Pacquiao Reigns as King

And with one thunderous shot, the Hitman falls.

The story of Ricky Hatton’s two attempts to claim pound for pound supremacy has not been fairytale. Hell, it hasn’t even been pretty. And the tale may have ended on Saturday night with less than 10 seconds in only the second round, Pacquiao punching on the final period. Hatton seemed to be trying at a comeback after he was put down twice in the first round, but Manny Pacquiao was writing his own ending—his own legend.

The Filipino warrior fights with such brilliance, such surgical precision that clinical damage is the only diagnosis for his defeated opponents. Not enemies mind you; the mild-mannered Manny has become the alter ego for boxing’s brash and boisterous previous pound for pound champ—Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao has speed, power, and technical soundness that have yet to be rivaled. And make no mistake—the Pacquiao we used to know and love is gone. The one-handed brawler with a big left has evolved into a thinking, tactical machine with shotgun power in either hand. It’s not often a Saint becomes a demon—but in that ring, he breathes fire.

Ricky Hatton was wondering how he ended up on his knees before he even realized he ate a sharp right hook. Mayweather picked Hatton apart in ten. Pacquiao ran a train over him in two. Mayweather won a debatable split decision over De la Hoya; Pacquiao pushed the Golden Boy into retirement inside eight brutal rounds. And one must admire Mayweather’s technical and defensive ability—he doesn’t make exciting fights but he knows how to win. The undefeated technician left the ring with his mouth running. He returned on the morning of Pacquiao’s big fight to talk himself up as the returning king; without saying a word, Pacquiao let everyone know who wears the crown right in the center of the ring.

The post De La Hoya era belongs to Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s biggest draw and most marketable star. Mayweather can contest the loss of his throne, but cannot rightfully reclaim it until the ruler of boxing has been unseated.

How blessed we are to have a champion, a courageous warrior like Pacquiao.

With humility, grace, and undeniable skill, Pacquiao is paving his own way in boxing history.

All hail our King.