Manny Pacquiao: Why Victory Over Margarito Is the Defining Win of His Career
Once again, Manny was Manny on Saturday night.
Manny Pacquiao proved that not only is he boxing's pound-for-pound best fighter, but he again cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats with a unanimous decision over Antonio Margarito before 41,734 fans at Cowboys Stadium.
Yes, the next step would be a megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. that would pit arguably the two most talented fighters of this generation together in the ring. Sports fans want it, and diehard boxing fans are growing more and more frustrated at the delays.
But for now, let's celebrate what happened on Saturday. This win is the defining one of Pacquiao's career. Here are 10 reasons why:
10. Margarito Was Just the Latest, and Biggest
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If you've watched Pacquiao in recent years, you know his resume has been filled with a who's who of great Mexican fighters.
There was the trilogy with Erik Morales. Manny won twice, the last in 2006 by third-round knockout.
In 2007 he faced Marco Antonio Barrera. Pacquiao won by decision and was so dominant that two judges scored the bout with identical 118-109 scores in his favor.
Do we even need to mention what happened with Oscar de la Hoya in 2008?
The one true test has come against Juan Manuel Marquez, who has fought Pacquiao twice and ended up with a draw in 2004 and a loss by a close split decision in their 2008 rematch.
Then along comes Margarito, a much bigger fighter who just two years ago stood in with hard-hitting Miguel Cotto and defeated him with an 11th-round technical knockout. This could have been a tough foe for Pacquiao.
Not really. Just take a look at Margarito's face after Saturday, and you'll see what you need to.
9. He's Withstood the Pressure
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Whether you're a journeyman or a champ, anyone can have an off night.
That's pressure that every boxer faces, but when you're the king of the sport and a hero to everyone in your home country of the Philippines, those expectations are magnified times 100. And Pacquiao hasn't blinked.
It's the same kind of pressure Muhammad Ali faced. Go back even further, and you can say the same thing about Joe Louis when he fought Germany's Max Schmeling in World War II. Prior to that, Jack Dempsey had also become larger than life and was this country's Babe Ruth long before the Babe became an icon.
8. He's Making History
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Boxing's had plenty of legendary fighters in certain weight classes.
But what Pacquiao is doing is something only a special few have accomplished: Dominate in multiple divisions. Saturday's fight was for the WBC 154-pound title—the eighth different weight class in which Pacquiao has been a world champion.
It's one thing to sit back and take on all challengers in one division. But to challenge yourself, keep moving up in weight and winning like Pacquiao does is absolutely incredible.
7. There Are Zero Excuses
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Pacquiao had every reason to not be at 100 percent for this fight.
After all, Margarito isn't the same fighter he was just two years ago against Cotto, as Sugar Shane Mosley proved with a ninth-round technical knockout in January 2009.
He could have also had a letdown after the second attempt at securing a fight against Mayweather fell through.
But he plowed right along, picked up another win and now sits waiting to see if Mayweather is the last true challenge left in a historic career.
6. He Still Handles the Distractions
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Boxers try their best to keep away and all distractions while training for fights.
Sometimes there can be family drama, problems with trainers or promoters, or even issues with the law. Pacquiao is a larger-than-life figure in the Philippines, and so it's hard to go anywhere without drawing a crowd. The spotlight intensified even more in May when he won a seat in Congress.
While trainer Freddie Roach expressed concerns about preparation for this fight, saying how behind they were and that Pacquiao wasn't ready, obviously none of this came back to haunt him.
Very few in boxing—let alone any sport—could handle that.
5. The Dynamic Duo
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Every great boxer has had a great trainer.
Saturday's win marked just the latest for Pacquiao and his longtime trainer, Freddie Roach. The two have proven to be a perfect combination, in part because of Roach's straight-forward, no-nonsense approach and ability to get the most out of his star pupil. Roach, a former fighter himself, once worked with legendary trainer Eddie Futch, who worked with former heavyweight champ Joe Frazier.
Are Pacquiao and Roach one of boxing's best tandems? Perhaps.
Go back through time, and you could put them right up there with such greats as Muhammad Ali and Angelo Dundee, Sugar Ray Leonard and Dundee, Thomas "The Hitman Hearns" and Emanuel Steward, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his uncle Roger Mayweather, and Julio Cesar Chavez and Romulo Quirarte.
4. Still Consistent
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The challenge with boxing is to bring your best every fight and keep winning.
Saturday's victory was the 13th straight for Pacquiao, who hasn't lost since 2005. In that span, seven wins have come by either knockout or technical knockout. De La Hoya retired in the eighth round of their title fight in December 2008.
3. Not One-Dimensional
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Many fighters will often either rely on their boxing or power punching.
Pacquiao is definitely no one-trick pony; he can adjust and use either approach.
His ability and versatility was on display during the third round when Margarito was able to land some heavy shots. Once Margarito got in two shots, but Pacquiao slipped and countered with a flurry.
Robert Garcia, Margarito's trainer, noticed the difference and acknowledged that Pacquiao is the pound-for-pound champ.
"He is just too fast—very, very quick," Garcia said after the fight.
2. Just One More Opponent
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You'll find two things happen a lot in boxing.
Often some fighters will duck other fighters. Whether they admit it or not, they know they don't stack up well and know it could not be a favorable matchup. Others will pad their record with sub-par competition, and then proclaim they are the greatest.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, doesn't get caught up in who he fights or when. He lets his promoters figure that out and just handles each opponent one at a time.
Margarito was the latest victim. Will Mayweather be the next?
1. His Body Hasn't Worn Down
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Few probably know that Pacquiao has been a pro since age 16.
While he's only 31 years old, in boxing years, he's already an old man. But there doesn't seem to be a dropoff. According to Ringside's punch stats, Pacquiao landed 474 punches on Saturday night, compared to 229 for Margarito.
That's an incredible output for a fighter who shows no signs of age or decline.
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