I still remember Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao when he was tearing it up in the featherweight division, he blasted through the Mexican greats like Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Juan Manuel Marquez. He was the most exciting boxer in the world, even Mike Tyson was amazed by the Pacman’s intensity in the ring.
If he retired after winning the WBC lightweight title against David Diaz and never fought again he would have easily been a first ballot Hall of Famer.
The legend of the Pacman didn’t stop there, it only grew and he achieved more than any other modern boxer in the sport. He went up 8 weight classes winning titles and was a lineal champion 5 times. Fighting the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Ricky Hatton, etc.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. like the hater he is destroyed and tarnished Pac’s good name by claiming he was taking steroids or PEDs.
Pacquiao was just a special freak athlete that you only see once in a while, unlike Roy Jones Jr. who had explosive speed and reflexes once that wore out and his chin was tested he didn’t have any fundamentals to fall back on.
Pacquiao is an anomaly. He started his pro career at 106 pounds and walks around at 145 pounds, yet fights at 147 pounds against men who probably walk around between 160-175 pounds and cut down in weight. He doesn’t slick point fight and cover up like Floyd, he actually trades blows with these bigger men and beats them with offensive destruction.
Usually when smaller fighters move up in weight they can’t take the punch, they lose their speed and their power doesn’t hold up, or they fight super safe to avoid getting hit like Mayweather style. Pacquiao was able to keep all those special attributes as he went up the division and got stronger.
This wasn’t do to some magical performance enhancing drugs, it was all God given, he was just blessed with these tools genetically.
He has freakish calves and muscular legs that most bodybuilders wish they could have. Ever since his featherweight days he has been shredded and muscular like Bruce Lee. His physique never changed he always weighed around 145 pounds even when he fought at 126, he just didn’t cut weight anymore when he moved to the147 pound welterweight division.
It seems that all these younger welterweights have no respect for his name, even the general boxing fan doesn’t think of Pacquiao in the same light as a Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Roberto Duran.
I remember just a few years ago a lot of these detractors were saying Guillermo Rigondeaux had a better career and more skill than Pacquiao. Now they are saying Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. are greater than the Pacman. The lack of recognition and respect for a future hall of famer like Pac is disgusting.
It seems a lot of people these days are overlooking him when it comes to the other young welterweights.
You will read things like Pacman is shot, he is washed up, or all of the younger welterweights will finish him with ease.
You will get the same fanbase who loves to discredit Pacquiao on every win.
They only speak off emotions and bias. Like his upcoming bout with Adrien Broner, if Pacquiao wins they will say Broner was washed up cherry pick or didn’t let his hands go.
You have a man who turned pro in the mid 90s and is still boxing at the highest level at the age of 40. He is doing this while being a full-time Senator in the Philippines. He has accomplished many great feats in boxing. He is a living legend. He deserves to be among the all time greats.
It also takes a special fighter to comeback from a vicious one punch KO by Juan Manuel Marquez. Usually fighters are done after that but not Manny Pacquiao, he bounced back and won world titles again beating up Timothy Bradley, Chris Algieri, Brandon Rios, Jessie Vargas, and Lucas Matthysse all younger fresher fighters than him.
So realize how lucky you are that this all time great is still fighting, you will never see another Pacman Pacquiao in a long, long time so enjoy him while you can.
