Manny Pacquiao put on a masterclass against Antonio Margarito in November 2010. The Filipino boxing great stepped up to 154lbs and dominated the controversial former welterweight champion to claim the vacant WBC super-welterweight title.
Pacquiao's performance stood out as one of his best. He'd already held world titles in seven divisions and was coming off title fights at super-lightweight and welterweight in the previous year and a half.
Before the fight, Pacquiao didn't hold back his thoughts on Margarito's past controversies. The Mexican fighter had been caught with illegal hand wraps before his bout with Shane Mosley in 2009, leading to a ban from the sport.
"He is just making some alibi. He is the one who wraps his hands and he doesn't know what is in there? Of course he knows. What do you think? My belief is he knows that."
Pacquiao said this to accuse Margarito of knowingly cheating in previous fights.
When fight night came, Pacquiao put on a clinic. He won every round on one judge's scorecard and lost only one or two on the others. The final scores read 120-108, 119-109, and 118-108, all in favor of the Filipino star.
Margarito ended up in the hospital with a fractured left orbital bone. Pacquiao later revealed he'd tried to ease up on his opponent in the later rounds. He told reporters after the fight:
"I can't believe that I beat someone this big and this strong. I told the referee, 'Look at his eyes, look at his cuts.' I did not want to damage him permanently. That's not what boxing is about."
This win added to Pacquiao's already impressive list of victories. He'd beaten boxing stars like Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tim Bradley, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Pacquiao went on to cement his place as one of boxing's biggest stars for many years. He racked up a career record of 62 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws across eight weight divisions. Though not officially retired as of now, his legacy is secure. He's already been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
As for Margarito, he fought on until 2017, finishing his career with 41 wins, 8 defeats, and 1 no contest. But his legacy will always be tainted by the hand-wrapping controversy and the brutal loss to Pacquiao.
