Manny Pacquiao: What did Floyd Mayweather JR do to his Legacy?
By Geno McGahee
On May 7th, the fight that nobody really wanted, with the exception of Shane Mosley and possibly Bob Arum is taking place. Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao, 52-3-2, 38 KO’s, is the pound for pound best in the game, more or less. An inactive Floyd Mayweather, JR., is having a hard time maintaining the top spot as the days go by, but there are a great many that still consider him the best in the boxing world.
As with any fighter that claims to be the best in the game and is supported by the many impressive victories, as Pacquiao has, the fans want the best possible match up. When Oscar De La Hoya was on the way up, he was paired with the Felix Trinidad. Roy Jones, JR., met up with James Toney. Evander Holyfield met up with Riddick Bowe. The list goes on and on because it is what the people want. Boxing is one of the few sports that seem to ignore the clamoring fans requests. So many “super bouts” have not happened and the Floyd Mayweather, JR. – Manny Pacquiao fight is just the latest.
The list of fallen opponents on the Pacquiao record is very impressive, but he never caught the big names when they were in their prime, which is why facing Floyd Mayweather, JR., was the fight that he needed so badly. Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya, and Miguel Cotto were not at the top of their games when they stepped into the ring with Manny. To the credit of Pacquiao, he did what he had to do. It is not his fault that he came up at this time and it is not his fault that a showdown with Mayweather, JR., has not materialized. In fact, as RSR has just recently learned, Floyd may actually have some legitimate fear of the Filipino power-puncher.
Our recent email from “anonymous,” a pro fighter that wishes not to be named, stated that his conversation with Floyd about Manny led to “Money Mayweather” noting that he wished for Pacquiao to “calm down” and that he was “worried about Manny’s speed.” The idea of losing his undefeated record may be worth more than the millions of dollars that he would clear in a fight with Pacquiao.
This is a disservice to the fans and an even bigger hit to the career of Pacquiao. Sugar Shane Mosley is not a defining fight. There is very little drama in it. We are going to see an old man beaten up by a near prime Pacquiao.
Pacquiao needs “the fight” and Floyd is it, but the fight will most likely never happen, and it will hurt how people look upon the career of Pacquiao long after he retires. Damien Norman, one of our Feature Writers, wrote an article asking the question: Is Manny Pacquiao the Greatest of All Time?
It got the reaction that we anticipated, although the racism that many others allow to remain on their articles comments section was quickly removed. Manny is a national hero. Manny is possibly the greatest of this time, but he has not proven himself as the greatest of all time yet and when you look at the landscape of potential fights, he may never have a chance to do so.
To be the “greatest,” you need to face great opposition, in their prime. Sugar Ray Leonard had Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran. He came back to defeat Marvin Hagler, an undisputed all time great. Oscar De La Hoya had his great prime opponents like Ike Quartey, Felix Trinidad, and Shane Mosley. Pacquiao has eliminated the old timers, squashed the mediocrities, and beat up some good fighters, but he has never had “the event.” He was the underdog facing De La Hoya, and to his credit, won easily, and that was an event, but not the event that he needs.
What makes boxing so wonderful is when the best faces the best to settle it. Who is the best fighter in the game today? The recent bouts with Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey are poor replacements for a legitimate “great vs. great” match and so is an old Mosley. Pacquiao retiring makes all the sense in the world should Floyd remain on the shelf. There is nothing left to prove and nobody to prove it against.
When Pacquiao retires, should he not face Floyd, the jury may be forever out. He has defeated some great fighters in Barrera, Marquez, Morales, and De La Hoya, but there is the question as to what would have happened had he faced the other great of the time, Floyd Mayweather, JR., and that may be something that forever places Manny lower on the list of greatest fighters of all time.