Is Pacman More Popular than de la Hoya Was?

I don't think Manny is well known out here at all. In fact I have very rarely met anyone who knows anything about boxing out here and there is no coverage of boxing on the television anymore. Hatton/Pac was the last one I remember and I have had to use the internet to watch a fight ever since. If you were to mention a player in the premier league then everyones head will turn, but you mention Manny Pac and you will likely get a lot of clueless faces. Maybe it's different in other Asian countries, but it is certainly not the case that he is well known here.

They used to show big fights regularly out here so I would imagine that DLH was covered through his prime years and on that basis I would have to assume that DLH was the more popular of the two seeing as he was covered and Manny Pac hasn't been.

Personally, I prefer to watch Manny Pac fight. He is just far more dynamic and interesting to watch. Oscar is technically very good, but doesn't have that superhuman spark about him. A very good fighter, but just not my cup of tea. Having said that Manny Pac has been an aquired taste due to his opponent selection.

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Originally Posted by milmascaras1

PSL,

sorry mate, it is what it is. pacquiao can never be as popular as oscar and you know it. at least not where it counts, in the U.S., UK, and europe in general. The chinese aren't much into boxing. in fact, the only asian country that really counts is japan because they're heavily into boxing and they've been the top dogs in asia since forever.

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I don't think he is as popular and well known as Oscar at the moment.. It doesn't mean he NEVER can be... He could still have 4 or 5 fights left and god knows who they could be.... If he beat Mayweather, he'd get a bit more main stream media....
But as ODLH's nickname suggests, he was the Golden Boy of boxing.. He came from the spiritual heart of boxing, Mexico, he was handsome, he released and album, and he was around in the Era where Tyson and Lennox Lewis and some of the other big draw boxers were still fighting at the top.... Boxing didn't have MMA and other combat sports to compete with, so I think boxing in general was more popular and followed and respected back then..

So for Oscar to be at the top of boxing during that time and known as the P4P #1, as well as having mass appeal because of his looks and charisma, that is really hard to top...
But then, Oscar as much as boxing people would like to believe, was never as popular as Tyson....

The fact is, right now, I could talk to some friends of mine who like sport but have never really followed boxing,,, and they will absolutely know Mike Tyson... They mayyyy have heard the name ODLH before but not be hugely familiar with him. They most likely WON'T know Pac, and will have never even heard of a Floyd Mayweather or Roy Jones...

I think it's really only in the last 2 years that Manny Pacquiao has gained a high profile which expands outside boxing circles... Who knows how much that could grow over the rest of his career and beyond...

So I agree DLH was more popular over the majority of the world and people who pay any attention to boxing, and probably still has a more recognized name...

But know one can "KNOW" he'll never be as popular as ODLH... Including you and PSL.... It's a very hard thing to measure.. But I'm from a country that LOVES it's sport, but boxing is far from most sports people's minds,,, so I get a reasonable indication of how far a boxer's popularity reaches when people have heard of a certain fighter and not another...

And from that perspective, Pac isn't quite there yet... Hell, Danny Green is more well known and popular here... But we Australia is included in the world to, which was the original question..

And really who knows what fights he'll be in before his career ends, or drama, or publicity, or whatever, which could expand the Manny Pacquiao brand...

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Originally Posted by CutMeMick

Sorry but no...

You guys realize that Oscar attended the Grammys the Oscars among other prestigious events?

Pac is the most popular boxer since ODLH and he is very well on his way to being up there.
If what we are talking about is popularity alone it's ODLH.

ODLH broke barriers in a lot of countries where boxing wasn't even taken into consideration.

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I think that's it right there...

Unless of course Manny beats Floyd or gets big in politics then he will leave Oscar behind.

Outside of the Philippines not yet.

If it had been the 80's or 90's when boxing was the mainstream full contact combat sports, maybe Pacquiao can outdo ODLH, but today in the advent of UFC , MMA and other martial arts sports i don't think he will be more popular than ODLH was.

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Originally Posted by :::PSL:::

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Originally Posted by milmascaras1

PSL,

sorry mate, it is what it is. pacquiao can never be as popular as oscar and you know it. at least not where it counts, in the U.S., UK, and europe in general. The chinese aren't much into boxing. in fact, the only asian country that really counts is japan because they're heavily into boxing and they've been the top dogs in asia since forever.

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:vd: Oh boy

Do you even know how many Japanese fighters fought outside of Japan this year? They only recognize WBA and WBC as legitimate international championship belt. Yeah, that's #1 boxing country in asia. :rolleyes:

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They are the no. 1 boxing country in Asia. They have more champs overall than any other country in the region and also has a very long history.

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Originally Posted by milmascaras1

PSL,

sorry mate, it is what it is. pacquiao can never be as popular as oscar and you know it. at least not where it counts, in the U.S., UK, and europe in general. The chinese aren't much into boxing. in fact, the only asian country that really counts is japan because they're heavily into boxing and they've been the top dogs in asia since forever.

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Not yet, but they care enough to have 2 gold medalists in the '08 summer Olympics, and their Super HW won the silver, along with their welterweight representative winning bronze. Boxing in China may be in it's infancy but even the Duva's recognize the potential and have already gotten involved. American boxing promoter Dino Duva brings China to the ring

And why do you even think Arum, King, and yes Oscar himself is interested in the Chinese market? Maybe because it is the no. 2 economy in the world and also because boxing is a major growing sport and has just established the Chinese Boxing Association.Boxing in China To Boom: Nation Hails its 60th Birthday - Boxing News

As far as longevity no way. Oscar was spoon fed and in massive spotlight during & straight out of Olympics and every single fight was televised. Manny vs Oscar was about Manny catapulting off the Oscar name into different fame bracket and marketing as much if not more then it was about skill vs skill viable boxer. Manny has hit massive western world stride off it and it's great to see for sport but Oscars on another level long term.

@generalbulldog

IMO i guess Thailand has more solid champions than Japan if talking asia in the past 10 or 15 years. well it could be debated.

Yes chinese has potential still too young for the sport no solid history regarding boxing, well they got silver and even Gold, like Audley Harisson had.;D

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

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Originally Posted by CutMeMick

Sorry but no...

You guys realize that Oscar attended the Grammys the Oscars among other prestigious events?

Pac is the most popular boxer since ODLH and he is very well on his way to being up there.
If what we are talking about is popularity alone it's ODLH.

ODLH broke barriers in a lot of countries where boxing wasn't even taken into consideration.

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Mick the Grammy's are American though, of course an American boxer will be more popular in America! Manny's global fanbase is rapdily growing however.

I'm would say it's a fair bet that Manny is more popular than Oscar across Asia and seeing as that continent holds well over half the entire world's population I reckon he wins.

What other boxer in the world could fight in a country not his own, against a fighter also not from that country and put on the biggest PPV fight of the year there?

Pac is massive. He may not go to the Grammy's but he does hang out with his country's president!

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Well ODLH also attended events in Spain, Germany, Mexico and Australia that I can recall.
ODLH was the poster child for boxing. I think Diz hit it dead on with his post and Spicoli sealed the deal.
Pac was catapulted to another bracket after he fought ODLH.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

As far as longevity no way. Oscar was spoon fed and in massive spotlight during & straight out of Olympics and every single fight was televised. Manny vs Oscar was about Manny catapulting off the Oscar name into different fame bracket and marketing as much if not more then it was about skill vs skill viable boxer. Manny has hit massive western world stride off it and it's great to see for sport but Oscars on another level long term.

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Spot on Spicoli...

Its a shame but unless the normal media outlets pick up on a storyline and run with it the general public know little about all of the greats.
Look at Ali, Oscar cant surpass him, Ali has generations of fans pulled in by media backing outside of boxing circles who have bought into his story.
In one decades time many of Alis fans will have died along with him and I doubt the new born ones will know or be told of him. Mannys general popularity could grow yet in areas outside of boxing, I wouldn't write him off just yet. If the media buy into his as yet unwritten story.He is cashed up,smart,and he is compassionate and giving, I think big things will happen around him for years to come.

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Originally Posted by CutMeMick

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

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Originally Posted by CutMeMick

Sorry but no...

You guys realize that Oscar attended the Grammys the Oscars among other prestigious events?

Pac is the most popular boxer since ODLH and he is very well on his way to being up there.
If what we are talking about is popularity alone it's ODLH.

ODLH broke barriers in a lot of countries where boxing wasn't even taken into consideration.

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Mick the Grammy's are American though, of course an American boxer will be more popular in America! Manny's global fanbase is rapdily growing however.

I'm would say it's a fair bet that Manny is more popular than Oscar across Asia and seeing as that continent holds well over half the entire world's population I reckon he wins.

What other boxer in the world could fight in a country not his own, against a fighter also not from that country and put on the biggest PPV fight of the year there?

Pac is massive. He may not go to the Grammy's but he does hang out with his country's president!

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Well ODLH also attended events in Spain, Germany, Mexico and Australia that I can recall.
ODLH was the poster child for boxing. I think Diz hit it dead on with his post and Spicoli sealed the deal.
Pac was catapulted to another bracket after he fought ODLH.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

As far as longevity no way. Oscar was spoon fed and in massive spotlight during & straight out of Olympics and every single fight was televised. Manny vs Oscar was about Manny catapulting off the Oscar name into different fame bracket and marketing as much if not more then it was about skill vs skill viable boxer. Manny has hit massive western world stride off it and it's great to see for sport but Oscars on another level long term.

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Spot on Spicoli...

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I think history will remember Manny Pacquiao far more than De La Hoya

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

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Originally Posted by CutMeMick

Sorry but no...

You guys realize that Oscar attended the Grammys the Oscars among other prestigious events?

Pac is the most popular boxer since ODLH and he is very well on his way to being up there.
If what we are talking about is popularity alone it's ODLH.

ODLH broke barriers in a lot of countries where boxing wasn't even taken into consideration.

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Mick the Grammy's are American though, of course an American boxer will be more popular in America! Manny's global fanbase is rapdily growing however.

I'm would say it's a fair bet that Manny is more popular than Oscar across Asia and seeing as that continent holds well over half the entire world's population I reckon he wins.

What other boxer in the world could fight in a country not his own, against a fighter also not from that country and put on the biggest PPV fight of the year there?

Pac is massive. He may not go to the Grammy's but he does hang out with his country's president!

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I would tend to agree with that and i wouldn't be surprised of Pacquiao-Mayweather (admitting it happens) could have more PPV than Mayweather-DLH.

I find it funny that people equate "popularity" to what is accomplished just in the ring. While that certainly may hold true for boxing/sports fans...an even bigger component of what makes an athlete incredibly popular outside of the realm of their particular sport...is how they are marketed. How you are marketed comes down to basically two things aside from your sport specific skill. it comes down to your persona and looks. How easily marketable can an athlete be...can their look/personality SELL things or get people who are normally not interested that particular sport to get excited about the athlete and the products they endorse. There have been just a handful of athletes that have had that tremendous cross over appeal. People like David Beckham and Michael Jordan come immediately to mind. Those are athletes that almost anyone...whether here in the states or in Africa...will instantly recognize. Not only because of their on field accomplishments, but as much for how widely marketed they are (commercials, endorsements, clothing, etc.). In boxing, it is particularly rare to find superstars with that kind of cross over appeal. Oscar and Sugar Ray Leonard (to a lesser extent)...are the boxers in the last two decades that have attained that kind of popularity. Pac certainly is popular among boxing fans and is obviously a supersar in his hometown. But he is nowhere close to being a global superstar. He simply cannot be marketed the same way as someone like Oscar. Not now and probably not ever.

Pacquiao will have to wear thong and fishnet stockings to match Oscar's popularity. :-X