In a recent interview with ESNEWS, Boxer Abner Mares, trainer Robert Garcia and his father Eduardo wonder why Manny Pacquiao isn’t praised enough or considered one of the greatest of all time alongside, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, or even Floyd Mayweather Jr.
I’ve often wondered this as well. How come it seems like nobody in boxing gives Pacquiao a legends respect like they do with current greats like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roy Jones Jr or Bernard Hopkins.
Boxing reporters will often do street interviews with boxing fans before major fights and ask who they consider their top boxers of all time and you don’t get many to list Manny Pacquiao as one of them. Usually they will say Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roy Jones Jr., or some currently active fighter like Terence Crawford or Errol Spence Jr..
I’ve always been a fan of different fighters no matter their race or ethnic background, but it seems in America unless you are an American you are not considered a great boxer.
You will get a few exceptions like people putting Roberto Duran or Julio Cesar Chavez in the mix.
I watch a bit of YouTube to see boxing footage and I will come across channels who criticize fighters like Vasyl Lomachenko, Gennady Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao, referring to them as hype jobs or protected.
At the same time they will praise the American boxers Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr., the Charlo brothers, and even Deontay Wilder.
One of these YouTubers claimed Manny Pacquiao has no skills and can’t box. He even went as far as making a video of all the times Manny got hit off balance or missed a punch, at the same time he had a video praising Deontay Wilder who is known as one of the least technical and flawed boxers today.
I see the criticism now boiling over to Lomachenko who is widely considered one of the best pound for pound by the boxing media.
Videos on YouTube were appearing and comments on social media saying Lomachenko was exposed because he didn’t knockout his last opponent Jose Pedraza. Just a few notes, Lomachenko was coming off a shoulder surgery and did extremely well dominating the fight for all 12 rounds against a fellow world champion.
The same persons who made these videos saying Lomachenko was exposed made a video defending fighters like Deontay Wilder who lost arguably the majority of rounds to Tyson Fury, claiming Wilder was robbed.
They never criticize the technique of Wilder but love to say Pacquiao is a one trick pony with no boxing skill. They also claim British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is ducking Wilder and is being protected by his promoter Eddie Hearn.
I don’t understand this type of disrespect. I even respect fighters who are wild punchers like Deontay Wilder because the sweet science doesn’t mean you have to look pretty doing it, as long as your style is effective that is all that matters.
Pacquiao is the only 8-weight division world champion in boxing, and even that achievement is downgraded by these detractors who even go as far to claim he was juicing (taking steroids) to achieve those feats.
Don’t forget he is also a full-time Senator in the Philippines who fights on the side, this has never been done in boxing history. He won the WBA welterweight belt against Lucas Matthysse and continues to beat younger opponents, how is that not impressive?
Now that Pacquiao is in his 40’s, I heard some American boxing fans say, “who wants to watch a washed up Pacquiao?” Well this washed up fighter is still fighting at the highest level with ferocity these younger welterweights only dream of having, if he beats these younger champions, he will surpass Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the all-time great list for sure.
Erwin Lastimosa is a long time boxing fan and enjoys boxing discussion with his peers. Some of his favorite fighters are Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali, Flash Elorde, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.