If Manny beats Spence, is he the GOAT athlete?

[HewJohnson]

He will be the GOAT boxer, numero uno, hands down ever if he beats Spence.

But would this win make him the GOAT athlete?
Better than Brady and Jordan?

[ShaneMosleySr]

No, that would be Joe Louis.

Defended the heavyweight title 25 consecutive times and reigned as champion for 12 years.

That record will never be broken and it makes him the greatest boxer and athlete to ever live.

[Twako]

lol Brady who?
American football is not a sport.

[HewJohnson]

lol Brady who?
American football is not a sport.

Tom “bone ya momma” Brady.


A win over Spence now catapults Pacquiao from not just beat boxer ever but greatest athlete ever discussion. In same realm as Jordan, Lebron, Brady, Floyd.

[GhostofDempsey]

It would be a remarkable achievement that overshadows many other fighters who went on past the age of 40. Beating Thurman at age 41 I'd say he already achieved that. At 43, he is taking on the most dangerous opponent at 147. For comparison, Duran lost to Pazienza at the age of 43 and Robinson lost to a guy named Mick Leahy at the age of 43. Hopkins at 43 lost to Calzaghe and pulled off a win over Pavlik. Spence is far and away a better fighter than Pavlik.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

For me the GOAT athlete will always be Ali, nobody will ever replicate the impact he had worldwide IMO.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It would be a remarkable achievement that overshadows many other fighters who went on past the age of 40. Beating Thurman at age 41 I'd say he already achieved that. At 43, he is taking on the most dangerous opponent at 147. For comparison, Duran lost to Pazienza at the age of 43 and Robinson lost to a guy named Mick Leahy at the age of 43. Hopkins at 43 lost to Calzaghe and pulled off a win over Pavlik. Spence is far and away a better fighter than Pavlik.

Moore is another guy I’d put in that conversation.

Not so sure it overshadows B-Hop either, Spence is admittedly better than Pascal or Pavlik but B-Hop unified titles at 49 which is f***ing crazy.

[pasawayako]

barrera, morales, chavez sr already called pac the GOAT.

[GhostofDempsey]

Moore is another guy I’d put in that conversation.

Not so sure it overshadows B-Hop either, Spence is admittedly better than Pascal or Pavlik but B-Hop unified titles at 49 which is f***ing crazy.

The competition he faced at 175 was awful though. Cloud, Murat, Shumenov. It was ripe for the taking. Plus Hopkins was a very well-preserved 49, hadn't been in many if any real wars, was often the bigger man in the ring. Not to throw shade on his accomplishment, because it is quite impressive to be able to compete at that level at that age regardless. I just don't think the guys he beat at 175 to unify were anything special. I lost a lot of my respect for Hopkins for the way he behaved during the Jones rematch and the Dawson no-contest.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

The competition he faced at 175 was awful though. Cloud, Murat, Shumenov. It was ripe for the taking. Plus Hopkins was a very well-preserved 49, hadn't been in many if any real wars, was often the bigger man in the ring. Not to throw shade on his accomplishment, because it is quite impressive to be able to compete at that level at that age regardless. I just don't think the guys he beat at 175 to unify were anything special. I lost a lot of my respect for Hopkins for the way he behaved during the Jones rematch and the Dawson no-contest.

Beating those guys at 48-49 is still so impressive though IMO. Admittedly they were generally horrible fights were Hopkins old manned his way to a decision but it’s just so unprecedented to be holding world titles in your late forties.

I agree Shumenov isn’t world class or anywhere near elite like Spence but he was still a solid world champion with clear advantages in size, strength and obviously youth. B-Hop was even a betting underdog for the Cloud fight if I remember correctly. Personally, I think it’ll be hard for anyone to surpass B-Hop as unless they also fight into their late forties. Just my personal view on it.