What If?: Manny Pacquiao competed in the 1970’s and 80’s -Part 3 of 3
By Dave “Mythical” Siderski
In Part 2 of our 3 part series, Pacquiao ascended from first time champion to budding legend as he faced a “murders row” of outstanding fighters ranging from Featherweight to Lightweight between 1976 and 1980. Manny defeated Danny “Little Red” Lopez twice, engaged in a tough two fight series with Bazooka Limon, defeated hall of famers Bobby Chacon and Wilfredo Gomez, and became the first boxer in over 40 years to win world titles in three separate weight classes. Now in our final installment, we’ll find out what Manny’s true legacy is as he challenges the best of the 80’s at Lightweight and above.
June 20, 1981: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Manny Pacquiao vs Alexis Arguello II: More than six years after their initial meeting, Manny faces Arguello in a rematch. Manny dominates over the first four rounds and drops Arguello with a straight left in the 5th. Arguello begins to find his timing and range over the next four rounds, tagging Manny repeatedly with his counter right hand. Pacquiao rallies in the 10th rocking Arguello with a hard left. However, Arguello is the stronger man down the stretch, rocking Manny with counter rights and left hooks and battering him to the body over the next four rounds. Arguello lands a vicious left hook, right cross combination which sends Manny to the canvas with 1:00 remaining in the fight. Alexis moves in for the finish but Manny manages to survive. This fight goes to the scorecards. Arguello wins by split decision: (143-141, 142-143, 143-142).
Arguello wins SD 15
September 16, 1981: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Manny Pacquiao vs Domingo Ayala: On the undercard of Leonard-Hearns, Manny blows out 140 lbs contender Domingo Ayala in 73 seconds.
Pacquiao wins KO 1
December 11, 1981: Nassau, Bahamas
Manny Pacquiao vs Herman Montes: In a lackluster performance by Pacquiao, he defeats Herman Montes by a late round TKO on the undercard of Ali-Berbick. Manny’s record now stands at 71-6-1, 58 KO’s.
Pacquiao wins TKO 10
April 17, 1982: Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Manny Pacquiao vs Alexis Arguello III: The fight follows the blueprint of the first two matchups with Pacquiao dominating the first five rounds with his superior hand speed and clean punching. Arguello is down early in the fight again, this time in the second round. Again, Arguello has the better of the middle rounds, working effectively to the body and finding Pacquiao time and again with the counter right. The 11th and 12th rounds are fairly even as both men looked to take a breather and shore up their energy for the stretch drive of this fight.
This time it’s Manny that seizes the advantage late, working at angles and nailing Arguello time and again with his straight left. However, Arguello rallies in the 15th, rocking Pacquiao with a vicious right with 90 seconds remaining in the fight and dropping him with a left hook, right cross combination with 15 seconds remaining. Manny rises at the count of 7 and survives until the final bell. This fight goes to the scorecards and ringsiders are evenly split on who they think won the battle.
Pacquiao wins by a razor thin split decision: 143-142, 142-143, 142-141. Manny regains the WBC Lightweight championship.
Pacquiao wins SD 15
July 10, 1982: Manilla, Philippines
Manny Pacquiao vs Andy Ganigan: This is a wild fight. Pacquiao floors Ganigan twice in the first round and once in the second. A looping Ganigan left catches Pacquiao flush on the chin late in round 3 sending him to the canvas. Manny barely beats the count before the bell rings saving him from an almost certain stoppage. Ganigan looks to finish Pacquiao in the 4th, however, he gets caught by a devastating left uppercut by Pacquiao. Ganigan falls face first to the canvas, out cold. Manny retains the WBC Lightweight title.
Pacquiao wins KO 4
November 9, 1982: The Orange Bowl, Miami, FL
Manny Pacquiao vs Alexis Arguello IV: Archrivals and legends Pacquiao and Arguello square off for the fourth time in seven years. The first four rounds again follow the pattern of their first three encounters with Manny building a sizable points lead early. Arguello lands a right straight up the pike in round 5 that staggers Pacquiao. He presses the advantage over the next two rounds picking Manny apart with precision counters. A straight left by Pacquiao lands flush and opens a nasty cut over Alexis’ right eye. Manny takes advantage pounding away at Arguello along the ropes for the remainder of the round.
Arguello rallies desperately in the 9th round but by the 10th, his face his a bloody mask. Pacquiao traps him against the ropes and lands 12 unanswered punches, capped off by a straight left that sends Alexis to the canvas. Arguello beats the count but referee Stanley Christodoulou takes one look at his face and puts a stop to the fight. Manny retains the WBC Lightweight title and improves his record to 74-6-1, 60 KOs.
Pacquiao wins TKO 10
April 15, 1983: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Manny Pacquiao vs Aaron Pryor: Manny fights on Pay-Per-View for the first time in his career as he challenges undefeated WBA Jr. Welterweight champion Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor in an attempt to become the first man to win world titles in four separate weight classes.
Pryor’s carelessness hurts him early as Manny drops him twice in the first round with straight lefts and dominates round 2. Pryor demonstrates great resolve in surviving. Pryor works his way back into the fight over the next three rounds. He is physically stronger than Manny and is able to push him around on the inside. Pryor’s swarming tactics and volume punching cause swelling under Manny’s left eye. Manny rallies over the next two rounds, countering Pryor with clean punches from the outside. Pryor rocks Pacquiao with a tremendous overhand right in round 8 and dominates the 9th as well. However, Pacquiao lands the equalizer in round 10, a vicious left uppercut which catches Pryor coming in. Pryor goes to the canvas. He’s up at the count of 9 but has no idea of where he is. Referee Mills Lane waves off the fight. Manny Pacquiao becomes the first 4 division champion in boxing history!
Pacquiao wins KO 10
September 24, 1983: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Manny Pacquiao vs Aaron Pryor II: Five months after their first matchup, Pacquiao squares off against Pryor again in a rematch. Manny again catches Pryor with a quick left, dropping him in the first round. Pryor rebounds in rounds 2 and 3, out-muscling Pacquiao and pounding him against the ropes. Pryor lands a right uppercut in the 4th which sends Manny crashing to the canvas. Manny is out on his feet as Pryor pursues him to the ropes. The Hawk lands 12 unanswered punches which causes the referee to step in and stop the fight. Manny drops to 75-7-1, 61 KOs.
Pryor wins TKO 4
June 15, 1984: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Manny Pacquiao vs Aaron Pryor III: Pacquiao faces off against Pryor for the third time on a card which also includes Thomas Hearns vs Roberto Duran. Pacquiao again floors Pryor in the first with a straight left and goes on to floor him twice in the second round. Pryor begins to assert his superior strength on the inside over course of rounds 3 and 4. Pacquiao catches Pryor with a hard left in the 5th and keeps him off balance with movement and angles over the next two rounds.
Pryor starts to assert himself on the inside again over the course of the next three rounds, overwhelming Manny with his volume punching. By the 11th round, Manny seems to be tiring. Pacquiao rocks Pryor with a hard left uppercut in the 12th and forces Pryor on the defensive. Pryor rocks Pacquiao with a vicious right in the 13th and pounds him along the ropes relentlessly in the 14th. Pryor drops Manny with a left hook in the 15th and batters him along the ropes. Pacquiao is badly hurt, one final right uppercut from Pryor sends Pacquiao to the canvas again with 0:22 remaining. Pacquiao is unable to beat the count. Pryor wins by knockout at the 2:49 mark of the 15th round.
Pryor wins KO 15
July 1984-December 1985: In the aftermath of his loss to Pryor, Manny takes an extended hiatus from the ring.
January 11, 1986: Atlantic City, NJ
Manny Pacquiao vs Pedro Villela: In his first ring appearance in 17 months, the now 32 year old Pacquiao moves up to Welterweight taking on contender Pedro Villela. It is a lackluster performance by Pacquiao who seems old, slow, and unmotivated. Villela outworks him over the course of 10 rounds. However, the judges at ringside somehow find a way to award the decision to Pacquiao: 96-94, 96-95, 94-97. The decision is soundly booed by the Atlantic City crowd
Pacquiao wins SD 10
April 12, 1986: Atlantic City, NJ:
Manny Pacquiao vs Troy Wortham: Pacquiao looks a little better tonight than he did against Villela, but still struggles. Manny is slightly ahead on points after the 7th round. He lands a tremendous straight left which sends Wortham down for the count in the 8th. Pacquiao wins by knockout!
Pacquiao wins KO 8
June 21, 1986, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Manny Pacquiao vs Donald Curry: Pacquiao attempts to become a 5-division World Champion, as he challenges undefeated and undisputed Welterweight king Donald “The Cobra” Curry.
It is clear early that Pacquiao is now a shadow of what he once was as Curry dominates from the outset. Manny is battered and bloodied by the end of the third round. Curry seals the victory with two knockdowns of Pacquiao in the 4th. “The Cobra” wins convincingly!
Curry wins TKO 4
July 11, 1987, The Forum, Inglewood, CA
Manny Pacquiao vs Loreto Garza: A now 33 year old Pacquiao, returns after a 13 month hiatus to face 140 lbs contender Loreto Garza. Garza controls six of the first eight rounds. However, Pacquiao rallies to secure a controversial draw: 95-95, 96-96 (96-94 Garza).
Draw 10
October 10, 1987, The Forum, Inglewood, CA:
Manny Pacquiao vs Roger Mayweather: Pacquiao next faces former 130 lbs. champion Mayweather. On sad night at the Forum, the once great Manny Pacquiao engages in his own personal version of one fight too many. It’s quickly apparent that Manny has nothing left as Mayweather batters him mercilessly from the opening bell. Mayweather floors Pacquiao twice before the referee puts a stop to the fight.
Mayweather TKO 4
Manny announces his retirement after the fight and ends his career with a record of 77-10-2 (62 KOs). In this mythical timeline, Pacquiao wins world titles in four weight classes: Featherweight, Jr. Lightweight, Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight. Manny’s record in World Championship fights is 17-6, 16 KOs. He holds victories over IBHOF hall of famers: Carlos Zarate, Ruben Olivares, Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Bobby Chacon, Wilfredo Gomez, Alexis Arguello and Aaron Pryor. Pacquiao is inducted into the IBHOF in 1994. Manny then becomes involved in politics and, at the age of 56, is elected President of the Philippines in 2010.
What If?: Manny Pacquiao Competed in the 1970’s and 80’s: Part 2 of 3
What If?: Manny Pacquiao Competed in the 1970’s and 80’s- Part 1 of 3
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