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Manny Pacquiao’s greatest rivals 

Manny Pacquiao’s greatest rivals 

Since his debut in 1995, Manny Pacquiao has graced the world of professional boxing, and has an unmatched resume that can stand the test of time even after his retirement last year. 

The Filipino legend has fought seventy-two times, winning 62 of those (39 of which came from knockouts) and won twelve world championships in eight different weight classes.  

He has earned every respect and accolades in the ring with a sure-fire entry to the Hall of Fame await him. 

Over the years, he had battled a plethora of quality talent, a living proof that he is not scared of competition. 

Here are some of the greatest rivals that he faced in the ring. 

• Juan Manuel Marquez 

The Dinamita from Mexico City is the “contrapelo” for Pacman, with their clash of styles were a hallmark of their four-fight rivalry. 

After a controversial draw in their 2004 opener, Pacquiao’s third round knockdown proved to be a pivotal moment in their 2008 rematch to win a razor-thin split decision. After another hairline decision in 2011 that went the Filipino’s way, Marquez provided an emphatic ending in their 2012 encounter with a sixth-round knockout. 

• Erik Morales 

Tijuana’s El Terrible was another fabled rival of Pacquiao, with the former coming off a trilogy of his own against Marco Antonio Barrera to provide a boxing masterclass in 2005, getting the nod of all judges. 

However, it proved to be Morales’ final moment in glory, as PacMan learned his lessons well and scored consecutive knockout wins the following year to close out their trilogy. 

• Marco Antonio Barrera 

Although Pacquiao’s knockout of Emmanuel Lucero was his first win over a Mexican boxer, it was his November 2003 bout with the Baby-faced Assassin that defined his career, and it began his reign as “The Mexicutioner”. 

Pacquiao showed immense heart as he recovered from an opening round knockdown by putting a boxing clinic, knocking Barrera down in the third and eleventh round en route to a TKO win in San Antonio. 

• Timothy Bradley 

Then-unbeaten Desert Storm started the rivalry in 2012 as he came away with a controversial split decision to take away Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title in their first meeting. 

But Pacman gained revenge in their subsequent rematches with a pair of unanimous decision wins, as he even knocked him down twice in their third and final encounter. 

• Floyd Mayweather 

It could have been a great fight between each other in their primes, but Pretty Boy has become a thorn in PacMan’s side every time they are a subject of every public forum. 

After a series of wrangling owing to differences, they finally met in the ring in 2015, with Mayweather extend his unbeaten reign in what was a somehow disappointing encounter. 

Here are some of the 5 most underrated Manny Pacquaio fights.