By James Slater – Pound-for-Pound king Manny Pacquiao, who collected an amazing 8th “world” title last November when he gave disgraced Mexican Antonio Margarito a fearful hiding over 12-rounds, has officially vacated the WBC 154-pound crown he won with the win over “Tony.”
Pac-Man’s advisor Michael Koncz said his warrior will stick to fighting welterweights from now on, because going up against naturally bigger fighters “risks Manny’s safety.” The WBC’s board of governors voted unanimously to make the title vacant in light of Pacquiao’s decision and now, according to a news release on ESPN.com, unbeaten Mexican sensation Saul Alvarez – who is the WBC #1 contednder at 154 – will fight another contender chosen by the WBC for the vacated belt..
Pac-Man, of course, remains the world’s number one at 147-pounds and in everybody’s P-4-P rankings. The 32-year-old also still has in his possession the WBO welterweight title, which he will defend against “Sugar” Shane Mosley in May in Las Vegas.
So, who will be Manny’s successor at 154-pounds, WBC belt-wise?
“Canelo” Alvarez, whose upcoming March fight with Britain’s Matthew Hatton is now so much more important to him, will likely face the next available WBC 154-pound contender for the strap. Assuming he beats “Magic” on March 5th (and most fans and experts feel he will do so), the 35-0-1(26) Mexican could become a legit “world” champion as soon as this year (he already holds the WBC Silver belt at 154). But who might Alvarez face in his attempt at winning Pac-Man’s old title?
Vicious-punching Alfredo Angulo, also of Mexico, is ranked at #2 by the WBC at 154, and this fight would attract a huge audience. Both guys are talented, hungry fighters and both can punch and take a punch. This fight, if it took place in Mexico, would be a big box office event.
Further down the WBC ratings we have Paul “The Punisher” Williams at #3. Would the once “most feared fighter in boxing” wish to take as risky a fight as one with Alvarez in what would be his first fight back after suffering that brutal KO at the hands of middleweight king Sergio Gabriel Martinez? Maybe. And, looking at things another way, is Alvarez ready to go in with as seasoned and as dangerous a fighter as the former two-weight ruler?
Going further down the list of light-middleweight contenders we have Britain’s Ryan Rhodes at #4 and Antonio Margarito at #5. Rhodes has been waiting for his chance at a major title forever, and he would, I’m sure, jump at the chance to fight Alvarez for the WBC strap. And with his awkward, hard-to-hit style, the southpaw would be in with a real chance of beating “Canelo.”
An Alvarez-Margarito match-up would stir things up, but not for all the right reasons. No doubt, if Margarito were to go straight into a second “world” title chance, the critics would moan loudly! But you never know, this fight could happen.
Alvarez, after he deals with Hatton (in what will be a tougher than expected fight for the 20-year-old in my opinion), will await whichever fighter it is that the WBC appoints as his next rival. Can the man some have said will be the next Oscar De La Hoya become the holder of the belt greats like De La Hoya and Shane Mosley once wore?