Pacquiao tops Floyd Jr on boxing's influential list

For the third time, Manny Pacquiao defeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. outside the ring after the Filipino boxing icon achieved a higher ranking in Yahoo! Sports' boxing's 100 most influential people. The Pinoy pug was ahead in ranking over the fast-talking American fighter. Pacquiao is listed at number 25, joining the likes of iconic boxing writers Larry Merchant and Bert Sugar; legendary boxers Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali; Hall of Fame trainer Angelo Dundee; and promoters Bob Arum and Don King in the Top 30. "One of the elite active boxers, whose passionate Asian following has helped make him an international superstar and fodder for non-traditional boxing media such as CNN, Time Magazine and GQ," said American sportswriter Kevin Iole on Pacquiao. The seven-division world champion even bested his idol, Oscar "Golden Boy Dela Hoya, who is at No. 37 while the undefeated Mayweather is at 70th place. Dela Hoya is listed as a former boxer and promoter being the founder of Golden Boy Promotions. Aside from being "one of the greatest boxers of his era", the Olympic champion and six-division titlist is also the biggest pay-per-view star in history and likewise, an elite promoter. Mayweather, meanwhile, became part of the largest fight in boxing history when his 2007 bout with Dela Hoya sold 2.45 million on pay-per-view. Joining Pacquiao from 21st to 30th spots were Jake LaMotta (boxer), Cus D'Amato (trainer), boxers Hagler, Hearns, Duran and Chavez Sr., Sugar (author/journalist/historian), Merchant (broadcaster/journalist) and Damon Runyan (journalist). Pacquiao, who just finished a three-city US promotional tour for his November 13 (November 14 Manila time) showdown with the returning Antonio Margarito of Mexico, also bested Mayweather Jr. for the 2009 Boxer of the Year and the Fighter of the Decade this year given by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA).

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Pacquiao has won seven world titles in seven different weight divisions and has won 12 straight fights since suffering from a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Erik Morales of Mexico. Mayweather has continuously put down Pacquiao's boxing achievements, has accused the fighting congressman from Sarangani province of taking performance enhancing drugs and has repeatedly said that he and not the hard-punching Filipino southpaw, is the best fighter in the sport. A second attempt to put up a fight, many believed as perhaps the biggest and richest, between two of boxing's greatest fighters was called off after Mayweather decided to take a break from the sport, forcing Pacquiao to look for other options. Pacquiao finally settled with Margarito, the controversial Mexican who was suspended for a year owing to the plaster-like substance found in his hand wraps before fighting Sugar Shane Mosley. Ali topped the list, chosen by Yahoo! Sports boxing and mixed martial arts writer Kevin Iole. Iole said that even though Ali was not the greatest fighter, he was "among the finest and no one before or since has had the impact he’s had upon the game." "His style, with his hands at his side, circling the ring and flicking out jabs, has influenced generations of fighters. His ability to promote an event and give one a reason to watch has been unmatched." Joining Ali in the Top 10 are Joe Louis (No. 2, boxer); promoters Tex Rickard (3), Arum (4) and King (5); boxers Sugar Ray Robinson (6), Jack Dempsey (7) and Jack Johnson (8); television programmer Seth Abraham (9) and broadcaster Howard Cosell (10). Listed from 11th to 20th are boxers Henry Armstrong and Sugar Ray Leonard, matchmaker Teddy Brenner, journalist Nat Fleischer, fighters Rocky Marciano and Tyson, broadcaster Don Dunphy, promoter Mike Jacobs, and trainers Angelo Dundee and Eddie Futch. – RCJ/Jon Perez, GMANews.TV