Filed under: WBC, WBO, Golden Boy Promotions, Boxing Rumors, HBO, FanHouse Exclusive, Top Rank Promotions
Eight-division, 10-belt champion, Manny Pacquiao, the holder of the WBO's welterweight (147 pounds) and WBC's junior middleweight (154 pounds) titles whose cross-over appeal has transformed him into an international superstar, has been chosen as Sports Illustrated's No. 1 boxing story for 2010, according to the magazine's columnist, Bryan Armen Graham.
In addition, the 32-year-old Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 knockouts), who is coming off of a Nov. 13, unanimous decision over Antonio Margarito for the junior middleweight championship at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, was among 10 of the premiere athletes photographed by December 27 issue of SI.
The victory over Margarito was the second-ever boxing event to be held at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium following Pacquiao's March 13, unanimous decision victory over Joshua Clottey (35-4, 20 KOs) before a crowd of 51,000 in the first-ever event to be held at the $1.2 million venue.
The 32-year-old Pacquiao takes a winning streak of 13 straight fights that includes eight knockouts in to a May 7, HBO pay per view televised defense of his WBO belt against 39-year-old, three-division, five-time titlist Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) that is slated for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao's last loss was by a unanimous decision to Erik Morales in March of 2005, but the Filipino super star has since stopped eight opponents, including four consecutively -- a spree comprised knockouts over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, respectively, in nine, eight, two, and, 12 rounds.
Pacquaio's winning streak also includes having twice avenged the loss to Morales, whom he stopped in 10, and, three rounds, in January and November 2006. The run also boasts 12-round triumphs over Mexican legends Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera, as well as an eighth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Jorge Solis.
No comments:
Post a Comment