Amir Khan, Britain’s WBA world light welterweight champion, and Vitali Klitschko, the WBC heavyweight champion, believe Manny Pacquiao, the first boxer to win world titles in seven weight divisions, should have been nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, taking place in Abu Dhabi. There were five shortlisted athletes.
I agree. Laureus’s two-part voting process starts with a selection panel of international media compiling a shortlist, before Laureus Academy members vote by secret ballot to select the winners.
I am one of those journalists on the panel, and I’m going to come clean. Manny Pacquiao was at the head of my submission list.
My list:
1.Manny Pacquiao (Boxing)
2 Lionel Messi (Soccer)
3 Usain Bolt (Athletics)
4 Georges St Pierre (MMA)
5 Kenenisa Bekele (Athletics)
6 Jamie Roberts (Wales & British and Irish Lions rugby centre)
Usain Bolt won the award.
“Manny is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world,” said Khan. “I’m very surprised he’s not on the list. In the last few years he’s fought [Juan Manuel] Marquez, Oscar [De la Hoya], Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. He’s had some big fights and I’m surprised he’s not a contender.”
“Few boxers get that level of publicity. If it was someone like Floyd Mayweather, who is a bigger name and attraction, then maybe [a nomination would be possible]. But although Manny is huge for what he has done in the game, there is that thing about his image which stops him being massive around the world.”
Klitschko agreed. “Champions like Pacquiao are bringing boxing to another level and the sport needs heroes. If I had the chance, as a boxer, I would have voted for Pacquiao, but it was never a situation – he wasn’t on the shortlist. There are a lot of champions around and you can’t give everyone an award. Still, it’s disappointing.”
Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk
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