Sweet Pea Pacquiao
07-06-2007, 07:05 AM
My criteria is that the particular fight made the fighter a household name among casual boxing fans whose knowledge usually only consists of Oscar De La Hoya, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson. If the fight's highlights are shown on Sportscenter, then that would be a clincher since ESPN almost NEVER shows boxing highlights on SC, even of its very own Friday Night Fights. A couple that come to mind:
Gatti-Mayweather...
now I know you're thinking, what are you talking about? PBF had been Top 10 P4P years before that after dismantling Hernandez, Corrales, and Castillo. Yes, this is true. However, Mayweather never made the ESPN Hot Seat or got his highlights on Sportscenter before his demolishing of Gatti, which was PBF's first ever PPV event.
Pacquiao-Barrera...
Without Barrera giving him a chance to move up from junior feather, Pacquiao today would probably have spent the rest of his career at 122, cleaned house, and yet still be fighting on PPV UNDERCARDS as a relative unknown except to the hardcore fight fan. Much respect to Finito Lopez, but without a headliner on his resume, this was the fate of most of his career.
Tarver-Jones I and II...
Even though Tarver was an Olympian, his pro career was only received with lukewarm appeal, with appearances on ESPN boxing broadcasts highlighting his exposure. The hype he created in press conferences with Jones, paired with that stunning 2nd round KO in the rematch, made him a household name.
Others of note (feel free to add):
Mosley-DLH I (for Mosley)
Whitaker-JLC (for Whitaker...he would grace the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time after this fight)
Wright-Mosley I (Wright)
Hopkins-Trinidad (Hopkins)
Trinidad-DLH (Trinidad)
Barrera-Morales I (both)
V. Klitschko-Lewis (Klitschko)
Lewis-Tyson (Lewis)
Taylor-Hopkins I (Taylor)
RJJ-Toney (Jones...although most knew Jones from Seoul '88)
Stars waiting for their chance to go mainstream:
Calzaghe
Juan Diaz
Hatton
W. Klitschko
R. Marquez
Kessler
Cotto
Gatti-Mayweather...
now I know you're thinking, what are you talking about? PBF had been Top 10 P4P years before that after dismantling Hernandez, Corrales, and Castillo. Yes, this is true. However, Mayweather never made the ESPN Hot Seat or got his highlights on Sportscenter before his demolishing of Gatti, which was PBF's first ever PPV event.
Pacquiao-Barrera...
Without Barrera giving him a chance to move up from junior feather, Pacquiao today would probably have spent the rest of his career at 122, cleaned house, and yet still be fighting on PPV UNDERCARDS as a relative unknown except to the hardcore fight fan. Much respect to Finito Lopez, but without a headliner on his resume, this was the fate of most of his career.
Tarver-Jones I and II...
Even though Tarver was an Olympian, his pro career was only received with lukewarm appeal, with appearances on ESPN boxing broadcasts highlighting his exposure. The hype he created in press conferences with Jones, paired with that stunning 2nd round KO in the rematch, made him a household name.
Others of note (feel free to add):
Mosley-DLH I (for Mosley)
Whitaker-JLC (for Whitaker...he would grace the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time after this fight)
Wright-Mosley I (Wright)
Hopkins-Trinidad (Hopkins)
Trinidad-DLH (Trinidad)
Barrera-Morales I (both)
V. Klitschko-Lewis (Klitschko)
Lewis-Tyson (Lewis)
Taylor-Hopkins I (Taylor)
RJJ-Toney (Jones...although most knew Jones from Seoul '88)
Stars waiting for their chance to go mainstream:
Calzaghe
Juan Diaz
Hatton
W. Klitschko
R. Marquez
Kessler
Cotto