Thread: Manny Pacquiao as The World's Hardest Puncher?

Does boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao have the power to go up against the likes of Ricky Hatton or even Oscar dela Hoya?

Saw a read about the thoughts of HBO boxing commentator Larry Merchant on the subject at hand.

Could be an interesting read, friends! Much thanks for looking!

Does Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, aka Pacman, really have the power to go up against the likes of Ricky Hatton or even Oscar dela Hoya?
Well, according to HBO boxing commentator and respected analyst Larry Merchant, the answer is a definite yes! In a recent HBO article, the 77-year-old Larry Merchant says, “Pacquiao is a freak in terms of his punching power. Pound for pound, Pacquiao is the hardest puncher in boxing, and when you can hit like that it sometimes makes up for shortcomings."

In a poll carried out by HBO, fans were asked to rate boxing’s hardest punchers. There were 18,000 hits, and guess what, the 29-year-old Manny Pacquiao came out on top! The Pacman garnered a whopping 29% of the total votes! The Filipino pugilist started out as a light-flyweight (107 lbs) but is now competing as a super-featherweight (130 lbs).

Next in line is heavyweight Vladimir Klitschko with 28%, followed by welterweight Miguel Cotto’s 21%, middleweight Kelly Pavlik’s 15%, and heavyweight Samuel Peter’s 7%. Larry Merchant feels that Manny Pacquiao could carry his punch to the lightweight (135 lbs) class for a possible fight against WBC Champion David Diaz or against welterweights Ricky Hatton (140) or Oscar dela Hoya (154).

And how does other analysts feel about Larry Merchant’s views? Well, Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler also feels the same way!



Now, let me get this straight as a jab, Manny Pacquiao is expected to punch harder than anybody in the 135 weight class, right? And if the Pacman beats Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, and pummels both David Diaz and Juan Diaz, what then? What then what? Who wouldn’t want to see the Filipino boxer have a crack at either Hatton or Oscar dela Hoya? Now, that is a big-time attraction in my book! There’s money written all over such a possible fight! No kidding!

And if by chance that Manny Pacquiao losses to such bigger men? Pacquiao as the underdog? Hmmm. Better think twice and thrice, my friends! Pacquiao and Hatton are the same age, while Manny and The Golden Boy may possibly be a mismatch, particularly with respect to height (dela Hoya is 5’10 1/2"). However, but Oscar dela Hoya is 6 years older than Manny Pacquiao! Besides, Oscar would be fighting a big puncher, who everyone says is still very much in his prime.

What is important now is that Manny Pacquiao beats Juan Manuel Marquez. David Diaz and Ricky Hatton are possible next. Then it’s the Golden Boy, Oscar Dela Hoya, who I read somewhere is also keen on mixing it up with the Pacman before he (dela Hoya) calls it quits. And I can’t wait for such to materialize! And I kid you not!

Will power be enough though?

Assuming he does have the power to match the heavier fighters (I don't think he quite does) there are a lot of different things to take into account in a different weight class.

I can hit a punch bag as hard as a lot of fighters who out weigh me by at least 10kg... I have the fire power to hang with them but on the purely physical side of boxing there's still more going on... Your ring craft and everything has to change it's much harder to move around the gym... have an effective jab and bump shoulders etc.

There can be a large gap in class but you still become more equal because of the weight difference when it comes to sparring these guys.

Power and Strength are two different things.

Manny would need a better boxing brain if he wanted to go much higher than 135 in my opinion.

I think they are putting a little too much pressure on him. The guy is only human and humans have limitations. He has already grown multiple weight classes and asking him to go beyond lightweight and being successful at it is asking too much IMO.

Im hoping Pac thinks exactly that Against Marquez.All I have to do is tap him on the chin via those wicked Lefts and we have another round 1 ...yawn.
Single punch Power is a tremendous asset but it must be shifted and used in company with all around skill other wise Its exploitable.

Originally Posted by Deanrw

I think they are putting a little too much pressure on him. The guy is only human and humans have limitations. He has already grown multiple weight classes and asking him to go beyond lightweight and being successful at it is asking too much IMO.

Definitely... his frame/heart etc can only take him up to a certain weight.

It's been a while since I saw him as a 1 punch KO fighter. His past recent KOs were mostly from his accumulation of punches. I think his hand speed were more like responsible for those KOs/KDs.

But to answer your question,... I would say hell to the no, Pac is not the worlds hardest puncher.

I like anitoKid. Hope he stays longer. He's like my substitute in this forum.

dont get me wrong i think Pac is one of the best p4p in the world....but putting him in with the likes of ODLH and Hatton is a joke. I realy cannot see how these fights would be winnable even with that cracking punch. P4p though he could be one of, if not the, hardest hitter around.

He used to be the hardest puncher p4p, but at 130 and 135 its more his speed along with his power in a RJJ sense that makes him a KO artist. He doesn't hit IMO p4p as hard as Cintron or Wladimir(who I think hits harder than Peter) or Valero, but he hits oponents with punches they don't see and at a high frequency, but at 122ish weight he hit bloody hard.

at 126 and below pac was a one hit devestating puncher, just ask jmm, mab, 3k battery, ledwaba, julio, lucero, and a whole loads more. How he puts his punches together is ten times unbareable though.

Before ANY talk of a fight at 140, he'd need to clear out the divisions below to give any legitimacy for the fight. That means minimum to beat JMM and then Juan Diaz, that's a LOT of speculation. IMO the best he could do power wise is match Hatton at 140, and like Adam said, he would be giving away every other physical attribute except for speed.

The Mexi-Cutioner is an exceptional talent, a truely awe-inspiring Boxer but...

Pacquiao's skills cannot compensate for his distinct disadvantage in terms of size and power when Ricky Hatton and Oscar De la Hoya are the context in which these hypothetical fights are being discussed.

Should Manny elevate his weight to 140 lbs, he would surely approach this task with the intention of piling on muscle mass. This would be achievable at the cost of his speed. Manny cannot conceivably climb to Light Welterweight or even above and be expected to be succesful. For a man who I believe started at Flyweight he is already doing incredibly well and I feel that he shouldn't feel obliged to prove himself anymore than he has to in his impending Rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.

manny should go no higher than 135.

Naseem Hamed.






Where's a sadclick when you need one

From what I understand... The Hardest puncher p4p will ALWAYS be a heavyweight, it comes down to biomechanics.