Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao in a historical perspective

[Bald Shavers]

Before the fight, I had Pacquiao and Floyd both at top 25 all-time pound for pound. In fact, I had them at this level since 2009 - nothing that has happened since gave me a reason to push either of them higher.

After the fight, I still have Pacquiao at top 25 but I'm moving Mayweather to top 20.

If Floyd beat Pac 5 years ago, it would have been a HEROIC WIN due to the fact that Pac was at the top of his game. When Floyd beat him in 2015 Pac was probably 60% of what he used to be - not even close to a HEROIC WIN. A win back then would have looked tougher because it would have been much tougher. It would have been even money back then. I fact, I give the edge to Pac.

As to legacy, nothing happened to Pac's legacy. Floyd's increased just a little bit.

[The Old LefHook]

1. What does this Pacquiao win do for Mayweather's legacy?

2. Is this finally the great, career defining win fans have been waiting for from him?

3. And would this fight have been any closer or ended any differently had it happened 5 years earlier?

I think it has to be great for his legacy and a great win and maybe closer, but that Mayweather still would've won.

Legacy depends on who is doing the remembering.

One thing that may be remembered is that his fights were hardly ever worth re-watching. This is true in spades for the Pacquiao fight.

The boring MW recipe is always the same: Unless you can make him fight there will be no fight. Maidana was able to make him fight. Pac was totally inept at doing what he was supposed to be training for. He did not have a clue as to how to get into punching range, and certainly possessed not an extra idea in that regard, either. I am not sure he and Roach ever heard of plan A, let alone plan B.

This was a pitiful performance by Roach as trainer. The big secret plan, the closed training sessions are a joke on the public.

MW would have done more if he had been forced to. Pacquiao was not even capable of forcing the issue. The fact that MW would not voluntarily do more than eke out each round, is the same minus that was always on his legacy. He has promised more so many times and not delivered even when the opportunity was clearly there.

There was no entertainment value to the fight last night and no legacy points either, if it is me doing the remembering.

[joseph5620]

His legacy is significantly enhanced from this fight. Pacquiao is an all time great and Mayweather dominated him. It's time for Mayweather to get the credit he deserves as an all time great fighter.

[likeamulekick]

I had Manny winning 2 clear rounds definitely and another close round but I thought mayweather dominated. Just rewatched it, while I was more relaxed lol, Mayweather actually only pushed out the jab most of the fight and pacquiao did land the harder blows. I was so excited to see manny push Floyd that because he failed to push him I forgot that mayweather was actually missing to and just blocking mannys view with the jab not connecting that much. Im not trying to take away from Mayweathers win because he clearly won the fight but he dint actually dominate each round. I think at the end of the day mayweather is smarter than pacquiao but were talking about Manny at 36, mayweather 38 but the career mannys had hes more like 46. Bad game plan, bad arm, knocked out cold couple fights back, I still think this should of happened 5 years ago but Mayweather has made sure he hadn't destroyed his legacy by taking the fight and winning but 5 years of waiting for a slower pacquiao has still damaged it in my eyes. Also its probably mayweathers age but I still think mannys punches definitely hurt Floyd and would of done a lot more damage against a younger more aggressive Floyd but mayweather will always dominate the later rounds against pacquiao but if Manny wins the first 6 rounds with a knockdown, that's a win. lol I know I sound a bit optimistic but I still believe that that was a damaged pacquiao

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Floyd jumps way up on ATG lists.. I said before the fight, I thought it would be competitive but if won guy clearly dominated it would bump him up to top 10 on my list..

Floyd's resume is clearly better than nearly every fighter in history...

His list of opponents is like a who's who of this generation, and pretty much dominated everyone..

on the atg "checklist" he basically aces everything..
Longevity- check
Titles- check
Multiple weight classes- check
Lineal titles- check
Level of opponents- check
Dominance- check
H2H - check

You would be hard pressed to find me 10 or 15 better resumes in history

[Humean]

The fight itself will not be remembered fondly, in the class of disappointing super fights that include fights like Mayweather-De La Hoya and Trinidad-De La Hoya.

[BKM-2010]

His legacy is significantly enhanced from this fight. Pacquiao is an all time great and Mayweather dominated him. It's time for Mayweather to get the credit he deserves as an all time great fighter.

And seller too. He's now got the entire top 3 highest PPV's ever on his name, and also earned more money over his career than Ali(inflation in mind) and Tyson, pretty much any boxer ever. Unless Foreman's grill made him that much? But I wouldn't really count that though.

[young_robbed]

I think the fight lost a lot of it's significance since they are both older fighters now. I know that they are both still at the top of the pound for pound lists and they are still the 1A and 1B of their respective divisions. But they are both clearly past prime, Pacquiao especially who has lost a lot of his speed and explosiveness that made him a special fighter.

[joseph5620]

Floyd jumps way up on ATG lists.. I said before the fight, I thought it would be competitive but if won guy clearly dominated it would bump him up to top 10 on my list..

Floyd's resume is clearly better than nearly every fighter in history...

His list of opponents is like a who's who of this generation, and pretty much dominated everyone..

on the atg "checklist" he basically aces everything..
Longevity- check
Titles- check
Multiple weight classes- check
Lineal titles- check
Level of opponents- check
Dominance- check
H2H - check

You would be hard pressed to find me 10 or 15 better resumes in history

I agree with all of this. I was hesitant to rate Mayweather this high before the fight. But watching him dominate top fighters at his age is historical. He ranks up there with anybody in my opinion.

[billeau2]

From a historical perspective:

We need the championship rounds....these 12 round championship fights give extra advantage to the defensive minded

Punch stat is horrendous because it does not allow for ring generalship, strategy and actually landing versus just throwing punches.

I think the fight should have been scored closer for a lot of reasons....I have to watch it again, I did think Mayweather won by a slim margin. But Pac landedthe more telling shots