Manny Pacquiao: Is He the Most Recognized Athlete in the World?
I had a thought drop in my mind the other day.
Is Manny Pacquiao really that popular? How well known is he worldwide?
Being an avid sports fan, I love watching all kinds of sports. Some have me hooked more than others, but I can appreciate the skill of soccer and the conditioning of mixed martial artists. Tennis bores me, but I have been riveted whenever Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have faced each other.
In America, it's easy to be narrow-minded and think the sports universe revolves around the big three sports. Step back and look at the sports landscape from a global perspective, however, and that's definitely not the case.
Which brings me back to Pacquiao. Would an average sports fan know who he is if they ran across each other at an airport, or McDonald's? One problem you run into here, of course, is some sports fans absolutely refuse to watch certain sports, while others could spot him instantly.
Let's try and answer this. To make this even more enjoyable, I'll be using active and non-active athletes. You sophisticates and deeply analytical types expecting some serious article may be disappointed here. For the rest of you, here you go. The 25 most recognized athletes in the world:
25. Sachin Tendulkar, Cricket
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I can't say I've ever been to a cricket match, or watched one in its entirety, but I do know that outside of soccer, cricket is probably the next most popular sport worldwide. From what I've gathered and read, Tendulkar is its most popular player. Works for me. I just can't rank him any higher.
Joe blue collar sports fan in Tulsa, Okla., and Cleveland, Ohio, would rip me until 2012.
24. Usain Bolt, Track & Field
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The Olympic gold medalist gained plenty of attention at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. He's since been in plenty of Gatorade commercials in America striking his famous pose. While many love track and field around the world, you're not going to find meets broadcast on primetime on ESPN.
The Olympics only happen every four years, too, so this is a perfect spot for Bolt.
23. Marion Jones, Track & Field
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She was considered perhaps the greatest female track & field athlete ever, but then came her fall from grace and well-publicized prison sentence.
22. Serena Williams, Tennis
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She's already one of the most powerful, dominating female tennis players ever, but that's not the reason why many grown men are left going, "Dang!"
21. Derek Jeter, Baseball
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The longtime captain and shortstop is the face of one of the world's most well-known and valuable sports franchises.
20. Lance Armstrong, Cycling
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Even if you didn't care about cycling, it was hard not to be captivated by the seven-time Tour de France winner and his comeback from cancer. The sport has a much bigger following in Europe, but now Armstrong remains in the news for continued allegations regarding steroid use and his very public fight to find a cure for cancer.
19. LeBron James, Basketball
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He's been a superstar since his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it's hard to ignore James' significance as the NBA continues to expand its reach and coverage on a global scale.
18. Kobe Bryant, Basketball
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In a franchise that's already loaded with legendary names and teams, Bryant has already carved out a legacy that will put him right alongside Jabbar, Magic and Chamberlain. By the time he retires, he may be regarded as one of the greatest NBA players ever.
17. Shaquille O'Neal, Basketball
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He'll definitely go down as one of the NBA's all-time best centers. His endorsements and countless commercials certainly have helped keep him in the spotlight off the court.
16. Rampage, MMA
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Before he joined the UFC, many knew Quinton "Rampage" Jackson from his time as a Pride fighter. In May 2007, Rampage made headlines when he crushed UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, and made history four months later when he defeated UFC middleweight champ Dan Henderson, becoming the first fighter to unify the Pride and UFC titles.
15. Michael Phelps, Swimming
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The Olympic gold medalist swimmer captivated the world with his performance in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Yes, his sport, like Bolt's, only usually gets worldwide attention every four years, but I'm putting Phelps higher based on his numerous endorsements and his ability to remain in the tabloids for his alleged relationship with Brittny Gastineau.
For some insane reason, the alleged romance remained for weeks in the top 10 of Google trends for hottest searches.
14. OJ Simpson, Football
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His once legendary football career and rental car commercials are now an afterthought thanks to one of the most infamous, and polarizing, trials in recent memory.
13. Manny Pacquiao, Boxing
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Boxing may not be as popular as it used to be in America, but Pacquiao is one of the more recognized fighters. The sport still receives plenty of attention around the globe, and Pacquiao is a national icon back home in the Philippines.
He doesn't come close, though, to the notoriety of a select group of former world champions.
12. Oscar De La Hoya, Boxing
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The Golden Boy has now shifted from fighting to promoting. He set pay-per-view records with his fights against Felix Trinidad and Floyd Mayweather Jr., and was both beloved and hated by Hispanic fight fans who follow the sport.
11. Anderson Silva, MMA
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It's a tough call here: Both "Spider" Silva and GSP are considered the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artists. While both are extremely talented, Silva's also known for having more action-packed fights and creates more buzz among UFC fans.
10. Rafael Nadal, Tennis
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He emerged as a worthy challenger to Roger Federer and the two developed an incredible rivalry. Now with Federer on the downside of his career, Nadal is becoming the face of men's tennis.
9. Roger Federer, Tennis
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Greatest men's tennis player ever? A strong case could be made here for Federer, who edges out Nadal based on the stint of his career and numerous endorsement deals.
8. Mike Tyson, Boxing
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Like him or not, there's no denying that Iron Mike remains one of the most well-known, and controversial, champions in boxing history.
7. Ronaldinho, Soccer
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Easily one of the top five soccer players in the world, he's played for great teams like FC Barcelona and Milan and is now with Flamengo. The man known as "Gaucho" is also one of the many talented players on the Brazilian national team.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer
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Arguably the sport's best player and captain of the Portuguese national team, Ronaldo also remains a popular figure in the gossip pages.
5. David Beckham, Soccer
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Becks has the wife, hangs with princes, movie stars and remains one of the most recognized soccer players worldwide, and especially back home in England.
4. Michael Jordan, Basketball
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Now the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, Jordan continues to do commercials and has been successful with Nike's Jordan Brand clothing line. Whether it's basketball, business, or culture, few athletes have had an impact like Jordan.
3. Tiger Woods, Golf
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The world's former No.1 golfer had remained in the headlines for most of his career for all the right reasons until last year. Scandal surrounded Woods for his numerous affairs, and he went from being one of sports most beloved figures to one of its most detested.
2. Yao Ming, Basketball
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On numbers alone, Yao should be No.1. After all, his games are broadcast back home in a country with over a billion people.
1. Muhammad Ali, Boxing
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Ali's legacy spans generations and he is known by people of all ages, races and backgrounds. He's beloved here in America, in third-world countries, has been the subject of countless books, documentaries and movies and is still regarded as one of the greatest boxers ever.
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