Jump to content
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

PacMan's Corner


menime

Recommended Posts

Great debate: The case for PacquiaoPosted May. 12, 2009 at 09:28pm

By Michael RosenthalBuzz up!

I stated in my Top 10 list on Monday that Manny Pacquiao – not Floyd Mayweather Jr. – is the best fighter of this decade.

 

Some readers agreed. Many didn’t. One guy was so incensed that he vowed to get all his friends to boycott me, which I think might’ve been going overboard. This isn’t life or death, after all; it’s supposed to be fun.

 

The reactions got me thinking: OK, what is the overriding reason I believe Pacquiao is better than Mayeather, as well as Juan Manuel Marquez, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Winky Wright and a few others who might have credentials?

 

The answer finally became clear: Because Pacquiao moves me, as does Marquez to a lesser extent. The others don’t.

 

I acknowledge that a strong case can be made that Mayweather is the best fighter of the 2000s. He is the most naturally gifted of these fighters and has a perfect record (39-0, 25 knockouts). He has what it takes to win and does so, plain and simple.

 

If that’s how you define the best fighter, then he’s your man. God bless you.

 

That’s not my definition, though. To me, skills and winning are only part of the equation.

 

I admire the sublime ability, speed and athleticism of Mayweather, as I did Pernell Whitaker. They are virtuoso boxers, master technicians, certainly among the best of their eras. At the same time, there’s something missing with both of them, in my opinion. I call it the “thrill factor.”

 

To me, the greatest fighters aren’t just admirable; they’re part technician and all warrior. They, too, have exceptional skills and win consistently but also take risks, both in terms of who they fight and in the ring. They seek out the best possible opponents and then go to war, putting both their record and well being on the line.

 

That’s what fans pay to see – fights, not dance contests. They want those thrills, the kind that Pacquiao provided in a heaping dose with his one-punch knockout of Ricky Hatton on May 2.

 

“The great matchmaker-promoter Teddy Brenner once said, ‘There’s no room for perfection in boxing,’” said television analyst Larry Merchant. “What he was saying is that fans don’t come for a clinic. And I think, unlike other games, fans count. … I generally give a close round to the fighter who is making the fight, the aggressor, the guy throwing the most punches. Ultimately, I think that’s also how we judge who the best pound-for-pound fighter is if it’s close.

 

“When I look at the phantom list of greats, I see guys who sought out challenges. Robinson fighting LaMotta six times, Leonard fighting Duran three times and Hearns twice and then moving up to fight Hagler. That’s greatness. They didn’t always win but so what? …

 

“When I look at Pacquiao,” Merchant continued, “I see that he fought Morales three times, Barrera twice, Marquez twice and then moved up to fight the top guys at 140 and 147 pounds at whatever status they had at the time. That to me says a lot. I think Pacquiao is better than Mayweather. That doesn’t mean he would beat him because Mayweather is naturally the bigger man.

 

“If you look back at the record, though, I think it shows that Pacquiao is better. I want someone willing to take risks, someone who moves me.”

 

I feel I could build a very strong case for Pacquiao against Mayweather based strictly on accomplishments.

 

Pacquiao has faced better opposition, most notably fighting the three future hall of famers from Mexico –- Morales, Barrera and Marquez –- a total of seven times (going 5-1-1). Mayweather also has faced some elite fighters –- Genaro Hernandez, Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales, among others -- but has been extremely selective.

 

Pacquiao won three major titles in three weight classes (WBC junior lightweight, WBC lightweight and THE RING junior welterweight) and beat Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight within a span of 14 months, a feat that has drawn comparisons to the great Henry Armstrong.

 

Under the tutelage of trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao has evolved from a one-handed brawler into a complete boxer-puncher who seems to be improving at a rapid rate 14 years into his professional career. I’m not sure people realize how rare that is.

 

Pacquiao and Mayweather have two common opponents, De La Hoya and Hatton. Pacquiao dismantled both while Mayweather barely beat De La Hoya and took much longer to stop Hatton, although De La Hoya had weight issues against Pacquiao.

 

“Let’s just look at the two fights against Hatton,” said Mike Silver, an historian and author of The Arc of Boxing. “Mayweather calls Hatton ‘the toughest fighter I ever faced’ and Pacquiao utterly destroyed him. C’mon, if Mayweather has the skills he professes to have, he should’ve dominated a club fighter like Hatton.

 

“And a prime De La Hoya beats Mayweather. Every time (De La Hoya) threw the left jab, Mayweather had no answer. A great fighter doesn’t react that way to a left jab.”

 

I acknowledge again that Mayweather’s proponents could come back with their own arguments. He’s a better boxer, he’s unbeaten, he usually wins easily, he’s won more major titles than Pacquiao. They probably have more on their list.

 

And they'll mention the fact that too much has been made of Pacquiao's last three victories, against tough, but limited David Diaz, a depleted De La Hoya and Hatton.

 

However, when you add the “thrill factor” into the equation, I feel that puts Pacquiao over the top.

 

Pacquiao and Mayweather probably will meet in the ring if the latter beats Marquez on July 18, which illustrates the spirit of the two fighters: Pacquiao would be the one taking the risk by fighting a bigger man.

 

That’s what Pacquiao is all about. And why I believe he’s the greater fighter.

 

 

Note: What's your opinion? Who's the fighter of the 2000s: Pacquiao or Mayweather? Or do you think another fighter is more deserving? Email me with your pick and include one short paragraph giving your reasons. Also include your first name and the city, state and country you live in. Your responses will be posted over the coming weekend. Hostile emials will be deleted.

 

 

Michael Rosenthal’s column appears Wednesday’s. He can be reached at RingTVeditor@yahoo.com

Link to comment

^^ Bwahahahahaha! Still bitter from losing all your money on Ricky Hatton?! Ang tanga kasi, pumusta ba naman sa TALUNAN! Yan, ang mga magagaling mag-analyze ng boxing. Sige pre, pusta lang pusta sa mga talong mga manok mo! Hahahahaha...

Link to comment
si pacquiao ay ordinary boxer lang talaga ang dating...as what mayweather sr said....pacquiao punches like an amateur

 

 

kung sasabihin mo na pangit ang anak mo, wala kang kwentang ama. ganun din si sr. kung sasabhin nya na duwag si floyd jr, at mas magaling si pacman kay kay floyd jr. ano pa ba ang eexpect mo kay floyd sr. syempre sasabihin nya anak nya ang pinakamagaling. sinabi na nga nya below lang si pacman kay floyd jr. well let see sa december. i hope pacman will shut the mouth of floyd sr, jr, and roger gayweathers.

 

sa ngaun aso lang ang makikinig kay floyd sr. si hatton nga hindi nya mapasunod. :thumbsupsmiley:

Edited by uaeboy25
Link to comment
si pacquiao ay ordinary boxer lang talaga ang dating...as what mayweather sr said....pacquiao punches like an amateur

 

 

Wow pare! are you drugs? Ano ba hinihithit mo penge naman pre! Nasa Euphoric state ka yata man.

 

Oh oh oh wait we are supposed to believe this because floyd sr. said so? The same guy who claimed de la hoya will beat pacquiao like a dog? the same guy who said manny would not last more than 5 rounds with ricky hatton? the guy whom his own brother said could not train a dog? that mayweather?

 

Will you care to explain your "amatuer puncher" point? Did you see how his punches accurately connected right on hattons jaw, and with blinding speed? It was so fast, hatton did not even have the time to cover up. Now Im telling you, with a punch like that you got to have crazy reflexes to be able to dodge that one. I dont know any boxer who has a reflex to match that speed, more so who could punch like that. Many boxing analyst have already regarded pacquiao as the greatest southpaw fighter in the history of the sport. You obviously dont know anything about the sport

Link to comment
etong pacquiao-mayweather saga parang wrestling din no ?? hehe .. kulang na lang lumabas si mayweather dun sa pacquiao-hatton match saka hinataw ng upuan si pacman

 

 

kung ganoon eh di isali mo na rin sa storyline sila Jinky, Mayweather Sr. saka si Nanay Dionisia....

Link to comment
si pacquiao ay ordinary boxer lang talaga ang dating...as what mayweather sr said....pacquiao punches like an amateur

 

 

 

brad nsa anong dimensyon kaba? nsa virtual reality kaba? :P

 

sa palagay ko c pacman na ang pinakamalakas p4p.

 

oo ndi na sa palagay totoo na halimaw na talga c pacman.

 

pacquiao punches like an amateaur? amateur god

Link to comment

I am a PACMAN fan. A BIG Pacman fan. But Bob Arum saying that Pacman is GREATER than the "greatest" (Muhamad Ali) is blasphemous! I love Pacman. He is the greatest Filipino fighter ever (hands down), nay, greatest Asian fighter ever! He is top 10 all time in the world in my list. But greater than the greatest? Oh crap. Bob Arum is just selling ticketst folks. Let's not get overboard.

Link to comment

Marquez is such a bitter loser. Hangang ngayon me grudges pa din siya kay Pacquiao. Bakit ba kasi di nya matangap na kung hindi naman kasi lagi siya napapatumba ni pacquiao, eh di sana judges would not be denying him the wins that he wants. He should learn to respect oponents better than him. Now I want to see this guy lose to pretty boy faggot, then lets see where he stands

Link to comment

^^ LOL! Panoorin mo ulit fight ni Manny vs. Hatton. Notice mo entourage ni Hatton (especially nung weigh-in). Save for Bernard Hopkins, lahat mga TALUNAN ni Pacman. DLH, JMM, etc. Hahahahahaha... magpatong-patong na sila, talo pa rin!

 

It is a "woe is me" party of fools!

Edited by skitz
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...