Pacquiao the new Henry Armstrong ?

By Colin Hart





FIGHT fans who believe in reincarnation will assume Henry Armstrong has returned to earth in the shape of Manny Pacquiao.


Armstrong was a freak of nature in the 1930s. Known as Homicide Hank, he is the only man to hold three world titles at the same time. A record we can safely say will never be broken.

Hank, the son of a Mississippi sharecropper, was champion at featherweight, lightweight and welterweight. Though it belongs to the realm of fantasy he also fought a draw for the middleweight crown.

But what is even more astonishing he leaped straight from the featherweight division to win the welterweight belt.

That meant an almighty weight differential of 1½st.

There are similarities between him and Pacquiao. The fearsome Filipino has won world titles at flyweight, super- bantamweight and super-featherweight.

And, just recently, Manny became WBC lightweight champion to guarantee his place among the Hall of Fame immortals.

Now he is about to attempt the impossible. He is taking on America’s Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya at the 10st 7lb welterweight limit in Las Vegas on Saturday.

By the time they climb through the ropes De La Hoya, four inches taller with a six-inch longer reach, will outweigh Pacquiao by at least 20lb.

If it wasn’t for Pacquiao’s brilliance we would be screaming that this clash is a disgraceful mismatch.

The public don’t seem to think so. The 16,000-plus tickets at the MGM Garden Arena were sold in 37 minutes, generating £11.5million.

That’s a bigger gate receipt than any heavyweight fight in Vegas and topped only by Oscar’s losing battle with Floyd Mayweather Jnr 19 months ago.

Adding to the gross will be £16.5m worth of closed-circuit seats available in casinos on The Strip.

Plus tens of millions from pay-per-view, foreign TV rights and sponsorship. Who says boxing is on its last legs?

De La Hoya, 35, is the most saleable fighter ever. The six-time world champion, has raked in £450m through pay-per-view alone. No wonder Ricky Hatton is so anxious to meet him and mine a chunk of that gold.

Some British critics, with more than a touch of chauvinism, touted Joe Calzaghe as the No 1 pound-for-pound fighter after he beat a worn-out Roy Jones Jnr. With deference to Calzaghe, I regard Pacquiao, 29, as the candidate worthy of being on such a lofty pedestal.

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Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, says Miniature Manny has the speed, footwork and stamina to fight a full three minutes every round.

Despite that, even against a fading De La Hoya, victory could be considered preposterous. Yet they must have said that about Homicide Hank.

Pacquiao has Armstrong’s mindset. An example of Hank’s character was highlighted when he got badly cut challenging Lou Ambers for the lightweight title.

Armstrong begged the referee: “Don’t stop it Mr Cavanagh I’m leading on points.” The official told him: “The ring is full of blood — and it’s your blood.”

Came the reply: “Then I’ll stop bleeding Mr Cavanagh.”

Needless to say Armstrong’s arm was raised at the end of the 15 rounds.

If I was De La Hoya I’d be sleeping fitfully in my bed tomorrow night.

 

another good read from Mr Hart . This guy has seen it all as far as boxing goes. Great story in there about Armstrong.
Lofty praise indeed for Pacquiao. Does anyone truly think manny has what it takes to be an all time great of the sport ?