Pacquiao vs. Mosley: Pacman, Sugar and the 10 Best Boxing Nicknames

It's one thing to have a nickname in a sport where creativity, brutality and excitement are all keys to success, but it's an entirely different thing to live up to it as these 10 boxers have all done.

Whether it's one that gets passed down from generation to generation like "Sugar" or totally unique to the person like "Pacman," these are 10 of the greatest nicknames to ever be related to the sport and the athletes that define it. 

First: The Worst Nicknames

Eric "Butterbean" Esch

James "The Fighting Cowboy" Tillis

Donnell "The Real Touch of Sleep" Holmes

Lance "Goofi" Whitaker

Oleg "The Big O" Maskev

Nate "The Galaxy Warrior" Campbell

Notable Mentions for Best Nicknames

Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield

Ronald "Winky" Wright

Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini

Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns

Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins

Roger "The Black Mamba" Mayweather

Tony "Two-Ton" Galeto

"Irish" Micky Ward

Darnell "Ding-a-Ling-Man" Wilson

Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor

Oscar "The Golden Boy" De La Hoya

No. 10 Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao

Filipino boxer and politician Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao chews his opponents up every time he gets in the ring. Dominant 12-round decisions and TKO wins fill his record and his appetite, hopefully. He will need to feel the hunger if he wants to take out Shane Mosley on May 7.

Pacquiao's current 13-fight win streak has made him the number one pound-for-pound boxer in the world and has him in the discussion to be an all-time great.

Pacquiao admitted on The Jimmy Kimmel Show that he never played the game Pacman, but he knows the concept. Watch his fights, and you'll see.

No. 9 "Iron" Mike Tyson

No boxer was ever as ferocious or intimidating as a 19-year-old "Iron" Mike Tyson. He walked through his first 19 opponents, winning every match by knockout.

33 of his first 37 opponents were all KO'd inside the distance.

His strength and iron-will were more than anyone could handle. It wasn't like watching two guys competing. It was an execution.

No. 8 Arturo "Thunder" Gatti

Arturo "Thunder" Gatti goes down in history as one of the true action stars of the last 15 years.

He brought an electricity to his matches, especially when he fought at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The excitement was more than enough to shock the crowds into a fight-frenzy as their favorite boxer prepared to battle it out with some of the most exciting fighters, including Micky Ward, Leonard Dorin and Oscar De La Hoya.

No. 7 James "Lights Out" Toney

James "Lights Out" Toney had the confidence and ability to flick the switch on any of his opponents at any give time. He had some incredible 11th and 12th round knockouts over some very solid opposition like Charles Williams and Michael Nunn.

44 of his 73 opponents have all been dropped, and "Lights Out" is a worthy sentiment to the skills and fluid punching ability of Toney.

No. 6 Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza

Tasmanian devil's are some of the most vicious, relentless, ruthless and wildest animals out there. The name alone represents something that you probably don't want to come into contact with.

Vinny Pazienza brought the same type of characteristics to the ring, earning him the nickname "The Pazmanian Devil."

His fighting style helped him win the lightweight and light-middleweight titles in his extensive career.

Some nicknames work perfectly to the name they support, and this is one of them.

No. 5 "Homicide Hank" Henry Armstrong

If Henry Armstrong wasn't good enough of a name already, he had to add some more to it. He was known as Homicide Hank, Hurricane Hank and Hammerin' Hank.

Depending on which one you like most, they all fit the all-time great boxer who held three lineal titles at once.

The best boxers can never have just one nickname, and Armstrong was really one of the greatest of the 20th century.

No. 4 "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler

Can a boxer really live up to the name "Marvelous"?

Marvin Hagler did, and he has the record to prove it. 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts gives him the unique distinction of having the highest knockout percentage in the middleweight division at 78 percent.

His incredible run as a middleweight champion came to an end in 1987 when he lost to Sugar Ray Leonard, but his legacy continues to grow day-by-day.

Hagler liked the name so much, he legally changed his name to Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

No. 3 "Smokin" Joe Frazier

If he wasn't "Smokin" when you fought him, it probably meant you were already knocked out.

Frazier was one of those boxers who got stronger as the fight went on. To make it even more amazing, he started every fight with a bang as he unleashed bombs to the body and head. How could someone who comes out with a fury as hard as he did keep building on it? The guy would have to be smokin'.

The steam Frazier had when he stepped inside that ring was visible. He had one of the most vicious left hooks in the history of the sport. He used it to drop Ali in their "Fight of the Century" and used it to knock out 27 of his 37 opponents.

No. 2 "Sugar" Shane Mosley/Ray Leonard/Ray Robinson

It's a sweet nickname and it works, especially when it's used in conjunction with Ray Leonard, Ray Robinson and Shane Mosley.

"Sugar" will be a nickname that is used by more than one fighter in every generation, and there are boxers trying to live up to the success and admiration these three boxers have received. It's a tough bill to fill, and there aren't many who can.

When "Sugar" Shane Mosley battles Manny Pacquiao this weekend, it's going to take the essence of the name to beat the pound-for-pound king.

Pacquiao vs. Mosley: Results, News, Predictions and More

No. 1 Muhammad Ali "The Greatest"

"The Greatest" is not only the best nickname because it sits behind one of the greatest boxers ever, but it's also the most simplest.

Is it too much to ask to be called great? It's a simple question, but Muhammad Ali lived up to it and more.

Many regard him as the most influential and greatest sportsmen of the 20th century. His persona was that of one of the most recognized people throughout the world.

Ali always said you have to dare to be great to make it in boxing. He did just that.