Top Rank Boxing’s Big Three: Cotto, Pacquiao, Pavlik

Great eras in sports are defined by the athletes that compete in them. On the eve of the U.S. Open golf championship, we are reminded of golf’s “Big Three”; Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who ushered in the sport’s television era contributing to its popularity explosion.

Boxing’s “Big Three” – Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao and Kelly Pavlik are attracting the same excitement and international attention from media and fans alike. Together, Cotto, Pacquiao and Pavlik own boxing’s version of “Majors” – world titles – in seven different weight divisions, with a combined record of 112-3-2 (90), a winning percentage of 95.7% and a victory by knockout ratio of 80%.

“Their ‘go for broke’ style of fighting, reminiscent of Palmer’s style of play during his heyday, has sold out major arenas and attracted millions of pay-per-view buys,” said promoter Bob Arum. “They are the new generation of boxing and best of all they are all under 30 with their peak years ahead of them!”

Pacquiao, 46-3-2 (34), from General Santos City, The Philippines, may be the smallest of the trio physically, but fiscally, he takes a back seat to no one. His memorable trilogy against Mexican icon Erik Morales attracted over one million pay-per-view buys alone, a record for the lower weight divisions.

So revered by his country, he was declared a “National Treasure” by the government, Pacquiao’s exciting style has helped fill his trophy case with the WBC flyweight, the IBF junior featherweight, Ring magazine featherweight and the WBC super featherweight world championship belts with victories over Morales (2), Marco Antonio Barrera (2) and Juan Manuel Marquez.

On June 28 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Pacquiao will attempt to become the first Asian fighter to win sanctioned world titles in four different weight divisions when he challenges WBC lightweight champion David Diaz. Their fight will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Cotto, 32-0 (26), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, one of boxing’s most feared and avoided champions, held the WBO junior welterweight title for two years, successfully defending it six times before moving up and capturing the WBA welterweight title in December 2006 where he has reigned supreme through four title defenses.

He has single-handily restored boxing glory to Madison Square Garden where he has been a headliner three of the last four years. His knockout victory over Zab Judah last year produced the first boxing sellout at “The Mecca of Boxing” since the Lennox Lewis-Evander Holyfield world heavyweight title unification fight in 1999.

Victories over former and current world champions, including Judah, Shane Mosley, Paulie Malinaggi and Ricardo Torres have solidified his position as one of Puerto Rico’s greatest world champions.

On July 26, Cotto will defend his welterweight title against two-time world champion Antonio Margarito in the year’s most anticipated fight. HBO Pay-Per-View will broadcast it live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pavlik, 34-0 (30), from Youngstown, Ohio, captured the public’s imagination when he survived a second-round knockdown to come roaring back five rounds later to dethrone the undefeated defending middleweight champion Jermain Taylor last year.

Since then, America has embraced “The Ghost” and his self-deprecating sense of humor, community pride and small town sensibilities. One of the hardest punchers in the sport, Pavlik commands a loyal following from his economically-strapped hometown that follows him by the thousands to every fight.

He’s already being compared to Arturo Gatti as a great ticket seller in Atlantic City, where thousands of fans show up just for his weigh-ins! Since winning the world title, Pavlik beat Taylor in their rematch followed by his first successful title defense, a third-round TKO of No. 1 contender Gary Lockett.

Pavlik, boxing’s version of folklore hero John Henry, is scheduled to fight two more times this year.