Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao is conferred the Order of Sikatuna, one of the highest awards given to diplomats and state leaders, by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during ceremony Friday Nov. 20, 2009 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Philippines. Pacquiao made history in world boxing for winning seven world titles in seven weight divisions after defeating Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico in their WBO welterweight fight Nov. 14. At left is Pacquiao’s wife Jinky.
HBO Sports announced that his Nov. 14 victory over Miguel Cotto sold 1.25 million pay-per-views and generated $70 million in pay-per-view revenue.
The win could set up a 2010 match with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., the other man with a 
claim to the throne as the top fighter in the sport. That bout would likely shatter all pay-per-view records.
Mayweather holds the record for most pay-per-view units sold in an individual bout, with 2.45 million when he won a split decision over De La Hoya in 2007. Mayweather has averaged 1.48 million on pay-per-view in his past three outings, following up the De La Hoya fight with 940,000 in sales against Ricky Hatton and 1.05 million on Sept. 19 in his comeback bout with Juan Manuel Marquez.
HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said the performance of Pacquiao-Cotto is yet another indication of the sport’s upward mobility. This is the first time since 1999 that there have been two pay-per-view cards in one year that have reached 1 million or more buys. He said sports fans, not just boxing fans, are talking about a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.