Former world champion and current renowned boxing trainer Robert Garcia is busy growing his stable of young fighters in Riverside, California.
The trainer who is originally from Oxnard, has produced multiple world champions from Brandon Rios to his younger brother Mikey Garcia.
YouTube boxing reporter ESNEWS who frequents the Garcia gym, told the trainer when he was in Cancun, Mexico for the WBC convention hall of fame legends Roberto Duran and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. said they love Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao.
Garcia took it a step further and said that not only do boxing legends like the exciting 40-year-old boxer but people in general appreciate him.
“People all over the world love Manny Pacquiao,” said Garcia. “He is the only one to win titles in so many divisions. Even though we can argue that he didn’t really win a title at certain weights, he still beat all the baddest ones in the division. He’s accomplished a lot. He’s beat so many greats, and knocked out a lot of greats. He is a legend. One of the best in history.”
It seems like Pacquiao doesn’t get his just due when it comes to being among the all-time greats, but Garcia believes he belongs on the list.
“He is among the best with Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao is up there,” Garcia added.
The trainer was also impressed with how great Pacquiao looked at his age against a younger stronger Keith Thurman and believes he can keep going based off that performance.
“Pacquiao looked good in his last fight. He looked fresh, he looked young. He was fast and strong, I think he has got a few more (fights) left in him.”
One of the possible fights talked about for the PacMan is a fight with Mikey Garcia.
Robert would love to see his brother Mikey face Pacquiao, and acknowledges it would be a very hard and difficult fight but they would be honored to go up against the legend.
Robert Garcia already had two of his fighters go up against Pacquiao they were Antonio Margarito and Brandon Rios and both lost to the future hall of famer.
He knows first hand how difficult it is to prepare for the Filipino southpaw. In past interviews Garcia said to prepare for Pacquiao is harder than preparing for Floyd Mayweather because Pacquiao is unorthodox and nobody fights like him. With Mayweather he is great but you can at least find guys who use a similar style to his.
Garcia thinks Pacquiao’s charitable nature and what he does for people outside the ring endears him to people.
“People also like him (Pacquiao) because of what he does outside of the ring too. Most fighters make a lot of money, and then throw it away partying, drinking, doing drugs or buying big mansions, jewelry, cars. Pacquiao is buying and building thousands of homes for the poor. He has hundreds of people in line and giving money away to help everybody.”
Garcia added that Pacquiao is rich and has nice things, but he doesn’t go around bragging about it like other stars.
Apart from being an active boxing champion, Pacquiao is also a Senator in the Philippines and is widely known as one of the most humble and generous superstars in all of sports.
People all over the world love the Filipino ring legend because he is an exciting warrior inside the ring but outside of the ring he is a humble man with a generous nature.
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.