Top 5 fights in Manny Pacquiao's career
One of the greatest pugilists of this or any generation is chasing history Saturday night.
With a career full of wonderful performances that would easily define the average boxing career, Manny Pacquiao has a chance to cement his legacy in the "Fight of the Century" against nemesis Floyd Mayweather on Saturday.
With that in mind, here are the top-five fights in Pacquiao's illustrious career:
Nov. 15, 2003 - Pacquiao floors the iron-chinned Berrera
In the bout that flashed the first traces of Pacquiao's brilliance, the Filipino wrecking machine handed the iron-chinned Marco Antonio Barrera the first (and only) stoppage loss of his career.
Berrera, a heavy favorite who hadn't lost in five years, was dropped in the third round, and overwhelmed by Pacquiao's speed and power, succumbing to furious flurry at 2:56 of the 11 round.
Jan. 21, 2006 - avenging a loss to Morales
Pacquiao's first encounter with Erik Morales was a back-and-forth masterpiece, with Morales emerging victorious via unanimous decision after 12 grueling rounds.
Pacquiao turned up the heat during their rematch 10 months later, slowing the gritty Morales with heavy body shots over nine-plus rounds, before finally knocking "El Terrible" to the canvas twice in the 10th round.
Referee Kenny Bayless had seen enough following the second knockdown, saving Morales from a further beating at 2:33 of the frame.
May 2, 2009 - Pacquiao runs roughshod over Hatton
The Ricky Hatton hype train was completely derailed by a perfectly-placed left hand.
The 42-1 Hatton had already lost his spotless record to Floyd Mayweather, but nothing could have prepared him for the absolute blitz of Manny Pacquiao's unrelenting attack.
The dynamite-packed left that felled the cocky Brit was pure poetry:
Dec. 6, 2008 - changing of the guard
Pacquiao versus Oscar De La Hoya was the perfect example of youth devouring experience.
De La Hoya's illustrious career was winding down, while Pacquiao - who moved up from lightweight to welterweight for the first time for this bout - was in the midst of his prime.
Poor Oscar didn't see it coming.
Pacquiao violently battered "The Golden Boy" with unrelenting fury over seven rounds, and after a vicious, combo-filled eighth frame, De La Hoya was unable to answer the bell for the ninth.
Nov. 14, 2009 - Pacquiao TKOs Cotto
In case it wasn't already known before, Pacquiao established himself as an all-time great with his 12-round demolition of Miguel Cotto.
Many thought Cotto was too big and too strong for the diminutive "Pacman." Cotto was an elite welterweight in his prime, and as such, was expected to simply out-muscle the undersized Filipino superstar.
Instead, Pacquiao survived Cotto's early pressure before scoring a knockdown in the fourth, and completely taking over for the rest of the almost 12-round affair.
In the final stanza, a completely shopworn Cotto was transformed into sentient heavy bag, as Pacquiao viciously slathered on the punishment until referee Kenny Bayless mercifully stepped in to stop the carnage.