Can Manny Pacquiao Surpass Sugar Ray Leonard in the ATG List?

[koboy]

I do think Pacman could surpass SRL on the ATG list If he beats Cotto and Mayweather. I think he should be pretty close to him now with his accomplishments.

SRL-
Started as a Welterweight (147)
Gold Medal Winner 1976 Olympics
WBC WW Title- Wilfred Benitez 38-0-1 // 53-8-1
Lost than Won to Duran 71-1 // 103-16
WBA SWW Title- Ayub Kalule 36-0 // 46-4
WBC WBA WW Title Unification- Tommy Hearns 32-0 // 61-5-1
WBC MW Title- Marvin Hagler 62-2-2 // 62-3-2
WBC SM & WBC LHW Title- Donny Lalonde 31-2 // 41-5-1
WBC WBO Title Unification- Tommy Hearns DRAW
1 more victory against Duran
Losses to both Terry Norris & Hector Camacho

PAC-
Started as a Minimum Weight (106)
Lost to Rustico Torrecampo 11-4-4
WBC Flyweight Title- Chatchai Sasakul 33-1 // 65-4
Lost to Medgoen Singsurat 18-0 // 63-5
IBF SBW Title- Lehlohonolo Ledwaba 33-1-1 // 36-6
IBF WBO Title Unification- Agapito Sanchez 31-9-2 // 36-11-3 TD
Beat Barrera 57-3
Draw with WBA IBF FW Champ- Juan Manuel Marquez 42-2-0
Lost to Erik Morrales 47-2
Beat Morales twice in rematches
Beat Barrera in rematch
WBC SFW Title- Juan Manuel Marquez 48-3-1
WBC LW Title- David Diaz 34-1-1
Beat De La Hoya 39-5-0
IBO LWW Title- Ricky Hatton 45-1-0

I think Pacman would rank Higher than SRL possibly if he only beats Cotto IMO. But to make it sure he's gonna have to either beat Mosley, Mayweather or Marquez than retire. I think thats enough

WOW! Did you even look at the list that YOU put up! DURAN, HAGLER, HEARNS, BENITEZ vs JMM, EM, BARRERA, DIAZ, HATTON. And you think Pac is equal to SRL now! Unbelievable.

[whirlwind]

Lets flip this for a minute. Are Barrera, Morales, JMM, Hatton or Cotto even top 50 fighters? Do they compare all time to Hearns, Duran, Hagler and Benitez? I've re-thought this and no, it isn't going to happen. Pac is great, He's just not Sugar Ray Leonard great.

Boxers of the past like Sugar Ray, Duran, Hagler and others are great but people tend to overrated them too much to the point of god like status. We conditioned our mind that nobody from our generation will surpass them no matter what you did or achieved in boxing. You know why? its because of our human nature that we are sentimental species. We valued and appreciated anything (includes great boxers) from the past like an priceless antique. But in reality, there is no way we can prove than Sugar Ray, Duran, Hagler and others will win or eat alive the likes of Mayweather, Pacquiao or other greats in our generation if they fight. Thats why we can only compare them on their achievements and resume. But some other people here are very sure that the great boxers of the past will annihilate our great boxers in this era. But they also forgot that the methods, fundamentals, the techniques already perfected by years of trial and error plus the advanced training of today's boxer are far more better than in the past. Thats alone will work wonder and help them to beat these past greats in reality. Just like technology and medicines, or other things today are far more better than in the past.

[-EX-]

tua ain't no welterweight

*****

[-EX-]

Boxers of the past like Sugar Ray, Duran, Hagler and others are great but people tend to overrated them too much to the point of god like status. We conditioned our mind that nobody from our generation will surpass them no matter what you did or achieved in boxing. You know why? its because of our human nature that we are sentimental species. We valued and appreciated anything (includes great boxers) from the past like an priceless antique. But in reality, there is no way we can prove than Sugar Ray, Duran, Hagler and others will win or eat alive the likes of Mayweather, Pacquiao or other greats in our generation if they fight. Thats why we can only compare them on their achievements and resume. But some other people here are very sure that the great boxers of the past will annihilate our great boxers in this era. But they also forgot that the methods, fundamentals, the techniques already perfected by years of trial and error plus the advanced training of today's boxer are far more better than in the past. Thats alone will work wonder and help them to beat these past greats in reality. Just like technology and medicines, or other things today are far more better than in the past.

Break it into paragraphs mayne...and we can only compare based on resume and who appears to have beaten the better fighters...

Would you pick Duran to beat Pac? Who has Pac beaten that Hearns couldn't possibly beat?

Boxing historians have Duran top 10 all time...Hearns and Hagler are in the top 50 ATG...

[koboy]

But they also forgot that the methods, fundamentals, the techniques already perfected by years of trial and error plus the advanced training of today's boxer are far more better than in the past. Thats alone will work wonder and help them to beat these past greats in reality. Just like technology and medicines, or other things today are far more better than in the past.

I understand your point, but you could also reverse your argument and have past greats use the technological, nutritional, and physical advantages they have now.

The question is, if you gave Manny and SRL the same advantages in a certain era and then the same disadvantages in another era, who would be the greater fighter? I still think SRL's resume would be much better.

[tesla_power]

As of now, NO. It's highly unlikely because of the circumstances. SRL beat ATGs. If pac opponents will be treated as ATG's in the future, then YES. It's too early for that comparison now IMO.

[whirlwind]

I understand your point, but you could also reverse your argument and have past greats use the technological, nutritional, and physical advantages they have now.

The question is, if you gave Manny and SRL the same advantages in a certain era and then the same disadvantages in another era, who would be the greater fighter? I still think SRL's resume would be much better.

as of now SRL has the better resume because we thought that Pac will not beat the great boxers SRL fought (we can never prove that anyway) but if Mayweather beat Pacquiao or vice versa then beat JMM, Cotto, and Mosley will still not enough as some other posters said here. He said Pac still need to beat a middleweight champ! Disgusting isn't is!?

[miron_lang]

Pac is an active fighter.

His accomplishment as of this time will be magnified 10 years after his retirement. What he has accomplished is phenomenal.

[Nick Fury]

IF he were to KO Cotto, beat Floyd convincingly, beat Mosley, beat Marquez convincingly, then go up to middleweight and beat Pavlik (or Paul Williams, whoever is champ at the time) and then retire. Yeah he would be ranked higher.

Is that possible? Yes but nearly impossible odds.

If he does that, he is Top 10 in my book....

[whirlwind]

I don't understand why Pacman needs to beat Palvik or other middleweight champ to gain status as the past greats. Why? Will these SRL, Duran, or Hearns beat Palvik as well?