BY NICK GIONGCO
While the boxing world hibernates, Manny Pacquiao named the four fighters who gave him a taste of hell.
In a rare interview, Pacquiao, boxing’s one and only eight-division champion, made mention of four names: Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto.
Pacquiao fought Marquez four times and Morales thrice.
The first fight with Marquez in 2004 ended on a draw despite Pacquiao flooring the Mexican three times.
The rematch took place in 2008 and Pacquiao carved out a split decision and the third in 2010 was a majority decision win for Pacquiao. But in 2012, Marquez scored a pulsating sixth-round,one-punch kayo of the Filipino.
Morales was likewise a thorn for Pacquiao.
When they rumbled the first time in 2005, Morales posted a unanimous decision over Pacquiao, whose amazing winning run in the US screeched to a halt.
But Pacquiao exacted payback in the second meeting in early-2006 with a tenth-round knockout and later in the year punctuated his dominance by dispatching Morales in less than three rounds.
Cotto didn’t looked though he pushed Pacquiao to the limit but Pacquao insists the shaven-skulled Puerto Rican was a tough nut to crack.
Though he stopped him in the 12th round, Pacquiao suffered an ear rupture as Cotto landed some pretty good shots.
Of the four, Pacquiao said it was the hulking Margarito, the lumbering 5-foot-11 banger who inflicted so much hurt and pain that he vowed never to campaign north of the welterweight division (147 lbs) ever again.
Pacquiao’s clash with Margarito was contested at super-welterweight (154 lbs) in late-2010 at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.
Margarito was beaten black and blue, his eyes closed shut and his orbital bone smashed.
But Pacquiao admits it was his own version of Muhammad Ali’s near-death experience with Joe Frazier in the 1975 Thrilla in Manila.
“He was just too big, too strong for me,” said Pacquiao from his Dasmarinas Village residence where he is on self-quarantine.
What made it a gut-wrenching experience was the weight difference.
Although they both agreed to a catchweight of 150 lbs, Pacquao just tipped in at 144 during the official weighin on the eve of the brutal bout.
Margarito came in exactly at 150.
But when they answered the bell, Pacquiao just added four pounds while Margarito pumped up an astonishing 15 lbs.
By the time they slugged it out, Pacquiao was being outweighed by 17 lbs.
Adding to the burden was that Pacquiao was a naturally small man, having began his career at 105 lbs before winning titles at 112 (flyweight), 122 (super-bantam), 126 (feather), 130 (super-feather),
135 (lightweight), 140 (super-lightweight) and 147 (welter).
“Imagine, I could have been a ten-division world champion if I fought (for a world title) at 115 (super-fly) and 118 (bantam).”
Still, Pacquiao remembers the Margarito brawl as the one fight that made him realize where and when he should toe the line.
“I never realized how big and strong he was until I felt his punches,”
said Pacquiao, revealing that a shot to the ribcage late from Margarito in the light almost took the life out of him.
“Grabe talaga,” he said.
