Shortly after my article on my favorite fighters posted, I received a very nice and thought-provoking e-mail from Mr. Mark Salanik. Understandably, Mark is very discouraged by the recent allegations of possible performance-enhancing drug use by THE RING World Junior Welterweight Champion/WBO welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao. Mark’s e-mail reads as follows: Mr. Duran, Hello and a wish all is well. I too, am a huge Roberto Duran fan. I just read your list of favorite fighters, and I have a favor to ask. Please write a story of how Duran was able to move WAY up in weight and carry his punch, and the ability to take one. Remember, his first fights were at about 120 pounds. There is so much talk now about Manny Pacquiao moving up so far in weight, and taking his punch with him. Thee mean and foolsih speculation by the Mayweathers is that steroids must be the reason for his success. Roberto did the same thing years ago. He was dominant at 135, and was great at 147.Who else could have defeated Sugar Ray Leonard in his prime, at welter? He then took a step up to jr. middle to destroy Davey Moore. So, already were talking about nearly 20 pounds of weight betwween championship belts. The move to middleweight saw Roberto give Marvin Hagler, one of the all-time greats, a real run for his money. Then, he beat a HUGE middleweight for a title in 1989. So, we are talking about 25 pounds of championship caliber movement. I think Mayweather has also done some upward movement, and quite well.I think someone with your power to reach a lot of people should point this out. Duran did what some (few, but very influencial)are saying is not possible without cheating.You have already said the same as I am saying, so why not draw the paralel to this ugly situation that we are witnessing with Pacquiao and Mayweather? Thank you, Mark Salanik
Mark’s points are basic, yet solid. However, as differing eras are concerned, you’d be hard-pressed to find exact and total parallels between the fighter who’s arguably considered the best lightweight of all time and the fighter who’s consider by many as the best in the world today. What we’re about to attempt, without any allegations of PED use, whatsoever, is to assess the progress Manny Pacquiao has made during his ascent to present-day success; as Roberto Duran did throughout the course of his career.
LENGTH OF CAREER AND DIVISIONS
In February of 1968, the 16-year old Duran began his career 1 ¼ pounds (a four-round unanimous decision win over Carlos Mendoza) over the bantamweight limit of 118; finally retiring in January of 2002. Duran fought last, at the age of 50, (at a weight of 162) in July of 2001; losing to Hector Camacho via unanimous decision. In 33 years and five months, Duran made stops in ten weight classes (to be technical, including non-contention, stay-busy fights): 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147, 154, 160, 168 and 175 (this was for one fight in March, 1999, a ten-round unanimous decision loss to Omar Gonzalez. Gonzalez weighed in at 171).
In January of 1995, the 16-year old Pacquiao began his career at 106 pounds; one pound over the strawweight limit. Pacquiao beat his opponent, Edmund Ignacio, via decision in four rounds. Currently, at age 31 and nearly 15 years later, “Pac-Man” currently competes in the welterweight division but has also made stops in ten divisions (to be technical, including non-contention, stay-busy fights): 108, 112, 115, 118, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140 and the aforementioned 147.
FROM PRO DEBUT TO FIRST MAJOR TITLE SHOT
Duran: Four years, four months Pacquiao: Three years, 11 months
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TITLES WON
Duran may have made stops in ten weight classes (covering title contention, title bouts and non-title bouts) but “Hands of Stone” won significant titles in four of them. In June of 1972, Duran beat Ken Buchanan by 13th round TKO to win the WBA lightweight title; simultaneously winning THE RING’s distinction as World Champion. Over 5½ years and 12 defenses later, in January of 1978, Duran unified the division by defeating Esteban DeJesus via 12th round TKO in their third fight. Duran held the championship for one more year, albeit not defending it, before vacating in order to compete north of 135.
Duran’s next title reign was short but, nonetheless, prolific. On June 20, 1980, Duran beat Sugar Ray Leonard via 15-round unanimous decision for Leonard’s WBC welterweight title. Five months later, on the receiving end of a would-be losing decision, Duran capitulated in the eighth and Leonard regained his strap. Truth be told, Duran couldn’t deal with Leonard’s slick approach so soon after their first match...if five months could really be considered “so soon.” Duran was well-known for his weight gain between fights and Leonard capitalized on the Panamanian’s lack of discipline.
On June 16, 1983, on Duran’s 32nd birthday, he came back to beat a 24-year old Davey Moore via eighth round stoppage for the WBA super welterweight title. One year later, Duran was stripped of the belt when he opted to face Thomas Hearns for “The Hitman’s” WBC 154-pound belt. Duran was brutally knocked out in two.
In February of 1989, Duran beat Iran Barkley via split decision for “The Blade’s” WBC middleweight title. The fight was also awarded THE RING’s “Fight of the Year” award for the same year. This would be Duran’s final significant title win, despite subsequent attempts at sanctioning body distinctions (a wide unanimous decision loss to Leonard for the WBC super middleweight title in December of 1989 and an August 1998 third round TKO loss to William Joppy for the WBA middleweight title). The second fight against Leonard would be the only occasion when Duran lost a belt between the ropes.
Covering title contention, title bouts and non-title bouts, Pacquiao, thus far, has made stops in ten divisions but won significant titles in eight of them. In December of 1998, Pacquiao beat Chatchai Sakasui in eight rounds for the WBC flyweight title; which was also considered the lineal flyweight championship. Two defenses later, in September 1999, Pacquiao was KO’ed by Medgoen Singsurat in three. The loss would mark Pacquiao’s departure from flyweight and, less than two years later, Pacquiao would jump to the junior featherweight division; beating Lehlohonolo Ledwaba for the IBF’s version of the 122-pound strap. After four defenses, Pacquiao met then-THE RING World Featherweight Champion Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2003 and won the belt via 11th round TKO.
Pacquiao would go almost three years without challenging for another significant sanctioning body title until March 15, 2008, when he defeated Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBC super featherweight title and THE RING World Junior Lightweight Championship in a rematch of their first fight (a draw). The common thread between both RING belts is that Pacquiao only defended his featherweight belt against Marquez in their first fight, a division unifier and fought his last 130-pound fight after beating Marquez in their rematch.
Three months later, Pacquiao faced David Diaz for Diaz’ WBC lightweight title; beating the spirited Chicagoan in nine.
Making no defenses of the lightweight strap, and after an eight-round stoppage of Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight, Pacquiao dropped to 140 pounds and knocked out Ricky Hatton for THE RING World Junior Welterweight Championship in May of 2009. Six months later, “Pac-Man” stopped Miguel Cotto in the final round of their fight for Cotto’s WBO welterweight strap. Of the eight belts Pacquiao has won, the only strap lost in the ring was his very first; the WBC flyweight belt.
POWER AND KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGES WITH EACH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AND TITLE WIN (records and knockout ratios relation to wins, not total fights, at the time of each title win)
Duran: WBA lightweight/THE RING World Lightweight Championship, 29-0 (25)/86%, WBC lightweight, 63-1 (52)/83%, WBC welterweight, 72-1 (56)/78%, WBA super welterweight, 77-4 (58)/75%, WBC middleweight, 85-7 (61)/72%
Over 16 years and eight months (from his first to last title wins) and five title wins in four weight classes, Duran’s KO ratio, in relation to his win column, dropped 14%.
Pacquiao: WBC flyweight (lineal flyweight championship), 24-1 (15)/63%, IBF junior featherweight, 33-2 (24)/73%, THE RING World Featherweight Championship, 38-2-1 (29)/76%, WBC super featherweight/THE RING World Junior Lightweight Championship, 46-3-2 (34)/74%, WBC lightweight, 47-3-2 (35)/74%, THE RING World Junior Welterweight Championship, 49-3-2 (37)/76%, WBO welterweight, 50-3-2 (38)/76%
Over 10 years and 11 months (from his first to last title wins) and eight title wins in seven weight classes, Pacquiao’s KO ratio, in relation to his win column, rose 13%.
POWER PERCENTAGE STATISTICS OF PACQUIAO’S ENTIRE CAREER (14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS) VS. DURAN’S CAREER AT 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS
Duran’s record at 14 years, 10 months: February 1968-November 1982, 75-4 (56), 75% of wins were stoppages. Pacquiao’s total career: 14 years, 10 months, 50-3-2 (38), 76% of wins are stoppages.
But remember, Duran didn’t stop fighting 14 years and 10 months into his career. His latter title opportunities were spread further apart, as opposed to seemingly having one-after-another, like Pacquiao. Between the Hearns and Barkley fights, Duran fought eight straight ten-rounders; scoring stoppage wins in three of them. Between the Leonard rematch and the Hearns opportunity, Duran fought eight times; four being 10-rounders (Duran lost one to Kirkland Laing). Only one was a 15-rounder; a WBC super welterweight title shot against Wilfred Benitez, who successfully defended the belt via unanimous decision. Only two of these fights were stoppage victories.
Still, even with 72% of his wins coming by way of knockout at the time of his last significant title win, 21 years and one day (Did you get that?...21 YEARS) after his professional debut, Duran was no less exceptional than Pacquiao in carrying his power north.
Now, much has been made of Pacquiao’s carrying of his power throughout the course of his career. The allegations of performance-enhancing drug usage has run rampant in the wake of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s offbeat, offhanded request for Pacquiao to undergo random Olympic-style blood testing in the months up to their proposed and seemingly endangered March 13 meeting. The message boards have gone haywire with speculation, speculation, speculation and it’s done nothing but harm the fight.
Me gathering statistics doesn’t really amount to anything other than my normal attempt at entertaining you and coughing up stats so you don’t have to. But when you examine a little closer, you’ll see that, although Duran and Pacquiao are two very different fighters from two very different eras, they’re not really too different. Of course, the further back in time you go, as a fan, you’ll remember that fighters fought more often. Duran, in his day, might have been considered a throwback for his activity. Today, Pacquiao isn’t so much a throwback as he is an evolution of himself. What makes Pacquiao just a different animal than Duran is his relative lack of excess between fights. Save for allegations of marital infidelity, the guy’s too busy making goofy superhero movies, cutting albums, examining a political future, absorbing commercial endorsements like a sponge and wringing out the money made from them.
And whatever happened to a fighter just building a little muscle to accompany the natural weight gain demands that the human body asks of anyone? It takes a helluva trainer to aid in his fighter’s adjustment in making the overall physical gains. Freddie Roach, grouchy as he may be, regarding the nagging allegations, is a helluva trainer. Like you didn’t already know that.
So why do so many amateur conspiracy theorists feel they’re on the inside track of unsavory and advantageous behavior? Same reason a coyote....I mean, a dog licks its own balls. It can. It’s the thing to do in our day and age. It raises eyebrows and sets forth an irreversible chain of discussion that will never go away no matter how well refuted in the end.
But this still doesn’t cover what Mr. Salanik referred to when comparing both men’s ability to take a punch. Well, really, what’s to cover? Duran, for the most part, had an amazing a chin and it was only really softened when he faced Hearns for the WBC super welterweight title. Hearns, who had ridiculous height and reach advantages, dropped Duran twice, with authority, in the first round before dropping him like a sack of hammers with a right hand against the ropes in the second. The only other guy who really knew how to drop Duran was DeJesus. Not even William Joppy could do it when he faced a 47-year old version of Duran.
Pacquiao was taken out twice within the distance very early in his career; in his 12th fight vs. Rustico Torrecampo (by KO 3) and in his 28th fight vs. Medgoen Singsurat (also by KO 3, although the loss was via a bodyshot).
After considering the aforementioned variables, it’s easy to see the parallels Mark has drawn between both Duran and Pacquiao. It also means Mark just wants the world to, hopefully, echo his own thoughts. Can I say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I believe Manny Pacquiao uses performance-enhancing drugs? Nah. It just doesn’t wash...I mean, unless there’s 100% proof available, I refuse to speculate. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t think it’s the responsible thing to do.
Or is it really a case of Manny Pacquiao squeezing in whatever legacy-enhancing achievements he can before he takes Roach’s advice to retire sooner than later? Perhaps it’s a commentary on the quality of his most willing opposition? Maybe those fighters most capable of beating the pound-for-pound king are the least willing to step up and engage; not confident enough to realize they actually have the tools to succeed.
Or maybe, we should all consider how successful Pacquiao would or wouldn’t be if he extended his career another 19 months and change, from the Cotto fight? Should Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao actually meet and “Money” decisively beats the Filipino, who’s to say the WBO welterweight title won’t be the last strap the latter wins? If not, and Manny faces Yuri Foreman for the WBA super welterweight belt, who’s to say the well won’t run dry if Pacquiao decides to stick around 154 and tries his luck against Paul Williams or Sergio Martinez?
Maybe it all has nothing to do with PEDs. Maybe Manny Pacquiao has a hard time finding opponents who are tougher than him. Maybe he knows how to pick and choose. Maybe no one’s tougher than him. Maybe Pacquiao needs to fight another 19 months and change and prove he’s a truly unadulterated human being after all.
Maybe the speculation will never go away.
Questions? Comments? Complaints? Is it just me or are jalapenos performance-enhancing vegetables?...It’s just me, isn’t it?
