By Troy Ondrizek
Unequivocally the biggest name in boxing for the past decade has been Oscar De La Hoya. In the same sense, arguably, the best boxer during that same time frame has been Floyd Mayweather Jr. Both have been proverbially on the mountain top of the sport, yet neither man has gained our absolute respect or undying admiration. No, we only reserve those attributes for fighters who exhibit great skill in the ring, undeniable willingness to face the best of the best - no matter who it is, and to always give their best effort, win or lose, under the most adverse fighting conditions
Mayweather and Oscar have fought some of the best of their time, and Mayweather was considered a fighter of the utmost skill while Oscar went out of his way to combat the biggest names. Despite their efforts, these men failed to inspire absolute loyalty from the masses. Whether it’s their personalities, handpicked opponents, caution-first fighting style, or a combination of everything mentioned. Whatever the reason, “Golden Boy” and “Money May” will never will be as good as “Pac-Man” in the minds and hearts of boxing fans as a whole.
What Manny Pacquiao has done over the course of his career, especially in the last twelve-months, in terms of moving up in weight and fighting some of the best guys out there, has been a revelation and a welcomed treasure to the sport. Manny hasn’t just moved up in weight, he has fought impressively and unlike the other two men in this piece, he has entertained us along every step of the way.
To be fair, I want to give some credit to where it‘s due. Oscar has had some really good fights through the years and has entertained us, and few men in history can boast the same defensive prowess as Floyd. I do not want to downplay how much these men have contributed and meant to the sport, but Pacquiao will do more for the sport historically than De La Hoya and Mayweather, and can at least rival Oscar for being a worldwide star.
Manny is lauded because he has no qualms about fighting anyone, anywhere, and at any weight. In his biggest fights (Erik Morales trilogy, Marco Antonio Barrera I&II, Juan Manuel Marquez I&II, and De La Hoya) Pacquiao put on a fistic show of speed, power, vulnerability, and the heart that we cherish more than anything else as fans.
Granted Manny didn’t win all of the above mentioned bouts and questionably won another. Oscar in some of his biggest fights gave us a running lesson (Felix Trinidad), stepped up too high for weight (Bernard Hopkins), forgot to fight (Mayweather), and in his gutsiest performance (Ike Quartey) he too took a dubious decision.
As for Floyd, he gave us a humorous knockout (Ricky Hatton), and brawl in the ring (Zab Judah) that had more action than the actual fight, and he too in his gutsiest performance (Jose Luis Castillo I) garnered a decision that wasn’t all that favorable. The big feather in Mayweather’s hat is that he never lost any fight big or otherwise.
By no means is Manny perfect. He doesn’t have a glossy record like Mayweather or the amateur pedigree and boyish good looks like De La Hoya. Manny isn’t as restrained as either man is/was in the ring, and his technique is flawed. Oscar and Floyd were/are great boxers, but Manny is a great fighter. Being a great fighter and possessing these flaws is what has endeared him to us.
Many comparisons have been made about Manny, even likening him to throwback fighters like Henry Armstrong and Sugar Ray Robinson. These compliments are just and flattering. With of all the things Manny Pacquiao has thus far accomplished, he has done what Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. could not - and that is garner our unconditional respect and admiration. Many years down the road when another great fighter comes along, one who transcends time, and proves themselves to be worthy of greatness - they will be fortunate to be compared to Manny Pacquiao.