Pacquiao can still win 8th World Title if he fights in 147-lb division

By ALEX P. VIDAL / PNS
November 20, 2009

If any other world boxing body will offer Manny Pacquiao a title shot at the 147-lb division and he will win, he can become the first human being to pocket eight world titles in eight different divisions, technically speaking.

This hypothesis is supported by the fact that when he recently battled Miguel Angel Cotto and knocked him out in the 12th stanza, they disputed the 145 lbs “catch weight.”

Even if the World Boxing Organization (WBO) recognized the win as a “welterweight” championship, Pacquiao can still pocket the legitimate “welterweight” crown in the World Boxing Foundation (WBF), International Boxing Association (IBA), World Boxing Union (WBU), or World Boxing Association (WBA), the only remaining world boxing bodies that have not sanctioned a world title fight involving the 30-year-old prizefighter.

A promoter cannot add any weight category in boxing.

In professional boxing, there are only 17 weight categories – from mini flyweight or straw weight to heavyweight – and each weight has its numerical emphasis.  A 140-lb or 63.5 kg is super lightweight, junior welterweight or light welterweight.

Next is 147 lbs or 66.7 kg and is called welterweight.

Pacquiao has won world championship belts in the following divisions: flyweight (WBC against Chatchai Sasakul), super bantamweight (IBF against Lehlohono Ledwaba), featherweight (WBC against Erik Morales), super featherweight (WBC against Juan Manuel Marquez), lightweight (WBC against David Diaz), light welterweight (IBO against Ricky Hatton), and recently welterweight (WBO against Cotto).

The WBF welterweight division is now vacant and the number one contender is Floyd Mayweather Jr. while the number two contender is Shane Mosley.