June 28, 2008: When Manny Pacquiao Broke Through Historic Barrier at Lightweight (Part 2/3)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 15 Jun 2020
Flash Elorde (R) and Carlos Ortiz in action.
Part Two: Record of Futility at Lightweight
How hard is it to win a world championship at lightweight coming from the lower weights?
In seventy years since 1938 when Henry Armstrong won the lightweight championship from Lou Ambers as technically still also featherweight champion, only six men had ascended to the lightweight throne coming from the lower weights heading to Manny Pacquiao's challenge of David Diaz on June 28, 2008.
They included Alexis Arguello, Hector Macho Camacho, Julio Cesar Chavez, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Joel Casamayor and Chico Corrales.
Arguello of Nicaragua won the WBC lightweight title from UK's Jim Watts in 1981. Puerto Rican Camacho won the WBC belt in 1985 from Mexican Jose Luis Ramirez. Mexican Chavez won the same belt over the same Ramirez in 1988. Mayweather won the WBC lightweight title over Mexico's Jose Luis Castillo in 2002, Corrales won the same title over the same Castillo in 2005 while Casamayor took the WBC and Ring lineal world lightweight title over Corrales in 2006.
On the other hand, over that same period of time, seven reigning and former featherweights and junior lightweight champions tried but failed to win the lightweight crown. They included Ultiminio Sugar Ramos, Gabriel Flash Elorde, Yoshiaki Numata, Bobby Chacon, Jorge Paez, Azumah Nelson and Erik Morales.
Mexico-based Cuban Sugar Ramos challenged Carlos Ortiz twice for the Puerto Rican undisputed lightweight champion on October 22, 1966 and on July 1, 1967 losing by TKO in the 5th and 4th round respectively in bouts held in Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Filipino then long reigning junior lightweight champion Elorde also fought Ortiz twice for the undisputed lightweight crown but lost by 14th round TKO in Manila on February 15, 1964 and by 14th round knockout in New York in November 28, 1966.
Elorde title conqueror Numata of Japan fought youthful American champion Mando Ramos for the WBA and WBC lightweight titles on October 4, 1969 in Los Angeles, California but lost by sixth round knockout.
Chacon, then WBC junior lightweight titlist challenged fellow American Ray Boom Boom Mancini for the WBA lightweight belt on January 14, 1984 in Reno, Nevada but was stopped in three rounds.
Ghanaian then reigning world junior lightweight champion Azumah Nelson and Mexican former world featherweight titlist Paez both challenged American unified and Ring lightweight champion Pernell Whitaker in 1990 and 1991 in Las Vegas but lost by unanimous decision verdicts.
Morales was the latest to bite the dust at lightweight before the Pacquiao-Diaz setto, losing to the same David Diaz by unanimous decision on August 4, 2007.
Heading to his fight with Diaz, therefore many Filipinos were unsure of Pacquiao's chances as Morales when he fought and lost to Diaz was the only boxer to beat Manny in years, though Manny would avenge that defeat twice over by knockout.
The doubt stemmed more from the fact that Manny had not fought at lightweight before.
At least, they said Elorde before he challenged Ortiz for the lightweight crown had fought many times at that level against notably Ismael Laguna and Frankie Narvaez and also as long reigning Oriental lightweight champion. And still, Elorde failed dismally in two attempts versus Ortiz two years apart.
Many Filipinos saw David Diaz as the new Carlos Ortiz and they were correct on two points: Both were sawn off light welterweights who used their toughness, size and strength advantage to bully and break down their lightweight or lower weight opponents.
Many were apprehensive that the record of futility of Elorde and other featherweight and super featherweight titlists after who dared break through the lightweight barrier would also befall Pacquiao.
To be continued...
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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