2009 Ring Fan Poll: Pacquiao repeats as Fighter of the Year
Posted Dec. 28, 2009 at 10:05pm
By Michael RosenthalBuzz up!
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
Manny Pacquiao: 88.5 percent
Vitali Klitschko: 8.5 percent
Andre Ward: 2 percent
Timothy Bradley: 1 percent
Manny Pacquiao became a bona fide first-ballot future hall of famer after going 5-1-1 in seven fights against fellow future hall of famers Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez.
The Filipino marvel ascended to superstardom and replaced Oscar De La Hoya as the face of boxing by knocking him out last year.
So how are we to describe the realm into which Pacquiao elevated himself in 2009? Well, some would argue that in the previous year he became one of the greatest fighters who ever lived –and they could be right.
First, he scored one of the most-spectacular knockouts in history when he rendered the supposedly stronger Ricky Hatton unconscious with a mighty left to the chin in the second round of their fight on May 5 in Las Vegas, inspiring awe from everyone who saw it.
That triggered the comparisons to Henry Armstrong, who once held the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight titles simultaneously. Pacquiao seemed to fit that mold, a little man who moved up in weight and destroyed capable bigger men.
And then Pacquiao outdid himself. On Nov. 14, also in Las Vegas, he fought talented veteran Miguel Cotto. The Puerto Rican put up a good fight for a few rounds but was hurt in the fourth round and Pacquiao took over from there, ultimately scoring a 12th-round knockout.
The victory in itself was impressive because Cotto was deemed by many as the toughest foe of Pacquiao’s career, a very good fighter near his prime. The fact the victor made history by winning a major title in a seventh weight division – SEVEN DIVISIONS! – lifted the performance to an epic level.
Thus, there was little doubt that Pacquiao would be voted as 2009 RING FAN POLLS Fighter of the Year, an award he also won in 2008.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. rivals Pacquiao as an attraction in the United States but it’s hard to argue that Pacquiao isn’t the biggest international star in the sport.
Pacquiao is our Muhammad Ali, our Sugar Ray Leonard, our Mike Tyson, our De La Hoya, the most-important and most-compelling fighter on the planet. And he’s earned it, giving us thrill after thrill in big fights for years now.
And, under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, he seems to be getting better and better. That means there’s a good chance he’ll compete for Fighter of the Year again in 2010, particularly if meets and beats Mayweather.
We should all enjoy Pacquiao while he’s still at his best. Such fighters don’t come along often.
Posted Dec. 28, 2009 at 10:05pm
By Michael RosenthalBuzz up!
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
Manny Pacquiao: 88.5 percent
Vitali Klitschko: 8.5 percent
Andre Ward: 2 percent
Timothy Bradley: 1 percent
Manny Pacquiao became a bona fide first-ballot future hall of famer after going 5-1-1 in seven fights against fellow future hall of famers Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez.
The Filipino marvel ascended to superstardom and replaced Oscar De La Hoya as the face of boxing by knocking him out last year.
So how are we to describe the realm into which Pacquiao elevated himself in 2009? Well, some would argue that in the previous year he became one of the greatest fighters who ever lived –and they could be right.
First, he scored one of the most-spectacular knockouts in history when he rendered the supposedly stronger Ricky Hatton unconscious with a mighty left to the chin in the second round of their fight on May 5 in Las Vegas, inspiring awe from everyone who saw it.
That triggered the comparisons to Henry Armstrong, who once held the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight titles simultaneously. Pacquiao seemed to fit that mold, a little man who moved up in weight and destroyed capable bigger men.
And then Pacquiao outdid himself. On Nov. 14, also in Las Vegas, he fought talented veteran Miguel Cotto. The Puerto Rican put up a good fight for a few rounds but was hurt in the fourth round and Pacquiao took over from there, ultimately scoring a 12th-round knockout.
The victory in itself was impressive because Cotto was deemed by many as the toughest foe of Pacquiao’s career, a very good fighter near his prime. The fact the victor made history by winning a major title in a seventh weight division – SEVEN DIVISIONS! – lifted the performance to an epic level.
Thus, there was little doubt that Pacquiao would be voted as 2009 RING FAN POLLS Fighter of the Year, an award he also won in 2008.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. rivals Pacquiao as an attraction in the United States but it’s hard to argue that Pacquiao isn’t the biggest international star in the sport.
Pacquiao is our Muhammad Ali, our Sugar Ray Leonard, our Mike Tyson, our De La Hoya, the most-important and most-compelling fighter on the planet. And he’s earned it, giving us thrill after thrill in big fights for years now.
And, under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, he seems to be getting better and better. That means there’s a good chance he’ll compete for Fighter of the Year again in 2010, particularly if meets and beats Mayweather.
We should all enjoy Pacquiao while he’s still at his best. Such fighters don’t come along often.
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