Pacquaio and the Great Multi-Weight World Champs

Manny’s Seventh World Title Puts him Among Boxing’s All-Time Great

Nov 16, 2009 Steven Pink

Many fighters have claimed world titles in multiple divisions. With his seventh divisional crown Pacquaio may have trumped them all.

Manny Pacquaio, (50-3-2), stunned the boxing world last Saturday in capturing Miguel Cotto’s WBO Welterweight title. The victory allowed Pacquaio to claim his seventh world title in separate divisions, a feat that places him at the top of a stellar list of boxing luminaries.

Pacquaio is a Modern Phenomenon

Pacquaio’s seven world crowns (of either the Ring Magazine or alphabet variety) have seen him ascend into the pantheon of boxing greats. His titles encompass an astonishing 35 pounds and have seen him rise from Flyweight to Welterweight, a feat unparalleled by any other fighter in the long history of the sport.

His list of victims reads like a who’s who of modern boxing greats, with fighters of the calibre of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto all bowing beneath the fists of the little Filipino. His achievements have placed him alongside some of the best multi-weight champions in boxing history.

Henry Armstrong The First Three-Weight World Champion

Armstrong is the man to whom Pacquaio is most often compared. A whirling composite of speed and power, Armstrong was perpetual motion in the ring. His 151-21-9 (101KO’s) record was built against some of the most accomplished fighters in history. He became the first and only man to hold titles at three different weights simultaneously when he defeated Lou Ambers for the Lightweight crown in 1938. This followed wins over Petey Sarron at Featherweight (WKO6) and all-time great Barney Ross (W15) for the Welterweight title.

Hammerin’ Hank even fought Ceferino Garcia to a draw for the Middleweight title in a fight that would have brought him a fourth world crown 36 years before Tommy Hearns finally managed the feat. Armstrong defended the Welterweight title 17 times at a time when there were only eight weight classes and one champion per division. Ring Magazine rated him as the second best fighter of the last eighty years.

Hands of Stone Duran Claimed Titles in Four Divisions

Roberto Duran is principally remembered as arguably the greatest Lightweight Champion ever to lace up the gloves. After defeating Ken Buchanan (43-1) he racked up 12 defences, including 11 knockouts, achievements that made him the most feared fighter of the 1970’s.

However, Duran (at 5’7’’) was another fighter who appeared to defy genetics, rising in weight to claim titles at Welterweight, Light Middleweight and Middleweight. Duran, after eating his way out of the 135-pound division, rose up to annexe Sugar Ray Leonard’s WBC Welterweight title in 1980, handing the unbeaten star his first defeat in the process.

This was in many ways Duran’s signature victory, as his other crowns were won against Davey Moore and Iran Barkley respectively. Solid fighters to be sure, but some way short of the stellar opposition defeated by Armstrong and Pacquaio. Duran lost to Marvin Hagler (in a close points verdict) in an earlier attempt to claim the unified Middleweight crown in 1983 and rival Light Middleweight Champion Tommy Hearns starched him in two rounds in 1984. Duran never made a successful defence of any title after moving up from Lightweight. Despite this Ring Magazine rate him as the fifth best fighter of the last eighty years. Duran quit at age fifty with a final record of 103-16 (70 KO’s).

Sugar Ray Leonard Golden Boy of the 1980’s

Leonard was the darling of the boxing world in the 1980’s, rising to prominence as the Undisputed World Welterweight Champion, by virtue of wins over Hall of Fame opponents Wilfred Benitez (38-0-1) and Tommy Hearns (32-0). Leonard won and lost in two epic battles with Duran, losing on a close 15 round decision in the first encounter before forcing a bewildered Roberto (72-1) to quit in the sixth round of their bizarre rematch in 1980.

He claimed the WBA Light Middleweight crown from Ayub Kalule (36-0) with a ninth round stoppage before retina damage prompted his retirement in 1983. Leonard returned for what was arguably his greatest triumph, defeating long time Middleweight king Marvin Hagler (62-2-2) in 1987 on a contentious decision that is still disputed to this day.

Later in his career Leonard (flouting the laws established to prevent a repeat of Armstrong’s multi-weight title domination) managed to win both the WBC Light Heavyweight and Super Middleweight crowns on the same night in 1989, stopping Canadian Donnie Lalonde in nine rounds, in his last great performance. Like Duran Leonard ploughed on long past his prime before calling it a day in 1997 at forty years of age. His final record was 36-3-1 (25 KO’s).

The Hitman Was Boxing’s First Four-Weight World Champion

Thomas Hearns, despite being the first man to win titles in four-weight division, is fated to be remembered for the two super fights he lost. Having defeated fearsome Mexican Pipino Cuevas in 1980 for the WBA Welterweight crown, Hearns went on to loss by 14th round stoppage to Leonard in an attempt to unify the titles in 1981. Undaunted by his setback he outpointed Wilfred Benitez over fifteen rounds to capture the WBC Light Middleweight title.

Following his loss to Marvin Hagler (LKO3) in 1985 for the Undisputed Middleweight crown Hearns moved up to Light Heavyweight, defeating Dennis Andries (28-6-2), before returning to Middleweight following Hagler’s retirement to capture his record breaking fourth crown with a fourth round knockout of Juan Domingo Roldan, (65-3-2), in 1987. Hearns won his last recognized world title in 1991 outpointing Virgil Hill (30-0) to capture the WBA title at 175 pounds. Hearns left boxing with a record of 61-5-1 (48 KO’s).

Pacquaio is in Great Company

Pacquaio’s achievements have elevated him to superstar status as the fighter of the decade. As a work in progress and at only thirty years of age he still has uncharted worlds to conquer. By the time he retires the Filipino phenomenon may have even placed his illustrious predecessors in the shade.

The copyright of the article Pacquaio and the Great Multi-Weight World Champs in Boxing is owned by Steven Pink. Permission to republish Pacquaio and the Great Multi-Weight World Champs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Tommy Hearns First Four Weight World Champion

Roberto Duran Four Weight World Champion