This is a repost of pejevan's over at ESB (I know, I know, ESB of all f*ck'n places). But it's still food for thought:
"Numbers Don't Lie
There are times when we like an athlete so much that we want things to happen that are almost impossible for him/her to achieve. And like a destiny, this happened to Manny Pacquiao. He won a historic seven world titles in seven weight divisions; four of which were lineal titles and all of them came from a knock out win against the world champion and claimant. Here are some interesting statistics why Manny is such a legendary fighter. And like the saying goes; "Some men lie, some women lie, but numbers don't".
Elite Club of Multiple Division World Champions w/ at least 4:
7 - Manny Pacquiao (112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147)*
6 - Oscar DeLa Hoya (130, 135, 140, 147, 154, 160)
5 - Thomas Hearns (147, 154, 160, 168, 175)
5 - Sugar Ray Leonard (147, 154, 160, 168, 175)
5 - Floyd Mayweather Jr. (130, 135, 140, 147, 154)
4 - Roberto Duran (135, 147, 154, 160)
4 - Pernell Whitaker (135, 140, 147, 154)
4 - Leo Gomez (105, 108, 112, 115)
4 - Roy Jones Jr. (160, 168, 175, 200+)
Elite Club of Multiple Awardee of Ring Figther of the Year w/ at least 3:
5 - Muhhamad Ali - 1963, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978
4 - Joe Louis - 1936, 1938, 1939, 1941
3 - Joe Frazier - 1967, 1970, 1971
3 - Evander Holyfield - 1987, 1996, 1997
3 - Manny Pacquiao - 2006, 2008, 2009*
Elite Club of Multiple Awardee of BWAA Figther of the Year w/ at least 3:
3 - Muhhamad Ali - 1965, 1974, 1975
3 - Joe Frazier - 1969, 1971, 1975
3 - Sugar Ray Leonard - 1976, 1979, 1981
3 - Evander Holyfield - 1990, 1996, 1997
3 - Manny Pacquiao - 2006, 2008, 2009*
Comparing Manny Pacquiao among the Ring top-10 ATG Fighters:
Career W-L-D Record:
Joe Louis =========== 66-3-0 ======= 0.957
Willie Pep =========== 229-11-1 ===== 0.950
Muhhamad Ali ======== 56-5-0 ======= 0.918
Manny Pacquiao ====== 51-3-2 ======= 0.911 (4th)
Sugar Ray Leonard ==== 36-3-1 ======= 0.900
Pernell Whitaker ====== 40-4-1 ======= 0.889
Sugar Ray Robinson === 175-19-6 ===== 0.875
Harry Greb ========== 260-20-18 ==== 0.872
Roberto Duran ======= 103-16-0 ===== 0.866
Benny Leonard ======= 184-19-11 ==== 0.860
Henry Armstrong ===== 149-21-10 ==== 0.828
KO Percentage:
Joe Louis ============= 75.36%
Manny Pacquiao ======== 67.86% (2nd)
Sugar Ray Leonard ====== 62.50%
Muhhamad Ali ========== 60.66%
Roberto Duran ========= 58.85%
Henry Armstrong ======= 56.11%
Sugar Ray Robinson ===== 54.00%
Pernell Whitaker ======== 36.96%
Willie Pep ============= 26.97%
Benny Leonard ========= N/A
Harry Greb ============ N/A
Peak Record:
Harry Greb ============ 258-18-18
Benny Leonard ========= 184-18-11
Willie Pep ============= 134-1-1
Sugar Ray Robinson ===== 128-1-2
Henry Armstrong ======= 108-12-8
Roberto Duran ========= 72-1-0
Joe Louis ============= 58-1-0
Muhhamad Ali ========== 55-2-0
Manny Pacquiao ======== 51-3-2 (9th)
Pernell Whitaker ======== 40-1-1
Sugar Ray Leonard ====== 35-1-1
Number of HOF'er Defeated:
Harry Greb ------------------ 13
Norfolk, Tunney, Blackburn, Dillon, Flowers, Walker, Loughran, Miske,
Levinskey, M. Gibbons, Rosenbloom, Slattery, T. Gibbons
Sugar Ray Robinson -------- 10
Armstrong, LaMotta, Fullmer, Gavilan, Basilio, Graziano,
Zivic, Turpin, Angott, Olson
Henry Armstrong ----------- 10
Wolgast, Ross, Angott, Ambers, Jenkins, Zivic,
Montanez, Bass, Wright, Arizmendi
Joe Louis -------------------- 8
Schmeling, Sharkey, Conn, Walcott, Baer, Braddock,
Lewis, Bivins
Muhhamad Ali --------------- 7
Foster, Moore, Frazier, Foreman, Liston, Patterson, Norton
Benny Leonard -------------- 7
Tendler, Kansas, Dundee, Ritchie, Britton,
Kilbane, Welsh
Manny Pacquiao ------------- 6 (7th)
Barrera, Morales, Marquez, DeLa Hoya, Cotto, Hatton
*Assuming all makes it in IBHOF
Sugar Ray Leonard --------- 4
Duran, Benitez, Hagler, Hearns
Roberto Duran -------------- 4
Leonard, Cuevas, Palomino, Buchanan
*De Jesus & Marcel have strong chances though
Willie Pep ------------------- 3
Saddler, Ortiz, Wright
Pernell Whitaker ------------ 2
Nelson, Ramirez
Average of Opponent's Record:
Ranking by Percentage:
Muhhamad Ali ========== 33-5-1 ======= 0.850
Pernell Whitaker ======== 28-4-1 ======= 0.850
Sugar Ray Leonard ====== 32-5-1 ======= 0.840
Manny Pacquiao ======== 24-4-1 ======= 0.830(4th)
Roberto Duran ========= 21-5-1 ======== 0.780
Joe Louis ============= 40-10-3 ======= 0.755
Sugar Ray Robinson ===== 39-14-4 ======= 0.684
Henry Armstrong ======= 40-14-6 ====== 0.667
Willie Pep ============= N/A
Harry Greb ============ N/A
Benny Leonard ========= N/A
Average of Opponent's Record:
Ranking by No. of Wins minus No. of Losses:
Joe Louis ============= 40-10-3
Muhhamad Ali ========== 33-5-1
Sugar Ray Leonard ====== 32-5-1
Henry Armstrong ======= 40-14-6
Sugar Ray Robinson ===== 39-14-4
Pernell Whitaker ======== 28-4-1
Manny Pacquiao ======== 24-4-1(7th)
Roberto Duran ========= 21-5-1
Willie Pep ============= N/A
Harry Greb ============ N/A
Benny Leonard ========= N/A
Pacquiao's Other Statistics:
World Title Fights Record: 13-1-2
Number of Defeated World Champions: 12
Longest Win streak w/o a draw: 15
First Held a World Title at age: 19
Last Held a World Title at age: 31 (present)
Never fought a 0-0-0 fighter"