Las Vegas has long been boxing’s financial mecca. The biggest, most significant fights routinely occur here.

While 2008 was no exception, it added a dimension beyond money. This boxing agenda had character. Waging enormously important bouts, the major players also defined the boxing landscape. Las Vegas provided the road map for Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s top pound-for-pound performer. It offered the canvas upon which Antonio Margarito, Juan Manuel Marquez, Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins painted success stories.

MGM, Mandalay Bay and the new Planet Hollywood casino burst with boxing activity.

It was here that Kelly Pavlik extended his inspiring success story, only to see it evaporate later in Atlantic City. It was here that boxing awaited the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather showdown, only to see Mayweather abruptly retire. And it was here that De La Hoya, a boxing icon since 1992, most likely waged his final fight, losing to Pacquiao.

Las Vegas offered another intangible to the boxing-gaming marriage. The first two boxing figures to ever grace the Gaming Hall of Fame went in together. Las Vegas-based Bob Arum and Florida’s Don King, boxing’s most vociferous adversaries over the last 30 years, were inducted into the Hall on the same mid-September night.

Let’s examine a big 2008 for boxing, with Las Vegas as the main stage.

Pac Man Cometh

Phillipine sensation Pacquiao authored one of boxing’s best campaigns ever, all in Vegas. He captured title bouts at 130, 135 and 147 pounds, a highly unlikely accomplishment.

Pacquiao began with a razor-thin, split-decision triumph over Marquez at Mandalay Bay in March. He won by three points on one card and one point on another, overcoming a three-point loss on the third card. It was a fast-paced rematch from their excellent 2004 fight, in which Marquez had rallied from three first-round knockdowns to steal a draw. Pacquiao and Marquez have given boxing two of the best fights in the last five years. A third battle between them would be welcome.

Stopping at the lightweight division, Pacquiao captured a 135-pound title with a convincing knockout victory over David Diaz at Mandalay Bay in June. Six months later, he capped the storybook season at 147 pounds with an old-fashioned whipping of De La Hoya at MGM. What made the eighth-round TKO remarkable was its one-sided nature. Pacquiao never looked better, flashing hand and foot speed with significant power. He accomplished what most boxers could never consider, capping a move up in title-fight victories from 106 to 147 pounds over his career.

The great boxers can usually accommodate a 30-pound swing. This is 41. Pacquiao’s triumph, besides unleashing delirium in Manila, initiated talks for a summer 2009 summit meeting with Ricky Hatton in the United Kingdom.

Calzaghe Chronicles

Calzaghe, from Wales, was largely unheralded in the American media until meeting Hopkins last April. It was, in theory, a delightful coronation for his countrymen at Planet Hollywood. Robert Earl, the casino’s founder and chief executive, hails from the UK. Fans came in droves from across the pond to enjoy the first major fight ever at the casino, which had ownership ties to celebrities. Indeed, 88 Minutes premiered at Planet Hollywood during Hopkins-Calzaghe week.

During the first round of the fight, however, Hopkins nearly spoiled the party. He dropped Calzaghe with a counter right hand, bringing stunned silence to thousands of fans. Fortunately for them, Calzaghe rallied and captured a decision to preserve the party.

Calzaghe followed the rallying script six months later in New York. He was dropped by a hard right from Roy Jones Jr. and nearly knocked out in the first round. As against Hopkins, Calzaghe came back to win. He thus defeated two American stalwarts, on their turf, after rising from the deck, in back-to-back fights. It was a great campaign for Calzaghe, second probably only to Pacquiao’s journey. The consecutive victories earned him many votes for Fighter of the Year.

Hats off to Hatton

You’ve heard the chorus at the fights involving Manchester England’s own. “There’s only one, Ricky Hatton,” sing the fans, who bring a soccer atmosphere (complete with a band) here from England.

Although Hatton was derailed in 2007 by Mayweather, he rebounded in 2008. Hatton earned a knockout victory over Paulie Malignaggi at MGM, regaining a substantial slice of lost marketability. Hatton, who had enjoyed a stellar 2006 with three Las Vegas triumphs, now hopes to put between 50,000 and 100,000 in a major arena like London’s Wembley Stadium.

Most observers believed that fight would involve De La Hoya. Hatton was indeed at ringside for De La Hoya-Pacquiao, ready to announce a 2009 summit with the Golden Boy. But Pacquiao had other plans. Hatton may now fight him instead.

Hopeful Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins knows both angles concerning derailed plans. After the Calzaghe verdict, he scored a remarkably easy win over Pavlik at 171 pounds in Atlantic City. Hopkins toyed with, dismantled and figuratively destroyed the previously undefeated Pavlik in one of the most stirring performances of his career.

Hopkins roughed up Pavlik in the opening round and never stopped. Pavlik was uncomfortable coming up in weight from 160 pounds. He was a fraction of the fighter who had scored two tremendous triumphs over Jermain Taylor. It was a big win for Hopkins and put him in line for a rematch with Roy Jones Jr., who’d beaten him in the 1990s. But Jones’ loss to Calzaghe squashed those plans. The only person more disappointed than Jones that night was Hopkins.

Marques Rebounds

Juan Manuel Marquez remains one of Las Vegas’ unsung heroes. Besides the two Pacquiao fights, he scored eye-opening victories over Marco Antonio Barrera and Joel Casamayor in recent times. The victory over Casamayor occurred in September, with a dramatic 11th-round knockout. He is practically as good as Pacquiao, but gains far less attention.

Prospering in Margatrito-ville

Antonio Margarito emerged as a superstar here. His July dream match against Miguel Cotto at MGM became reality when both fighters triumphed on an Atlantic City card last April. Then this highly anticipated fight occurred and did not disappoint. Margarito pressured Cotto consistently in this bell-to-bell thriller. The pace was fast, the combinations accurate and neither fighter gave ground easily. Margarito finally prevailed, dealing Cotto his first defeat in one of 2008’s top fights.

The result? Margarito signed to fight Shane Mosley in a January 24 match. Sadly, this one slipped out to Los Angeles. It would have been a natural for the desert. Both fighters have enjoyed some of their elite career moments here.

By Dave Bontempo

Casino Connection Sports Editor Dave Bontempo is an award-winning sports writer and broadcaster who calls boxing matches all over the world. He has covered the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs, as well as numerous PGA, LPGA and Seniors Golf Tour events, and co-hosted the Casino Connection television program with Publisher Roger Gros.