PACQUIAO’S HISTORIC WELTERWEIGHT BID
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 20 Oct 2009
Less than a month from now Manny Pacquiao will be fighting as a welterweight for the second time in his career. When he fought Oscar dela Hoya last December, Pacquiao weighed 142 pounds during the official weigh-in and went up to 148.5 lbs at fight night. Pacquiao was awesome as a welterweight even against the faded but still a 2 to 1 favorite Golden Boy. Will a major title at the 147 pound division be just a mere formality?
Miguel Cotto is the defending WBO welterweight champion but was willing to concede to the catchweight of 145 pounds and purse split just to get a mega-match against the Pacman. But Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach has said that they will be ready even if Cotto will not comply with the contracted weight.
Cotto has shown chinks in his armor in past fights especially the last one where he escaped with a split decision win against Joshua Clottey. But his resolve has been tested many times: he came off the floor to stop Ricardo Torres, outboxed Shane Mosley but lost to Antonio Margarito’s relentless assault. The Puerto Rican is 27 years old and is slightly taller than Pacquiao at 5’7”. He won the WBO junior welterweight title in 2004 and made six title defenses. He has won the WBA and WBO versions of the 147 lb. world title.
Cotto has one of the best left hooks among the present day fighters. This hook is also part of his punishing attack to the midsection. He has a patient stalking style but is an excellent finisher.
The welterweight division had its first world champion in 1888, when Paddy Duffy knocked out William McMillan in 17 rounds. This weight class is one of boxing’s glamour divisions and has a special place in ring history. The man who inspired the term, greatest boxer pound per pound, Sugar Ray Robinson held the world welterweight belt from 1946 to 1951.
Other Hall of Famers who held the welterweight title include Mickey Walker (1922-26), Henry Armstrong (1938-40), Carmen Basilio (1955-56), and Emile Griffith (1960-63). The height of the division’s popularity on network television was from 1979 to 1981 when Sugar Ray Leonard waged timeless battles against Wilfred Benitez, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns.
During the 1990’s, the tradition was continued by Pernell Whitaker, Ike Quartey, Felix Trinidad, and Oscar dela Hoya.
Manny Pacquiao is once again poised to take a chunk of history. The Philippines has yet to win a major title at welterweight. Two Filipinos have won world title belts under the WBF or World Boxing Foundation : William Magahin (1995) and Dondon Sultan (2006-2007).
Pacquiao will be gunning for an unprecedented seventh world title after winning the WBC flyweight, IBF superbantamweight, Ring Magazine's linear featherweight, WBC and Ring Magazine superfeatherweight, WBC lightweight and IBO and Ring magazine jr. welterweight.
Because of the unpredictability of the Philippine weather, Pacquiao's raining camp has moved to Gerry Pe?alosa Boxing Gym at Marketmall in Mandaluyong City. The catchweight issue is something that boxing historians will reassess years from now. But for the moment, there is a blockbuster fight to enjoy. Too bad that Manny Pacquiao won’t be staying as a welterweight for a long time. 2010 is just around the corner and his well publicized political plans may no longer make him fight as much as the Filipinos would want.
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