Its a legi question I hate to say it but the Golden Boy I belive did more splash for boxing....
All will be remembered for differnent things.
Floyd will be remembered more for ducking, and not fighting every six months like Pac as he wanted to keep his zero.
Pac will be rememered for giving as many people a chance to beat him as he could by fighting every six months he didnt disciminate and he will be remembered for being FOTD.
DLH will be more remembered than FLoyd as he fought better fighters.
In general terms, for casuals:
1. As boxer, Floyd will be the greater boxer. But Pacs legacy is bigger. For casual fans Pac took on more challenges as the small guy conquering giants. The failure to fight Pac will hunt Floyd. The fact that Floyd has so much control over his career means that he could have made the fight happen. Of course there are complex reasons, but here im talking of general narrarives.
2. In terms of popularity, in the US Floyd the De la hoya. Bur globally its all Pac. His popularity in Latin America and Asia destroys the other two.
PS For me, ill remember Floyd more in terms of skill: but pac for excitement. Both are once in a generation talents; floyd a 10; pac a 9.8
To be honest I don't know. You have to factor in countries and communities. If I was to hazard a guess I'd place my money on it going Mayweather>Pacquiao> De La Hoya, as far as the UK is concerned anyway. De La Hoya I feel is at a disadvantage as he was popular during a phase where social media didn't really kick off.
To casual fans or boxing purists is the real question..
The casual fan is the only source of measurement for how well a popular fighter is remembered, as the boxing purist would remember a fighter like Zab Judah.
This whole thing reminds me of something Apollo Creed said to Rocky in the 3rd movie. He said Rocky fights great but he was a great fighter. Oscar and Manny both without question fought GREAT!!! But at the end of the day, no matter who likes it or dislike it, Floyd Mayweather separates himself from both. HE IS A GREAT FIGHTER. Anyone in their right mind that knows the sport would never ask if Manny and Oscar could beat Robinson, Hearns, Duran, or Leonard. I'm sure THEIR fans would make an arguement. But the purist of fans and scholars of the sport will always raise that arguement of Floyd. He's just that good. I don't think he could beat those guys personally, but he would definitely be extemely competitive. Those 4 guys would KO Oscar and Manny because they are not on the same level.
Floyd. He never lost and made it look easy 95% of his career. Pac got knocked out 3 times in his career and is a class act but in the end floyd will be remembered out of the three, remember floyd is the king who has been sitting atop the throne for a long time.
Oscar is Oscar. Pacquiao has the whole 8 division champ thing/one of the greatest little men to move up angle going for him.
Floyd doesn't have a career defining moment, except Oscar, and people will look at that as a past prime Oscar.
I feel you, but look at Floyd's resume. Who's opinion do you go by? If you go by the average fan of boxing who only acknowledge certain fighters as tough opposition, then Floyd doesn't have a defining moment. But if you ask the die hard fans that have followed the sport for a long time, you would get a different view. Corrales, Castillo, Mitchell, Judah, Manfredy, Corley, Augustus,and Ndeu were very solid tough fighters. They didn't have the star status of Morales and Barrera, but they POSSIBLY could have been just as tough in their prime. How do we know that Cotto is past his prime? The only bad fight he has ever been in was against Pac when he was weight drained and hasn't went down to 145lbs since. All of his fights afterwards were very competitive. Barrera and Morales were not in their primes against Manny. They were both past it and Morales still beat Pac the 1st time.
Go ask other fighters who has the more respectable resume. Ask Chop Chop and Judah. Corrales was a MONSTER in his prime when he fought Floyd. Corley gave everybody hell. Floyd has fought the best in the business. He has beaten skilled boxers, brawlers, and counter punchers and still remains undefeated. Oscar did the same thing. He fought all the unknown killers and the big named stars. The only difference is, he came up short against the elite. Manny, as great as he is, is a product of precise and great matchmaking. That's not his fault and he did his job by winning. But his biggest wins in the smaller divisions were Morales and Barrera, who were both past it. He stuggled tremendously against a skilled fighter like Marquez and beat a weak weght drained Cotto who hasn't looked that bad since. Margarito and Hatton were solid but far from great and very 1 dimensional.
I love all 3 guys. Oscar was my fav back in the day.But the question was who will be remembered. You never forget pure dominance no matter the circumstances. Floyd has beaten the rough and tough C class fighters, the skilled and avoided B class fighters and anyone that were considered world class. No matter how you flip it, Oscar and Manny did not achieve the same thing. Floyd is the measuring stick as a fighter in this era. Oscar might have the greatest legacy as a fighter and promoter and Manny is the only 8 time champ in different divisions. But 50 years from now when they ask who was the Sugar Ray Robinson of his time. They will say Floyd Mayweather.
Manny Steward on Floyd …. "Floyd needs to start fighting the best instead of for money …."
Floyd's next fight: Marquez moved up from 130 to 135 but fought Floyd at WW.
Oscar took on all hs challenges/biggest names out there. Wish Floyd had tat mentality. Truly amazing how Oscar made both Floyd and Pacuiao global PPV suerstars!
Its hard for any boxer now to take thetorch from Floyd and Pacquiao cz they need their own unque backgroud. Floyd has his zero/a**hole persona. Manny has te whole country of Philippines to carry...
Even if Robert Guerrero beats Floyd this Saturday, he still doesnt have that IT factor/PPV sell. The onl guys i think can take the PPV from oscar/floyd/pac are canelo and broner. (big personalities/folowings)
If it wasnt for oscar neither floyd or PAC would have become superstars and from a financial perspective they were both made cash cows due to oscar. Although they were both p4p fighters before facing oscar they weren't as known until facing oscar. However at the end of the day I feel floyd will be remembered more.
You have it wrong me lad. When Pacquiao KO'd Barrera he was already a star. He'd aready been ploughing his way through 122 and below for a few years. I recall when there was a TV discussion on whether Morales or Barrera was better, somebody felt that Barrers would be the best. Larry Merchant said, "but he'll have to beat Manny Pacquiao before that, he's been knocking them all dead at 122 and would come up to 126 to fight Barrera. So he may not have been a universal name but the real boxing people knew all about him. Fighting Oscar just propelled him a little sooner into the big PPV ranks. And don't forget, nobody gave him a chance of heating Oscar at his chosen weight..... Oscar was about 5 inches taller than him.
I agree about Oscar opening the doors for both Floyd and Manny. He put them on the big stage and they both crossed the line from great fighters to superstars. They did the most with that opportunity. Floyd and Manny attempted to do the same thing for Ortiz and Bradley, but they didn't cease the moment.(Bradley won the fight but definitely not the event.) Guerrero will make the attempt on Saturday, but only a few fighters in the world can step on the big stage and become stars. Oscar did it with Chavez,Sr. That is why Oscar, Manny and Floyd will go down in history as great fighters. But I think Floyd will be more remembered, because no matter what happens in the next 3 years, he never lost in his prime. He is the most skilled and dominate of the 3.
Oscar is Oscar. Pacquiao has the whole 8 division champ thing/one of the greatest little men to move up angle going for him.
Floyd doesn't have a career defining moment, except Oscar, and people will look at that as a past prime Oscar.
If it wasnt for oscar neither floyd or PAC would have become superstars and from a financial perspective they were both made cash cows due to oscar. Although they were both p4p fighters before facing oscar they weren't as known until facing oscar. However at the end of the day I feel floyd will be remembered more.
I agree about Oscar opening the doors for both Floyd and Manny. He put them on the big stage and they both crossed the line from great fighters to superstars. They did the most with that opportunity. Floyd and Manny attempted to do the same thing for Ortiz and Bradley, but they didn't cease the moment.(Bradley won the fight but definitely not the event.) Guerrero will make the attempt on Saturday, but only a few fighters in the world can step on the big stage and become stars. Oscar did it with Chavez,Sr. That is why Oscar, Manny and Floyd will go down in history as great fighters. But I think Floyd will be more remembered, because no matter what happens in the next 3 years, he never lost in his prime. He is the most skilled and dominate of the 3.
Oscar no doubt. Before him only heavyweights got the prime time fight slots and did any kind of PPV business. Guys like Floyd and Pac have been able to build off of what Oscar did. Not only that but Oscar will be promoting fights for a long time.
Even if Floyd retires undefeated he won't be anything more than a hall of fame fighter.
Not making the Pac fight will be the first thing people bring up when they mention his name.
This is a very good question. As of right now today you have to go with Oscar because of the GBP brand. Even though Shaefer really runs the company, although they use Oscars name. But that can all change in 5 to 10 years.
If Floyd wins his next 6 fights and retire undefeated, he will be remembered in history on the same level with Louis, Ali, Leonard, and Robinson. He will be legendary and the measuring stick for all fighters. Oscar as good as he was, will be remembered for his mega stardom in the sport, but never winning the big one. Manny will go down as probably one of the best little fighters in history. But 50 years from now, it will be Floyd who goes down as the supreme and most dominate fighter of his era.
Nah, people will still nitpick his resume like they do with Rocky Marciano's.
If Floyd wins his next 6 fights and retire undefeated, he will be remembered in history on the same level with Louis, Ali, Leonard, and Robinson. He will be legendary and the measuring stick for all fighters. Oscar as good as he was, will be remembered for his mega stardom in the sport, but never winning the big one. Manny will go down as probably one of the best little fighters in history. But 50 years from now, it will be Floyd who goes down as the supreme and most dominate fighter of his era.
True...if Floyd retires with his 0 then he will go down as one of best ever wether people like it or not.....pacs gotta try n build himself back up but will never be what Floyd is.