By Don Donatello
Boxers cannot be compared to each other regarding their greatness because they are subjected to different rules, training methodology, science, diet, and opponents. To gauge a boxer’s superiority over other boxers from different eras, we must look at how much the sport has changed because of him. The sign of greatness is being able to do what no one has ever done before. Manny Pacquiao has done things that no man in boxing has ever done, period.
He is the only man to ever win 4 lineal boxing title; those were at flyweight, featherweight, jr. lightweight, and jr. welterweight. Manny Pacquiao stands supreme and is the only man to ever win 8 weight division world titles. Erik Morales was never even knocked down legitimately in his professional career, Morales was knocked down twice in their 2nd fight and was stopped in the 10th round. In their third fight, Morales was knocked down three times and was stopped in the 3rd round.
Pacquiao has changed boxing and raised the bar for any current and future fighter. Five will break the record for lineal titles where it was once at four. Eight is the number to break regarding the number of weight division titles, it was at six before Pacquiao set it at eight. Pacquiao has bested all who came before him in those facets of boxing.
On May 7th, Manny will once again do something that no man in boxing has ever done; stop Sugar Shane Mosley via TKO. It will be a war, not a game of hide and seek, or just enough pot shots to win the round. People will get their money’s worth, as they always do in a Manny Pacquiao fight.
So you might be asking how can a smaller man in Pacquiao stop a naturally bigger opponent in Sugar Shane Mosley who has never been stopped before. After all, Mosley has faced bigger and stronger fighters than Manny Pacquiao. True, Manny is not the biggest or the strongest puncher that Mosley has ever fought. Mosley will be stopped from the accumulation of punches rather than a one KO punch. Aside from that Mosley has never fought a Fighter of the Decade, or fought the only fighter to ever win 4 lineal belts, or take on the best fighter of the era and probably the Greatest of All Time fighter.
What Mosley and others fails to see are Manny’s superior reflexes and timing, it is incomparable to anyone in boxing today. Jim Lampley of HBO touched on Pacquiao’s accuracy during the Margarito/Pacquiao fight. Lampley said Pacquiao is the most accurate puncher in boxing. Mosley is fast and quick, but his timing does not compare to Pacquiao’s; this is what will be the biggest difference between the two fighters. Look for it when they trade in the middle of the ring. Mosley will be shocked in how often Pacquiao is able to hit him. By the 8th round, the accumulation of punches on Mosley will have greatly deteriorate his spirit and grit. The 9nth round spells the beginning of the end for Sugar Shane Mosley.
Got an Opinion? Submit Your Articles and Press Releases to be posted on NowBoxing.com
*Please refrain from leaving any Racist, Profane or Derogatory comments*
