To compare the Pacquiao-Larios fight to the Thrilla in Manila between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier is to overrate the Mano-a-Mano.  What we saw July 2, 2006 was indeed a thrilling encounter between two excellent fistmen but their showdown was nothing more than an armpit thrill compared to the libidal thrill of the October 1, 1975 boxing blockbuster at the famed Araneta Coliseum.

Two factors show the consipicuous difference between Thrilla and Mano-a-Mano:  the nature of the fight and the skill of the fighters.

In terms of the nature of the fight, the difference is obvious.  The Ali-Frazier 3 was the last of a trilogy of battles, each battle a classic to remember.  The Pacquiao-Larios slugfest was just a tune-up fight for Pacquiao going into his rematch with Erik Morales, the third of a serial battle between the two.  Oscar Larios is a journeyman from the featherweight division and fought for only the first time in the 130-lb limit.  It was a major fight for Larios but it was just a rehearsal for Pacquiao.

In terms of the boxers’ skills, the Pacquiao-Larios face off fails in comparison to the Thrilla in Manila.  While Pacquiao has the status of an Ali or Frazier, Larios is by no means a boxing icon.  He’s not even a top 10 pound-for-pounder.  Had it been a Pacquiao-Morales or a Pacquiao-Barrera match, the comparison would’ve been more accurate.

No, the Mano-a-Mano is less than a Thrilla!