Manny Pacquaio's Sweet Career Turning Sour, And Don't Blame Arum

November 18, 2006 Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquaio was fighting Eric Morales for the third time, after knocking him out in their second meeting Pacquaio was a 2-1 favorite. 

From the opening bell Manny Pacquaio made it clear that his knock out of the three-division world champ wasn't a fluke. I can remember thinking it’s just a matter of time before Morales get caught with a fight ending punch.

In the third round Eric Morales was caught with a straight left hand which knocked him to the canvas for the second time in the round.  Morales looked to his corner and decided not to continue fighting. 

Pacquaio’s speed, power and relentless attack proved to be too much for the aging champion. After defeating Marco Antonio Barrera for the second time in 2007 no one could imagine Manny Pacquaio’s star power getting any sweeter. 

During the Barrera post fight press conference Manny Pacquaio was challenged by (27-0, 17KO) Joan Guzman, at the time a fighter no one wanted to fight, Manny Pacquaio included. Instead he chose to fight Juan Marquez in a long awaited rematch.

Not a bad choice although it took four years for it to happen.  In their previous meeting the fight ended in a controversial draw in which both camps felt their fighter done enough to win.

After being knocked down in the third round Marquez recovered and out boxed Pacquaio for the remainder of the fight. Despite landing at a higher percentage and landing more power shots Manny Pacquaio was awarded a controversial split decision.

Manny Pacquaio moved up in weight after beating Juan Marquez and cherry picked David Diaz for his WBC light weight title, a fight everyone knew he would win. Pac Man knocked him out in the ninth round.

Manny Pacquaio didn’t defend his title at light weight instead he moved up yet again to welter weight. Instead of fighting a top contender, He picked Oscar De La Hoya after a poor showing against Steve Forbes.

 In a none title fight De La Hoya was pummeled for eight rounds before his corner threw in the towel. During the post fight interview Freddie Roach stated he was correct in picking Oscar because he knew Oscar couldn’t pull the trigger anymore.

De La Hoya looked slow and weak the whole fight. It didn’t help to be fighting twenty pounds lighter than normal. Manny moved back down to junior welter weight to fight Ricky Hatton and knocked him out in the second round.         

In recent history Manny Pacquaio has defeated Miguel Cotto after Antonio Margarito pummeled him. Then he fights Joshua Clottey after failed negotiations with Mayweather.

I recently read an article by Tyler Curtis titled,”Being a Boxing Fan May Be the Hardest Thing in the World of Sports” In the article he states you have fighters winning a belt and never fighting good opponents."

Manny Pacquaio is fighting for the vacant WBC Super Welter Weight World Title despite never fighting at super welter weight. What’s worst he cherry picked Antonio Margarito as his opponent and until yesterday the guy didn’t even have license to fight in the U.S.

You would have to be a fool to deny Manny Pacquaio’s great talent in the ring, but if you look carefully at his career since escaping the highly competitive super featherweight division.

He has been jumping through divisions’ cherry picking the least competitive fighters in the weight class. For the casual boxing fan Manny Pacquaio is everything boxing needs, but for many hardcore boxing fans we know why you wouldn’t fight Joan Guzman in 2007, also why you didn’t rematch Juan Marquez again after he beat you in 2008.

Freddie Roach has openly stated why they wouldn’t fight Shane Mosley and I quote,” because Shane Mosley is too good”. Every since Morales past the baton, by raising Manny’s hand in their last fight he hasn’t fought anyone coming off an impressive win. More times than that his opponents were coming off of big loses.

Morales after Barrera, Oscar after Floyd, Hatton after Floyd, Cotto after Margarito, and then Joshua Clottey when Miguel Cotto had already beaten him, and now Margarito after Mosley. I understand professional boxing is also a business, but when fighters start collecting belts and never fighting good opponents things start getting a little sour.