Another Stirring Comeback for December-born Manny Pacquiao? (First of two parts)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 Dec 2022
Part One: No Stranger to Epic Comebacks
Come December 17, Filipino boxing legend and former Senator Emmanuel Dapidran, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao would be 44 years old having first seen the light of day in a humble home in Kibawe, Bukidnon in 1978.
Pacquiao has just returned to the square arena this Saturday in a six round exhibition match with martial arts instructor DK Yoo in South Korea which many sees as a prelude to his eventual comeback to competitive professional boxing in 2023.
But at 44, isn't it too late for Manny to stage another boxing return?
At that age, it seems preposterous to expect Manny to compete again at high level against even the aging top dogs at welterweights or versus the upcoming young lions led by the potential new superstar Jaron "Boots" Ennis who is said to be eluded by Terrence Crawford and Errol Spence.
But as I wrote yesterday, even at that age, Manny can still be a handful for high ambitious young upstarts between 130 to 140 lbs. I made special mention of lightweight Ryan Garcia who may not be as accomplished as undisputed world champion Devin Haney but is vastly more popular particularly with the populous Latino boxing fans.
I maybe belaboring the fact that a potential fight at catchweight of say, 140 lbs should be mutually explored by Manny and Kingry in the coming year.
In 72 total bouts that encapsulate his epic boxing career which was highlighted by eight world boxing championships in as many weight divisions despite eight career losses, Manny is no longer stranger to redemptive comebacks.
Looking back, Manny has had six starting with his return from a first career defeat by crushing knockout in 1986 to Rustico Torrecampo after turning pro in early 1985. Manny came back from that loss by putting together an incredible 15 fight winning streak, 13 by KO, that included his bagging his first world pro boxing title, the WBC and lineal flyweight championship via 8th round knockout of the highly regarded Chatchai Sasakul in December 1989.
That streak would end only in 1999 with Manny losing his world title, first virtually on the weigh scales and eventually in the ring by another knockout to Thai Medgoen Singsurat.
Manny would come back by making the first of his eight weight division jumps two weight classes higher at 122 lbs or the super bantamweight/junior featherweight and stringing another 15 fight unbeaten run marred only by two controversial draws (against Agapito Sanchez and Juan Manuel Marquez). That included his winning his second world title at 122 via knockout of Lehlo Lebwaba for the IBF belt in 2001 and his third at 126 by way of shock 11th round stoppage of the then irrepressible Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003.
Barrera's archnemesis Erik Morales would pin Pacquiao his third career setback by outpointing him in Manny's debut at super featherweight/junior lightweight in 2005.
Again Manny would go on 15 bout undefeated streak in the next seven years or until 2011 which would bring him five more world boxing crowns in as many weight classes, making him the first to win a total of world record eight. After avenging his loss to Morales twice over, both by knockout, Manny would succeed Marquez as WBC and lineal super featherweight champion, David Diaz as WBC lightweight king, the rugged Briton Ricky Hatton for the Ring Magazine lineal world super lightweight championship and a year later, another Hall of Fame bound Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto as WBO welterweight titlist. All but one of his victories would come by knockout in blockbuster bouts that made Manny a fixture in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Manny would cap this run by winning the vacant WBC super welterweight crown by thoroughly roughing up and beating a decidedly taller and bigger Antonio Margarito in 2010, clinching for him the Fighter of the Decade honor over future archival Floyd Mayweather Jr who himself made a comeback to boxing after two years of retirement in 2009.
Making this one of the greatest runs in boxing annals and arguably in best in modern boxing history was his victory over American darling Oscar De La Hoya in 2008 in a catchweight welterweight bout when essentially Manny was still a lightweight! Manny also defeated Marquez once more in their third fight in defense of his WBO tiara.
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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