The Manny Pacquiao Next Foe Sweepstakes is up for grabs. Boxing experts has already given their opinion, here's what the Pacquiao insiders has to say:

Edwin Valero

Bob Arum kickstarted the conversation when he said Valero is Pacquiao's next opponent during an interview right after the Pacquiao vs Diaz bout.

The media pick up on Bob's statement, speculating whether Valero is ready for Pacquiao's fists.

Coach Feddie Roach on the other hand reiterates his first choice for Manny Pacquiao's next opponent: Ricky Hatton.

But because Hatton would be unavailabe due to a scheduled fight with Paul Malignaggi, Roach would like to Manny to fight Valero.

Roach said he had told Arum about his opinion about Valero, who is a more attractive opponent that Soto, "who just lost."

Humberto Soto

But a problem with Valero's medical clearance and a question mark on his US marketability, prompted Arum to shift gear, Soto is next. Humberto Soto challenged Pacquiao right after the Diaz bout. The Pacquiao vs Soto tiff almost happened a year ago.

"It’s okay that I fight Soto, especially since he beat my brother Bobby," said Pacquiao.

"I will not make a decision until I talk with Manny," said Arum. "But right now we are looking at Soto and while people are saying that Manny should fight in big-money fights, Manny has to keep busy because we will be doing the Hatton fight next year. Soto is excited to fight Pacquiao and he will be ready and it’s going to be a tough fight for Pacquiao."

Nate Campbell

Meanwhile, Team Pacquiao dislike the Pacquiao vs Sotto proposal, prefering instead a Pacquiao vs Campbell unification match. Campbell himself is challenging Pacquiao. Bob Arum made an effort in the past to make the Campbell fight a reality, but it looks like the deal didn't materialize.

Ricky Hatton

Former WBC featherweight and superfeatherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera on the other hand advices Manny Pacquiao should avoid fighting either Valero or Soto, and should instead concentrate on Ricky Hatton next year.

Manny okays Sotto Video

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Manny Pacquiao has been the recipient of different accolades in the past. Yahoo! Sports has named him the Top 16 in the 25 Most Powerful Men in Boxing. Maxboxing listed him as Among the Ten Most Exciting Boxers in the World. Now you can add Pacquiao among the 10 Hardest Puncher in the World, here's what Fighthype has to say about his punching power:


Manny Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) - Knockout ratio: 74.50%
"In physics, the formula for force is mass times acceleration and no other fighter embodies that quite like Manny Pacquiao. The diminutive fighter with the megawatt smile cuts through his opponents like a buzzsaw. The whirling dervish of flying leather also packs a punch in the form of a short straight left hand that has left some of boxing's greatest warriors on their backs. Possessing raw aggression and uncanny hand speed, it's understandable as to why fighters have found themselves swallowed up by Pacman's assaults."

Manny Pacquiao Knockout Compilation Video

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According to New York Post, because of the not so great Pacquiao vs Diaz Pay Per View buys (more or less 250,000), Bob Arum is planning on marketing Pacquiao to the general population. Bob Arum's goal is to make casual sports viewers recognize Pacquiao.

"We're going to start marketing Pacquiao totally different," he said this week. "We're going to get him to the mainstream American language stations and get him on shows like Lettermen and Jimmy Kimmel. We're working on getting him on those kinds of shows. We're going to make him known in the mainstream. I believe it can be done. It's going to take hard work."

Pacquiao is one of the most exciting and best active boxer alive but some would argue he isn't marketable to the general American population because he could barely speak English.

Some even blamed the recent dismal showing because Diaz is an almost unknown entity. But think about it: fighters like De La Hoya, Jones and Trinidad could fight a Class C boxer and would still generate at least 400,000 buys.

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According to Michael Marley, a Pacquiao insider told him that Manny Pacquiao is not excited with a fight with Humberto Soto.

This Pacquiao insider also told Marley that Manny Pacquiao has told Arum he wants to fight Hatton by February or March at the latest, and that Manny sees a purse of perhaps $15 million in that bout which is about double what he can earn against Soto and Valero combined.

Is this the reason why as early as March, Freddie Roach wants a dream fight for Manny with Ricky Hatton at 140? Is this also the reason why Hatton is agreeing that Pacquiao is the #1 pound for pound in the world?

How will looming megafight compare with recent bouts:

Hatton vs Mayweather is at $47 million for 850,000 pay-per-view buys.

Oscar De La Hoya vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. is at $120 million from 2.4 million American pay-per-view buys. Overall, De La Hoya earned $52 million, $25 million for Mayweather.

Mayweather vs Hatton Video

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Many boxing critics and fans are speculating on Manny Pacquiao Next Fight: whether Pacquiao will face Edwin Valero, Humberto Soto or Nate Campbell. Here's a compilation of what boxing journalists on Manny Pacquiao Next Fight and what they're saying:


"Valero is fun to watch but when he faces a serious opponent, he'll be exposed as a one-dimensional slugger with little technique or defense. I'd much rather see Pacquiao face Soto. And, in a perfect world, I'd rather see Pacquiao face unified titleholder Nate Campbell before either of them. Arum will never make that fight because it's way too dangerous."

- by Dan Rafael, ESPN


"I have a lot of respect for Guzman, who I consider to be a top 15 pound-for-pound player, but I’d rather see Campbell take on Pacquiao for two reasons: first and foremost, because it would be a hell of a fight, but also because it would unify all of the major 135-pound world titles. And then the winner of Campbell-Pacquiao could take on the winner of Casamayor-Marquez for the really-REAL-no-kidding-honest-to-gosh lightweight championship of the world. Ya never know, Pacquaio-Marquez III could wind up being for all the marbles at 135 pounds."

- by Doug Fischer, Maxboxing


"Manny Pacquiao-Edwin Valero Next? Let's hope this fight gets made. For although Pacquaio has many other, equally mouth-watering, prospective fights in his future, this one would likely be something truly special. Valero, a truly frightening puncher, against Pacquiao, the undisputed pound-for-pound king! What's not to like?"

- by James Slater, East Side Boxing


"If and when Valero finally defeats some real fighters, his name and talent will be held high above much of the super featherweight division. Should he ever reach that point, he will deserve a shot at Pacquiao."

"As of now, a scrap between the two is far from fair. Manny Pacquiao has defeated a who’s who of powerful Mexican fighters in the Super Featherweight-Lightweight territory. His resume is absolutely epic. If Valero came at Pacquiao with his hands down, Pacquiao would slam him face first into the dirt with a simple side step."

- by Daniel Cohen, Ringside Report


"Fights against Soto or Valero would merely mark time for Pacquiao... For at least the next few months, the Champ vs. Best debate will rage on at lightweight. It will linger on as long as linear champion Joel Casamayor and unified titlist Nate Campbell continue to travel different paths..."

"No matter how you mix it up – Campbell-Diaz II, Casamayor-Katsidis II, Marquez-Diaz, Guzman-Katsidis, and so on – none of it adds up to a single answer atop the division come end of 2008. ...That is where Manny Pacquiao can fit in, now that he's already tested the lightweight waters."

"A place in the Boxing Hall of Fame has already been long ago secured for the Filipino; a win at the very top level of the lightweight division would make his name the newest entry when discussing the greatest fighters of all time."

- by Jake Donovan, Boxing Scene


"I do once more want to make the case for Pacquiao fighting Marquez in the very near future, assuming he beats Casamayor. There are some who have advocated for Pacquiao to fight others, like Nate Campbell or consensus junior welterweight (140 lbs.) champ Ricky Hatton. Those are good fights, but not nearly as good or important as fighting Marquez once more. Why? For starters, Pacquiao is the new #1 pound-for-pound king; Marquez is in everyone’s top five."

- by Tim Starks, Ring Report, MVN


"What the world wants is something else all together. It wants Pacquiao-Marquez III, a showdown between guys who weigh 100 pounds less than the average heavyweight champion today."

- by Ron Borges, The Sweet Science


"It can be argued that Pacquiao left the 130-pound division at the very top, World Championship in hand, with no one else to face; but those who steep themselves into monthly ratings and die-so-much-harder for Our Sport could argue that there was still some farmland left to plow in the forms of Joan Guzman, Edwin Valero or Humberto Soto. ...Is it enough to keep him at lightweight?"

"...Then again, by that time, the winners of Campbell-Guzman, Casamayor-Marquez and Diaz-Katsidis might just be ready. Hell, from the tone of a recent open letter Campbell scripted to the winner of Pacquiao-Diaz (prior to last Saturday night's fight), he'd fight tomorrow."

- by Coyote Duran, Doghouse Boxing


"The boxing fanatics have enough of these fighters who can’t enhance the resume and legacy of the Pacman. Humberto Sotto and Edwin Valero can’t raise the status of Manny Pacquiao. Even if he beats them in a convincing fashion, boxing critics will simply dismiss it as a foregone conclusion."

"Anyway, there are fighters in the horizon who can elevate Pacquiao to the illustrious elite of boxing. Who are these fighters? Well, let’s name them — Nate 'The Galaxxy Warrior' Campbell, Ricky 'The Hitman' Hatton, and Oscar 'The Golden Boy' de la Hoya."

- by Don Leopoldo, Boxing Herald


"There are already talks about Pacquiao moving up to 140lbs and challenging Ricky Hatton, but while he is here, why don’t we compare him against the elite at 135lbs? His next big fight will most likely not even occur at the lightweight limit of 135lbs. Ricky Hatton, whose countrymen’s loyalty rival that of Pacquiao’s Pinoy brethren, is right around the corner at 140lbs for a super-fight. We hope this writer did not waste his time writing this piece, because we would be missing out on some intense action at 135lbs. We can hope, can’t we?"

- by Arben Paloka, 15 Rounds


"Arum mentioned that he hoped to make a bout with Ricky Hatton in 2009."

"But before all that, let's hope that down the line, regardless of whatever promotional battles may exist between Top Rank and Golden Boy, lets all pray that the lightweight division sees fights between Pacquiao and the winners of Diaz-Katsidis (September 6th), Campbell-Guzman and Marquez-Casamayor (September 13th) in the near future. It would be unconscionable if some of these fights never took place."

- by Steve Kim, Maxboxing


"A cadre of Pacman insiders, including Boxingcongfidential super snooper Hermie Rivera, are pounding the Pacman drums and the message is that there is a communication gap between Pacman and his promoter Bob Arum. This camp follower said that Pacman has told Arum he wants to fight Hatton by February or March at the latest. The source said Megamanny sees a megapurse of perhaps $15 million in that bout which is about double what he can earn against Soto and Valero. Whatever Manny wants, Manny gets?"

- Michael Marley, Boxing Confidential

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After more than two months, it's time for a Pound for Pound update. The following top 3 data are aggregate from the most famous boxing websites in the world. Websites which didn't update their rankings are excluded. After Floyd Mayweather retired, Manny Pacquiao moved from #2 to #1 due to an impressive win against David Diaz. Here are the latest tally as of July 12, 2008:



Overall: #1

ESPN: #1

"For those who didn't already have Pacquiao No. 1 on the pound-for-pound list, perhaps favoring Joe Calzaghe like ESPN.com has since Floyd Mayweather's retirement earlier this month, get ready for another change of the guard. Pacquiao is the new king."

- Dan Rafael, ESPN


Maxboxing: #1

"Pacquiao’s been my no. 1 pound-for-pound king a couple of times prior to Saturday night and prior to Floyd Mayweather’s recent departure from the sport, but his performance vs. Diaz solidifies his place on top of pro boxing’s elite fighters."

- Doug Fischer, Maxboxing


East Side Boxing: #1

"Even if Floyd had not retired, Pacquiao put forth the type of awe-inspiring performance that may well have catapulted him into the top spot, regardless."

- Geoffrey Ciani, East Side Boxing


Boxing Scene: #1

"Pacquiao is what a pound-for-pound king ought to be. He has defied the scale in a way that only Hall of Famers like Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran, Fidel LaBarba, Fighting Harada and Jimmy McLarnin compare to."

- Cliff Rold, Boxing Scene


The Sweet Science: #1

"Is Pac Man number one now that Floyd Mayweather is gone? Without a doubt."

- David Avila, The Sweet Science


Yahoo! Sports: #1

"With Mayweather's retirement, Manny Pacquiao assumes the spot atop the Yahoo! Sports poll. De La Hoya said he's interested in fighting Pacquiao but reiterated interest in fighting No. 3 Miguel Cotto, as well."

- Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports


Setanta Sports: #2

"He put in a performance that will be mentioned within the first few sentences when he gets inducted into the boxing hall of fame."

- Ciaran Baynes and Mark Doyle, Setanta Sports


Boxing Talk: #1

"Anyone who knows a thing or two about the sweet science of boxing knows that Manny Pacquiao is by far, the best pound for pound fighter in the world, especially now that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has decided to retire."

- Sharief Ali, Boxing Talk


15 Rounds: #1

"Manny Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, by far. To pass him in the P4P standings, Winky Wright would have to beat Felix Trinidad two more times; and Floyd Mayweather, at his current rate, would have to fight till his fortieth birthday."

- Bart Barry, 15 Rounds


Boxing Confidential: #1

"Every Head Must Bow, Every Tongue Confess, Flawless: Thou Art Pound For Pound King Of The Ring, Manny Pacquiao!"

- Michael Marley, Boxing Confidential


Ring Report, MVN : #1

"Meet The New Best Boxer Alive — Manny Pacquiao"

- Tim Starks, Ring Report, MVN


Seconds Out: #1

"Easily the most exciting fighter in the game today, Pacquiao has his flaws, but seems increasingly able to overcome them with his sheer offensive might."

- Seconds Out


Doughouse Boxing: #1

"By now there is really nothing left to say, much less leave any room for doubt. The Pound for Pound Numero Uno finally gets his long overdue claim to recognition as the world's best."

- Gibe, views from the DogPound


Boxing Herald: #1

"In my opinion, there is no way that Joe Calzaghe should be ahead of Manny Pacquiao on the pound for pound greatest list. I look at skills, opponents, and accomplishments. PACQUIAO IS THE POUND FOR POUND GREATEST!"

- Brad Cooney, Boxing Herald

Ring Magazine: #1

See Also:
Hatton: Pacquiao is #1 P4P
Emmanuel Steward: Pacquiao #1

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Here's a follow-up to the Pacquiao vs Diaz HBO Post-fight Interview

Emmanuel Steward has trained some of the best boxers such as Tommy Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Leon Spinks, and Lennox Lewis. He is an HBO commentator and an inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

Here are his top 5 pound for pound boxers:

1. Manny Pacquiao

2. Miguel Cotto

3. Joe Calzaghe

4. Juan Manuel Marquez

5. Kelly Pavlik

Emmanuel Steward: Manny Pacquiao is #1 Pound for Pound

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Abs-cbn interviews Ed Picson & Ronnie Nathanielsz

Summary: Ed Picson thinks that by Manny's variety of punches and defense is what won the fight, and he was impressed Pacquiao's vast improvement. Ed attribute Manny's success to Pacquiao's training and newfound discipline.

Ronnie Nathanielsz, on the other hand, said that the David Diaz bout was Pacquiao's best performance by far, a display of clinical execution at best. He also said that Manny retained his speed and power even while moving up in weight. Ronnie, a friend of Gabriel Flash Elorde, also states that Manny is the greatest Filipino boxer of all-time.



GMA News interviews Ed Tolentino


Summary: Ed Tolentino said that that jab, footwork, and sped is what clinch the win for Manny Pacquiao

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There are many boxing analysts around, but the 13 years old Alden “The Kid” Chodash may very well be one of the youngest boxing aficionado in town. Alden is a member of The Boxing Writers Association Of America, host of FightFan.com's Alden Chodash Show and a regular contributor to FightFan.com, Cyberboxingzone.com, EastSideBoxing.com, among others.

His weekly Alden "The Kid" Chodash Boxing Show at Youtube is filled with boxing analysis that is remarkable for his age.

He labelled Manny's performance against David Diaz as "spectacular." He believes that Manny is the best of the lightweight division, and is the boxing's #1 pound for pound. A fight with David Diaz is according to him would be easy fight for Manny.

Alden's boxing predictions and previous fight review can be seen at his website. The video below shows his review of the the 2nd fight of Pacquiao and Marquez.

Alden "The Kid" Chodash Boxing Analysis of Pacquiao vs David Diaz

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Here's a follow-up to Canadian TV's Pacquiao vs David Diaz Preview Video.

One of Britains most loved, and hated, boxing expert finally gets his own TV show, Steve Bunce's Boxing Hour. Each week Steve Bunce, and studio guests, discuss the latest hottest stories, news and rumors in British boxing at Setanta Sports.

Includes exclusive interviews and features with some of today's most recognized, and up and coming fighters. Bunce provides plenty of humor and shares interesting stories from his 30 years in boxing journalism.

Bruce analyzes the upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz. He also talks about the 21 year Amir Khan challenging Manny Pacquiao. He agrees with Amir's promoter Frank Warren that Amir is not yet ready for the world title match, because of his not so strong showing at the recent Khan vs Gomez bout.

British TV: Steve Bunce Analyzes Pacquiao Diaz Video

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Maxboxing.com in their paid subscription articles has included Manny Pacquiao in their Ten Most Exciting Fighters in the World. The Pacman this year was included in many top list, among them capturing Yahoo! Sports Top 16 in the 25 Most Powerful Men in Boxing.

The list recognized the most exciting and crowd-pleasing boxers - ones that not only put people in the seats, but put on compelling, memorable affairs. These boxers are the ones they deemed receives fan accolades and is deserving of their most lucrative paydays. The list excludes those fighters who are safety first boxers, those who don't entertain the fans and those that don't attract spectators to the sport.

In listing this boxers list, they look at those whose goal is not just do enough to win, but to also be a captivating, fun fighter. The column did not include good boxers who bore the audience to death, instead highlighting today's performers, who may be imperfect, might never get to the top of the mountain, but are always worth watching.

Here is the complete list of the 10 Most Exciting Fighters in the World arranged alphabetically:



Miguel Cotto: What makes his fights so appealing is that he seems to have no problems taking on any challenger that comes his way. And in the past, he has struggled and survived with the likes of Ricardo Torres and DeMarcus Corley, and then more recently engaged in some interesting scraps against Zab Judah and Shane Mosley that had more than their fair share of action.

Quick, can you think of a boring fight Cotto was ever a part of?

Didn't think so.

Juan Diaz: Yeah, he may not have abs of steel and he doesn't punch particularly hard, but what he does is punch a lot. 'The Baby Bull' of Houston, Texas has come a long way from the kid that broke down emotionally after his bout against Ubaldo Hernandez.

He's one of those guys who looks easy to beat in theory - just use lateral movement and box him, right? But as you see the waves of punches coming one after another, keeping him off you is much more difficult in reality.

He has the type of temperament and style that makes it an impossibility that he'll ever be in a dull contest.

David Haye: 'The Haye-maker' is one of those classic punchers that on the flipside may not take the best punch himself, which is precisely the reason why you tune into his bouts. His seventh-round stoppage of Jean-Marc Mormeck for two of the cruiserweight titles was a perfect example. His overall skills would control most of the bout, but he would be knocked down and buzzed badly by the Frenchman in the middle of the fight. He would then recover and stop Mormeck with a series of power punches later on.

There is a lot of talk of him moving up to heavyweight, but before that, he faces Enzo Maccarinelli in what should be a cruiserweight unification bout full of fireworks.

Michael Katsidis: Anyone that is considered the heir apparent to Arturo Gatti just has to be on this list. Seriously, when was the last time a fighter had two fights that were nominees for 'Fight of the Year' in the same year? Well, that's precisely what happened with Katsidis as he slugged it out with Graham Earl and Czar Amonsot in '07.

He looks like the type of fighter who's not built for the long run, but who will have a memorable career regardless. He has the heart of a warrior and gives more blood than the Red Cross (at least he did against Amonsot).

Antonio Margarito: 'The Tijuana Tornado' is your classic heavy-handed Mexican banger, one that is long on heart and conditioning and perhaps just a tad too slow to ever reach greatness. But, again, this list is not about who the best boxer is or who compiles the best record.

Margarito is a guy that likes to stand in there and bang away with both hands. His chin and stamina allow him to make late runs in bouts that he falls behind in. A win against Kermit Cintron in April could lead to a highly anticipated slugfest with Miguel Cotto in the late summer. That bout has 'can't miss' written all over it.

Edison Miranda: Did you see his KO of David Banks?

I think that's all that needs to be said.

Manny Pacquiao: Now, 'the Pac Man' wasn't quite the Filipino whirlwind he had been in the past in 2007, where he seemed to take a bit of a paid vacation. But who can forget his memorable trilogy against Erik Morales, his mugging of Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 or his disputed draw versus Juan Manuel Marquez?

Yes, he does have some technical flaws, but to him, the best defense is a great offense. And with his trainer Freddie Roach, they have worked hard to develop more offensive weapons in their arsenal.

His rabid following only heightens the excitement of his fights.

Kelly Pavlik: Pavlik, the current middleweight champion of the world, burst onto the scene in 2007 with three memorable knockouts. First he froze Jose Luis Zertuche in mid-air, then he busted the bubble of Edison Miranda, and in dramatic fashion came off the canvas to stop Jermain Taylor.

'The Buckeye Banger' throws sharp, straight, accurate punches and is fundamentally sound. But he gets hit just enough to make his fights exciting. His power seems to be just short of devastating, but he throws a high volume of punches that wears out his opposition.

He seems to have the style and charisma to be one of the sport’s biggest stars. Next week he rematches with Taylor in Las Vegas and then is slated to face John Duddy in early June. But here's a crazy idea (and I got a million of them): instead of facing Duddy, who many believe is unproven and green, how bout Felix Trinidad at Madison Square Garden? Crazy? Not as much as you think. Trinidad showed against Roy Jones that while he is too small at 170 pounds, at middleweight he would still be formidable. When I interviewed Larry Merchant last week I stated that I'd love to see him face an Arthur Abraham. Well, why not Pavlik on the Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend?

You can guarantee two things if this were to take place: an exciting fight and big business.


Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez: It's appropriate that I lumped these two together being that they have engaged in 13 rounds of war and will go at it once again on March 1st.

Vazquez, in 2006, was involved in the 'Fight of the Year' by overcoming two trips to the canvas to stop Jhonny Gonzalez in dramatic fashion. Then last year, his revenge victory over Marquez in August was the consensus choice for 2007's best battle. Round three of that encounter was perhaps the most thrilling back-and-forth stanza we have seen since the tenth round of Corrales-Castillo I.

He's certainly not a defensive wizard, he's prone to slow starts and he cuts rather easily. But he more than makes up for it with a great ticker and power in both fists. Yes, he catches, but he also pitches quite well.

As for Marquez, the brother of Juan Manuel, if he had a stouter chin, he'd perhaps be the most perfect package in boxing today. He's your classic Nacho Beristain trained stylist, and is more prone to take risks than his brother, but unfortunately, his whiskers have let him down more than once. It's this one fatal flaw that has made him human inside the ring.

At anytime during a fight, he's always one punch from turning things around, or, conversely, being sent down. Which is why he's a must-see fighter.

Related: Manny Pacquiao vs Israel Vasquez in Sparring Video

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Yahoo! Sports, has listed Manny Pacquiao as one of the movers and shakers in the boxing industry. Yahoo! Sports criteria includes people whose decision affects the fights that are made, which will be on television and which will be on pay-per-view, who gets a title shot and who does not.

Manny Pacquiao is among the four boxers included in the list. The other three boxers includes Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Bernard Hopkins.

Here is the complete 25 Most Powerful Men in Boxing List:


1. Oscar De La Hoya, boxer/promoter: The Golden Boy is far and away the most powerful individual in the sport. He's still the game's best individual draw, when he chooses to fight, which he says he'll do three times in 2008. But he's also the head of Golden Boy Promotions, which, along with Top Rank, is one of the game's two leading promotional companies. De La Hoya pretty much gets what he wants when it comes to television dates, venues and opponents.

2. Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports: Boxing doesn't air regularly on free network television and ESPN spends only a pittance per show. That leaves HBO at the top of the heap when it comes to televising boxing. Greenburg has a significant budget and a better than three times the number of subscribers of rival Showtime. As a result, he has an extremely large voice in the major fights you see.

3. Bob Arum, chairman, Top Rank: Arum's company has more quality fighters than any other. Top Rank is also the most innovative. If Arum doesn't like a deal he's offered by Showtime or HBO, he'll spend the money to broadcast the fight on his own. De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are the top two attractions in boxing, but they were groomed and fought most of their fights under Arum.

4. Richard Schaefer, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions: Schaefer is Oscar De La Hoya's chief lieutenant and culls most of his influence because of that. But Schaefer has proven to be a brilliant negotiator and he's largely built the Golden Boy empire.

5. Al Haymon, boxing manager: Haymon is adverse to publicity and drew the ire of members of the Boxing Writers Association of America for failing to cooperate after members voted him the 2006 Manager of the Year. He handles the careers of numerous luminaries, most notably Mayweather. Haymon seems to have a great in at HBO and somehow manages to get his fighters placed in the most advantageous positions, usually at the least risk.

6. Floyd Mayweather Jr., boxer: By virtue of his vast skill and his free agency, Mayweather commands respect in the game. Any promoter would fall all over himself if he were to get a call from the Pretty Boy. Mayweather showed off some of his influence when he got a rematch with De La Hoya on one of his key terms: in September instead of in May.

7. Mark Taffet, senior vice president, HBO Sports: Boxing writers may dread his laboriously long news conference speeches, but he's got a great instinct for what will sell and for how to build a promotion. Much of the success of HBO Pay-Per-View is due to Taffet.

8. Don King, owner, Don King Productions: King would have been No. 1 on this list in many of the past 35 years, but his stable has shrunken remarkably. He doesn't have many significant fighters, which reduces his influence somewhat, but few can gain the attention from the corporate bigwigs like King. Consider the deal he was able to extract from Charles and James Dolan for the Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad fight at Madison Square Garden.

9. Shelly Finkel, manager: Finkel is a dealmaker extraordinaire, whose clients include IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. Once closely aligned with promoter Main Events, Finkel now operates independently and has great respect and influence within the industry.

10. Todd duBoef, president, Top Rank: Arum's stepson, duBoef can't command media attention the way Arum is able to do, but duBoef has largely run the careers of Erik Morales and Miguel Cotto, two of Top Rank's most successful fighters of the past decade.

11. Kery Davis, senior vice president of programming, HBO Sports: You want to get your fighter onto HBO, you talk to Davis. You run the boxing franchise at HBO and you're automatically one of the game's most powerful figures.

12. Emanuel Steward, trainer/manager/broadcaster: Steward remains one of the game's great trainers and is largely responsible for the rebirth of IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. His role as the color commentator on HBO broadcasts adds to his sway in the industry.

13. Ken Hershman, senior vice president and general manager of sports and event programming, Showtime: Hershman doesn't have the money or the subscriber base to compete with HBO, but he has a bigger wallet than anyone else in the industry.

14. Bruce Trampler, matchmaker, Top Rank: Nothing of significance happens at Top Rank without Trampler's OK. If Trampler doesn't like a match, it won't get made. He has an extraordinary eye for talent and managers flock to him.

15. Jose Sulaiman, president, WBC: The sanctioning bodies represent much that is wrong with boxing, but there is no denying the impact Sulaiman has upon the game not only in the U.S. but around the world.

16. Manny Pacquiao, boxer: Pacquiao has become big box office, which carries major influence. Look at the way Golden Boy and Top Rank went at it over his rights.

17. Eric Gomez, matchmaker, Golden Boy Promotions: De La Hoya's boyhood friend makes the fights for GBP and has a lot of say in everything but the highest level fights.

18. Fernando Beltran, promoter: Beltran is the leading promoter in Mexico, but he gains much of his influence for delivering quality Mexican fighters such as Erik Morales and Jose Luis Castillo to Top Rank.

19. Bernard Hopkins, boxer/president, Golden Boy East: While Shane Mosley and Marco Antonio Barrera, the other partner-boxers in Golden Boy, serve largely ceremonial roles, Hopkins is actively involved in the company. Plus, he's still a top-level fighter who has become a solid pay-per-view seller.

20. Cameron Dunkin, manager: Dunkin hasn't become a household name, like Finkel, but he has a huge stable of quality fighters and has an expert eye.

21. Lou DiBella, president, DiBella Entertainment: The promoter of former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, DiBella doesn't hold as much sway as he did when he controlled what seemed like three-quarters of the dates on HBO, but he's still a go-to guy.

22. John Bailey, chairman, Nevada Athletic Commission: He runs the most widely respected athletic commission in the world. He's shrewd, honest and hard-working. Because Nevada gets so many of the game's significant fights, Bailey's position has a great influence on the sport's welfare.

23. Leonard Ellerbe, CEO, Mayweather Promotions: The best friend of Mayweather gains significant influence in the sport because of his closeness with Mayweather and Haymon. His influence will likely dwindle when Mayweather retires, but if Ellerbe calls one of the game's power brokers now, it will get answered on the first ring.

24. Dan Goossen, president, Goossen-Tutor Promotions: A clever and hard-working promoter, "Daddy Goose" doesn't have the money or the fighters that he had when he was at the now-defunct America Presents, but Goossen still occasionally comes up with a big show.

25. Gary Shaw, president, Gary Shaw Productions: Shaw used to promote Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Winky Wright, Shane Mosley, Diego Corrales and Manny Pacquiao. Now, he promotes WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson and super bantamweight Rafael Marquez and has a working relationship with powerful manager Haymon.

Just missed (list is alphabetical):
Luis Barragan, director of programming, HBO Sports;
Kathy Duva, CEO, Main Events;
Armando Garcia, executive officer, California State Athletic Commission;
Gordon Hall, vice president of production, Showtime;
Akihiro Honda, promoter, Teiken Promotions;
David Itskowitch, COO, Golden Boy Promotions;
Keith Kizer, executive director, Nevada Athletic Commission;
Klaus Peter Kohl, promoter, Universum;
Larry Merchant, broadcaster, HBO Sports;
Carl Moretti, matchmaker, DiBella Entertainment;
Mogens Palle, manager/promoter;
Wilfred Sauerland, manager/promoter;
Ron Scott Stevens, chairman, New York Athletic Commission;
Frank Warren, promoter, The Sports Network;
Jim Wilkes, adviser/manager.

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Joaquin M. Henson (aka Quinito Henson) is a Filipino sports journalist and a television color commentator. His newspaper column, Sporting Chance, has appeared in the Philippine Star since the 1980s. Dubbed as Quinito "The Dean" Henson, he himself has laced his writing with nicknames given to various athletes. Henson was honored with the first-ever Olympism Award from the Philippine Olympic Committee for excellence in journalism in 2004.

In his recent article, Quinito agrees with the judge's split decision that lead to Manny Pacquiao winning his second bout with Juan Manuel Marquez. In the same manner that propelled Manny Pacquiao to write his Unfinished Business article, Quinito also wrote that he disagrees with some boxing analysts, and insisted that Pacquiao's win was fair and well-deserved.

His full article after the jump.

Why castigate Manny?

SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin M. Henson
Thursday, March 20, 2008

It is appalling to find some Filipinos casting doubt on the integrity of Manny Pacquiao’s win by split decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas last Saturday.

Like the sourgrapers in Marquez’ camp, they’re insinuating Top Rank chairman Bob Arum did a sleight of hand to protect his hefty investment in Pacquiao by loading the judges panel with personal choices. Marquez’ supporters claim the Mexican should’ve won because the punchstats show he landed more blows.

Allow me to raise three points to clear the air on this issue.

First, the record will establish that both Pacquiao and Marquez gave their thumbs-up on the three judges who were assigned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. In fact, one original choice Bill Flaherty was replaced on Pacquiao’s instance because he is Roach’s family friend. He was subbed by Tom Miller, 48. The two other judges were veterans Duane Ford, 70, and Jerry Roth, 66, whose reputation for fairness is unassailable. Ford has been a judge since 1978 and Roth, 1982. They’ve been involved in major world title fights before so working last Saturday’s fight was not an unfamiliar experience.

Miller has been a judge since 1996. By the way, it was recently disclosed that in his personal scorecard, Flaherty scored it 114-113 for Pacquiao, the same as Miller. So the verdict would’ve been the same even if Flaherty had not been replaced.

* * * *

Second, it must be explained that punchstats are a summary of total blows thrown and connected, broken down into jabs and power shots. Just because a fighter connected more punches on an accumulated basis doesn’t necessarily mean he won. Remember that punchstats show totals from the start of the fight to the end and a bout is judged from round to round, not by an accumulation of blows landed.

For instance, a fighter may take a round with a comfortable margin and receive a 10-9 count from the judges. If his opponent wins the next round by a slim margin, he also receives a 10-9 count. If you total the punches connected in the two rounds, one fighter will have the edge. But in the judges scorecards, it will be dead even. That’s how it is in boxing. You judge round by round, not by an accumulation of total punches connected at the end of the fight.

In the punchstats for last Saturday’s fight, Marquez landed more blows, 172 to Pacquiao’s 157, and was more accurate, 34 percent to 25 percent. Pacquiao, being the aggressor, threw more blows, 619 to 511 or a huge difference of 108. Some judges give a lot of credit to aggressiveness because after all, boxing is a combative sport.

In terms of jabs, Pacquiao threw 314 to Marquez’ 201, but landed only one more, 43 to 42. The figures proved that Marquez didn’t really jab as much as he was supposed to, averaging less than four connections a round.

In power punches, Marquez landed 130 of 310 compared to Pacquiao’s 114 of 305. The difference of 16 in connections is insignificant, considering the length of the fight or 12 rounds.

It is therefore not accurate to base the outcome of a fight on punchstats which do not break down into rounds.

* * * *

Third, the judges’ scorecards didn’t show major disparities. They scored the first round for Pacquiao – which The STAR did, too. They also scored the third, fourth and 10th for the Filipino. Additionally, they were unanimous in scoring the second, fifth, seventh, eighth and 11th rounds for Marquez.

The judges differed only in scoring three rounds – the sixth, ninth and 12th. In the sixth, Miller and Roth gave it to Marquez and Ford to Pacquiao. In the ninth, Miller and Roth scored it for Pacquiao and Ford to Marquez. In the 12th, Ford had it for Pacquiao while Miller and Roth saw it for Marquez.

So the discrepancy in scoring was far from being an eternity. From the scorecards, it’s clear that the difference was in the knockdown that Pacquiao produced in the third round because it meant a 10-8 count or a two-point cushion. In a close bout, a knockdown could be the decider and it was in last Saturday’s fight.

If Pacquiao had not decked Marquez but won the third round anyway, it would’ve been a split draw just like the outcome in their first fight. If Marquez won the third round, he would’ve won by majority decision.

Don’t forget that Pacquiao should’ve won the first meeting by a split decision four years ago. Burt Clements, the judge who had it a draw, admitted he made a mistake in shortchanging Pacquiao by a point in the first round when Marquez went down thrice but under boxing rules, the scorecard couldn’t be altered after the fact.

So if you really think about it, Pacquiao has effectively beaten Marquez twice.

The problem with some Filipino fans is they’ve been spoiled by Pacquiao and expect nothing less than a spectacular knockout in each of his fights.

Marquez is a tough opponent and because of his style, will always be difficult for Pacquiao to handle. Pacquiao could’ve done more things to win convincingly last Saturday – he could’ve used the right hand more, he could’ve hit and spun like he did in the second and third Erik Morales fights, he could’ve cut the ring off with more authority on Marquez to close the distance between them, he could’ve jabbed more, he could’ve attacked the body more consistently, he could’ve used more lateral movement instead of insisting on coming forward linearly.

There are so many other “could’ves” to cite but the fact is two of the three judges scored it for Pacquiao and he won, fair and square. Pacquiao earned the victory because he fought with the bigger heart, came back strong in the late rounds and every Filipino should be proud of his achievement in becoming the first Asian to win three world titles in different divisions. He bled for every one of his countrymen, he took Marquez’ hardest shots without backing down. You couldn’t ask anything more from a hero.

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There are many boxing analysts around, but the 13 years old Alden “The Kid” Chodash may very well be one of the youngest boxing aficionado in town. Alden is a member of The Boxing Writers Association Of America, host of FightFan.com's Alden Chodash Show and a regular contributor to FightFan.com, Cyberboxingzone.com, EastSideBoxing.com, among others.

His weekly Alden "The Kid" Chodash Boxing Show at Youtube is filled with boxing analysis that is remarkable for his age. Though some of his opinion misses the target big time, he usually balances it out with positives. So although he was wrong in calling Pacquiao a mediocre technical boxer, he nonetheless labeled Manny a tremendous puncher.

Alden's boxing predictions and previous fight review can be seen at his website. The video below shows his review of the the 2nd fight of Pacquiao and Marquez.


Alden "The Kid" Chodash Boxing Show at Youtube


Transcript: "It was great. Everything that I expected, the only thing that didn't play out was the Marquez victory but he was only a point away. And uh, it exceeded expectations, uh, once again as is in many of Marquez and Pacquiao's bout."

"They're perfect for each other, uh, probably the right thing for them not take a third fight, because uh, at the end of their career they'll just keep deteriorating each other. And uh, that's probably for the best sake. It's a lot different that Rafael Marquez reasoning in his great rivalry with Israel Vasquez in which he doesn't know to stop, the uh, rivalry. But good for both of them, it was a great performance, it was a great night for boxing."

"Really, he's (Manny Pacquiao) a mediocre (technical) fighter down the scale, but he is such a tremendous puncher, and he knows how to apply his power so effectively that he can bedevil such technical, technically brilliant fighter such as Juan Manuel Marquez."

"Well, I think it took him (Juan Manuel Marquez), well, first of all let me just say that I wouldn't think that he would have made it past the third round, if only for the fact that he had 10 seconds to recover, but it took him the 4th round to fully recover from that punch. It was a tremendous shot and it came from a couple of left hands that started the trouble for him to begin with."

"Marquez, he just fought a perfect fight, I'm being truthful, I think he did enough to win the fight. But it was extremely close and the punching power of Manny Pacquiao was kept him from victory however. Because when Marquez started to pick it up, uh, Manny Pacquiao catch him with a shot that hurt him, and uh, would startle Marquez over completely."

"I think he (Pacquiao) became more creative in ways to try to get to his left hands, I think that is really is the difference. Not really with his right, not like he has became a two handed puncher, it's just that a great fight with Marquez just didn't give the chance to show Pacquiao's right hand."

"Marquez landed more shots that in the first fight, but I think, Manny knows how to pull back, he's not a tremendous defensive fighter, but uh, he does enough, to keep Marquez, from hurting him too much."

"I think Marquez is all-round the best of all the three (Mexican fighters). Technically speaking, I think he would have beaten Morales and Barrera, both at their best. But I'm not sure that he is going down to be the best, I'm not sure he is as accomplished as much as uh, Morales and Barrera, although I think he's all-around the better boxer than the both of them."

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After watching the full fight of Pacquiao vs Marquez, analysts differs in their opinion as to who really won the fight. The judges split decision didn't help to erase all doubts as to who really is a better fighter. One thing is for sure the fight was a close one, and the 3rd round knockdown made all difference in the final tally.


HBO Commentators at the End of the Fight


Summary of this video: Jim Lampley said that you couldn't ask for a closer fight. Emanuel Steward said that these two warriors could fight again and the close result would be the same. Larry Merchant said that Marquez story is like the Chinese proverbs that when you fall down you could see the sun, he also said that Pacquiao is wow.

Filipino Boxer Nonito Doinaire Opinion


Transcript: "Incredible fight, man. Pacquiao he showed heart, he got hot sometimes, he couldn't see with his eyes. But I gotta give credit to Marquez as well, he fought well, both of them fought well. Man, it was incredible, and I'm just happy to be here, to witness such great fight from great fighters."

"I might have miscaculated a little bit, but uh, you know, I, it could have gone either way, you know it could have gone either way, so. But Pacquiao had it, so, so that's one thing that judges saw it that way. Everybody saw it that way, so that was good, that was really good."


Filipino Boxing Analysts Opinion


Summary of this video: Ed Tolentino said that if he was to confess to a priest, he would say that Pacquiao lost, that even Picasso couldn't paint his black-eyed face, and that Manny won only because he is a crowd-drawer.

Ronnie Nathanielsz said that Pacquiao's 147 lbs. weight slowed down Pacquiao, and that Manny should agree to a rematch, and advices Manny to try to win in a convincing manner.

Recah Trinidad said that Marquez lead by at least 3 points in the scoring. He also wants an investigation on why Pacquiao won.

Dennis Principe said that the best argument for Pacquiao would be his third round knockdown, another would be that Pacquiao punches staggered Marquez more.


United States Boxing Analysts Opinion


Summary of this video: Shane Mosley, a boxer with three weight divisions world titles and is the only boxer to date to have beaten Oscar de la Hoya twice, said that it was the knockdown that gave Pacquiao the edge. David Diaz, the lightweight champion who is scheduled next to fight Manny, said that the fight is close and could have gone either way. Diaz as expected is happy that Manny won.

Mark Taffet, an HBO Pay Per View Executive said that the fight was indescribable, that it was a classic and he could watch this guys fight 10 times, that he wouldn't get tired watching them together. Douglas Fisher of maxboxing.com said that his scoring revealed that it was an even fight, calling it a draw.

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