began his career as a flyweight winning his first 11 fights. Despite the power potential he'd show later in his career, he only won four of those bouts by KO.

His win streak was stopped in 1996 when he was knocked out by Rustico Torrecampo in the third round of their bout. Take a look at that fight in the video below.

Pacquiao rebounded well from the loss. In fact, he fought and won just two months after being stopped by Torrecampo. He went on to win his next 15 fights, which included capturing his first world title in 1998. 

Pac-Man stopped Chatchai Sasakul in the eighth round to capture the WBC flyweight title. Take a look at the stoppage in the video below. The end comes near the 6:00 mark.

Three months later, he would again fall victim in the third round of a bout. After failing to make weight, Pacquiao was stopped by Medgoen Singsurat and dethroned.

It was clear he was outgrowing the flyweight division and needed to move up in weight.  Still, his penchant for careless defense was evident early in his career. 

A Rising Star

Again, Pacquiao wasted almost no time returning to the ring after a KO loss. In just three months, Pacquiao knocked out Reynante Jamili in the second round to win the WBC international super bantamweight title. Though it isn't recognized as a world title, the belt helped announce Pacquiao's arrival as a serious force in a higher weight region.

The win over Jamili was the first of an eight-fight win streak and a 15-bout unbeaten run. In 2001, Pacquiao knocked out Lehlo Ledwaba in the second round to win the the IBF super bantamweight belt and his second world title. Pacquiao would draw with Agapito Sanchez in an attempt to unify the IBF and WBO titles.

The bout was marred by headbutts from Sanchez that resulted in point deductions. It was stopped after the sixth round because Pacquiao sustained cuts from Sanchez's fouls. One judge had the fight for Pacquiao, another for Sanchez and the third had it even at the time of the stoppage.

This would prove to be a minor speed bump for Pacquiao as he would blow through four more super bantamweights before making his next jump to lightweight.

Pac-Man Becomes a Household Name

In Nov. 2003, Pacquiao scored the first win of his career that would make him a legend. He stopped the rugged, talented and respected featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera in the 11th round. Though he went down in the first frame, he rose to his feet and thoroughly dominated Barrera the rest of the way.

He dropped him twice before the fight was halted in 11th round. Barrera had already had two of three great fights with fellow Mexican legend Erik Morales. He'd been world champion three times in two different weight classes.

Moreover, he had never been stopped by an opponent. When his career ended in 2011, the stoppage-loss to Pacquiao was still the only time he was defeated by TKO or KO. 

Pacquiao would next face the man who would prove to be his biggest nemesis for the first time. In May 2004, Pacquiao clashed with Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBA super and IBF featherweight titles.

The fight started out all Pacquiao. He floored Marquez three times in the first round, and it seemed the night would end early. Marquez regained his wherewithal and engaged Pacquiao in a spirited battle the rest of the way, outboxing him for almost all of the remaining 11 rounds.

Pacquiao escaped with a draw on the strength of the three knockdowns but actually should have been the winner. A judges' scoring gaffe cost Pacquiao a valuable point. With one judge scoring the fight for Pacquiao, another for Marquez, Burt Clements' card could have been the tiebreaker.

He scored the bout even at 113 because he only gave Pacquiao a 10-7 advantage in the first round. He admitted after the fight that he didn't realize he could have scored it 10-6 as would have been customary in a three-knockdown round.

Per Michael Katz of The New York Times, Clements said:

"I just screwed up. I feel badly because I dropped the ball, plainly and simply. You can make a lot of arguments that it was a very close fight, but that's immaterial. The fact is, I dropped the ball."

Still chasing glory, Pacquiao took on Barrera's arch rival Morales in May 2005. In another epic battle, Morales out-pointed Pacquiao but not before Pac-Man nearly stopped him in the final round.

Becoming a Legend

Pacquiao would have his revenge against Morales—twice. The second bout took place in 2006 and Pacquiao pounded Morales to the canvas twice en route to a TKO win. Just 10 months later, Pacquiao would destroy Morales again, this time it took just three rounds.

At just 28 years old, Pacquiao owned wins over two of the biggest names of the era in the sport (Morales, Barrera) and deserved to be named the winner over the other great Mexican fighter of the time, Marquez.

This domination of fighters from Mexico led to Pacquiao's short-lived moniker as "the Mexicutioner." 

Ultimately, Pacquiao would distance himself from the politically incorrect nickname, per Lem Satterfield of The Ring Magazine, but his success against the top Mexican fighters is a big reason he became a legend. After out-boxing Barrera in another rematch, Pacquiao would win a close and controversial split decision over Marquez in their second of four meetings.

From there Pacquiao won eight more fights in a row. He'd fight everywhere from 135 pounds up to 154 pounds in this stretch. This string would include a list of opponents that reads almost like a who's who of the sport: Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, a third bout with Marquez and Ricky Hatton were all victims of Pac-Man.

Pacquiao would not just defeat them all, he did it impressively. However, the one fight most every boxing fan wanted to see never materialized. Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao is boxing's equivalent to the Cold War. A bout between the two would have been—and could still be—the biggest commercial success in the history of the sport.

Though the door is still cracked for the epic clash to take place, there is little dispute that the time when the anticipation was at its peak is gone. In 2009 when Mayweather returned from a brief retirement to dismantle Marquez, talks of the fight were serious.

There are many theories as to why it never happened, but if there is a hole in either man's legacy, the root of it is in the absence of this mega fight. 

Is This the End?

In June 2012, Pacquiao suffered what many describe as an unjust defeat at the hands of Timothy Bradley. Bradley earned the decision victory, and Pacquiao was left to wonder how he could have closed the show more emphatically in a fight he thought he was winning. Bleacher Report's own Kevin McRae called the decision a robbery.

In his next fight, there was no such drama. In their fourth fight, Marquez put a right-hand exclamation point on his series with Pacquiao. The powerful counter right hand from Marquez knocked Pacquiao out cold and resulted in one of the scariest knockouts in the sport over the last 10 years.

There have been concerns of brain damage, per a report by Mark Havey of Boxing News 24, and pleas from his family to cease his in-ring involvement in the sport., but Pac-Man is defiant and competitive. That warrior spirit won't allow him to walk away. Is he venturing into another triumph in Macau, or walking into another buzz saw?

Baby Bam-Bam

Rios had a noteworthy amateur career. He became the U.S. National Amateur Featherweight champion before beginning his professional career in 2004. The Lubbock, Texas, native began his career 18-0. Rios scored KO/TKO wins over his first six opponents and 12 of his first 18 opponents were vanquished by stoppage.

He was one of the hottest stars in the sport.

The first blemish on his record came against Manuel Perez in 2008. Their bout was ruled a draw, but Rios would settle any dispute about who was the better man in a 2009 rematch. He scored a TKO victory over Perez to move to 22-0-1. 

Despite his extensive amateur background and successful start to his pro career, Rios was being moved along slowly. After 23 professional fights, he had yet to enter the title picture at 135 pounds. The best and worst was yet to come for Bam-Bam.

Cranking Up the Competition and Becoming a Champion

After Rios defeated Perez, he won four straight fights and earned a shot at a world title. He made the most of his opportunity by stopping Miguel Acosta in Feb. 2011 to win the WBA lightweight title.

Rios dropped Acosta three times in the fight before matters were called to an end in the 11th round. He would successfully defend the title once before he began to experience the first real stumbling blocks in his career.

Battling Weight

It became increasingly difficult for the 5'9" Rios to make 135 pounds for his fights. In Dec. 2011, Rios lost his title on the scale before he even faced John Murray. Bam-Bam couldn't make the 135-pound contracted weight and thus had his title vacated.

He was also forced to surrender $25,000 of his $325,000 purse because of the infraction, per Lem Satterfield of Ring Magazine. Despite the issues, the fight stayed on. Rios took out his frustrations on Murray and stopped him in the 11th round.

The title remained vacated, and Rios fought to regain it in his next bout against Richard Abril. Unfortunately for Rios, weight problems would again be an issue. Per The Ring Magazine, Rios was two full pounds overweight again.

Thus he couldn't regain the title. Rios would go on to win the fight, but the decision didn't come without controversy. Many believed Abril deserved to win the bout, but Rios escaped with a split-decision victory. Ben Thompson of Fight Hype was one of many in the boxing community who cried foul.

Thankfully, Rios was done trying to make 135 pounds and took his talents to the light welterweight division where a classic would await.

The Mike Alvarado Series

In Oct. 2012, Rios battled "Mile High" Mike Alvarado in what Sports Illustrated called the Fight of the Year. The two warriors battered each other for six-and-a-half rounds before referee Pat Russell called a halt to the bout in the seventh round.

Rios had Alvarado hurt against the ropes, but some believed the fight was stopped prematurely. Alvarado himself was in that number. 

After such an entertaining bout, it was almost imperative that the two meet again. The rematch took place just five months later, and the vacant WBO light welterweight title was on the line. Alvarado fought a smarter fight this time around. He picked his spots to trade with Rios. In their first fight, the warrior in him took over, and he wanted to trade, though it wasn't in his best interest.

Alvarado engaged in some exchanges, but he primarily used his foot speed and boxing ability to outpoint Rios. It seems clear, a speedy fighter who refuses to stand in front of Rios will give him issues.

Alvarado isn't the most fleet of foot, but he was quick enough to give Rios issues. Coming off that loss, Rios needs a win. He's facing a legend. A victory will vault him into an even higher stratosphere.

Bam-Bam's entire career won't come into question with a loss, but his standing as a legitimate title contender will. This fight figures to be brutal. The loser will leave with some scars that could affect the rest of his career.

Can Bam-Bam out-slug Pac-Man? We'll find out on Saturday.

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