Manny Pacquiao stopped a boxing Hall of Famer, who went the distance with Floyd Mayweather.
In his legendary career, the eight-weight world champion cemented his status as one of the greatest of all time, dazzling fans with his lightning speed and ferocious power.
And while he eventually suffered a defeat at the hands of ‘Money’, when the pair faced mutual opponents, it was often Pacquiao who did the better job.
And this was the case when the Filipino collided with a Puerto Rican icon.
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Manny Pacquiao stopped Miguel Cotto in the twelfth round
On May 5, 2012, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Floyd Mayweather went head-to-head with Miguel Cotto.
The pair shared twelve entertaining rounds, with the American outboxing his rival to win on points. Following the contest, Mayweather said Cotto was the ‘toughest’ opponent of his career.
Several years earlier, on November 14, 2009, at the very same venue, Cotto put his WBO welterweight world title on the line against Manny Pacquiao.
In the opening segment, the champion looked strong, landing thudding jabs, but by the third round, his opponent had taken the ascendancy, dropping Cotto with a right hook.
Pacquiao continued his success in the fourth, knocking his foe down to the canvas for a second time with a left uppercut.
Showcasing his fighting heart, Cotto attempted to mount a comeback in the fifth, but from that point onwards, it was one-way traffic.
In the final round, Pacquiao landed one last stinging combination that prompted the referee to jump in.
Manny Pacquiao suffered his first loss in a huge upset against a boxer with 11-4-5 record
Performances like his victory over Cotto helped Pacquiao carve out a truly remarkable legacy.
However, while he’s now remembered as one of the best to have ever laced up the gloves, he had to overcome a lot of adversity to become the legend fans know and love.
On February 9, 1996, at Metro Manila in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, the warrior was the victim of a monumental upset.
In a shocking result, Pacquiao was brutally knocked out by a fighter with an 11-4-5 record.