Manny Pacquiao is on the verge of making boxing history as he prepares to face Puerto Rican WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. Should he succeed, the Filipino will become the only boxer in history to win seven world titles in as many weight divisions.
Coach Freddie Roach masterminded a stunning second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton and Pacquiao captured the IBO light-welterweight title. This cemented his place among boxing’s all-time greats with a sixth world title in six divisions and the belt was added to his titles at lightweight, super featherweight, featherweight, light featherweight and flyweight.
With hard-hitting Cotto’s WBO welterweight title on the line on November 14, the boxing superstar could make it seven in seven for the first time ever.
“If I win, it is boxing history - seven titles in seven different weight divisions,” said Pacquiao.
“I would be so proud being a Filipino who captured titles in seven weight divisions.”
Pacquiao is smaller in stature than Cotto, but the pound-for-pound champion insists that size doesn’t matter and dismissed the threat of Cotto’s superior stature.
“It’s not about comparing size, not about comparing power,” Pacquiao insisted. “Knowledge is power. You don’t have knowledge, you don’t have power.”
Pacquiao, who is a hero in his native Philippines, has proved his size isn’t an issue after convincing victories over bigger fighters in his previous two fights.
He out-boxed ring legend Oscar De La Hoya and stopped him in the eighth round in December 2008, albeit a De La Hoya past his prime, before going on to knock out Hatton in the second round in May this year.
“This kid is something that now transcends boxing,” his promoter Bob Arum said.
Source: http://sport.stv.tv/boxing/135098-manny-pacquiaos-lucky-number-seven/
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