Floyd needed prime Manny much more than Manny needed prime Floyd

That's what makes Pacquiao even more impressive.
Pacquiao did that as an aggressive fighter, and he turned pro at a young age, been in wars from a young age, fought in poverty conditions from a young age. In terms of professional boxing legacy, that career resulted in Pacquiao's weight climb of 12 divisions. This is unheard of.

Moreover, Floyd Mayweather was the naturally bigger fighter, Floyd's body developed into the naturally stronger, bigger man than Pacquiao. Floyd at 16-20 onwards was fighting at featherweight at the Olympics. Pacquiao however had been fighting at flyweight.

When you're a pro, face great opposition, been in wars, come from the lowest weight divisions and spend many years there (build up status as an ATG there), have an aggressive style, this decreases the number of years you have in the tank, and especially by welterweight days, makes you echelons lesser in many ways.

Being an aggressive fighter and rising up the weight classes successfully against elite opposition is something that has only been done a few times in history, and never like Manny's span of 12 divisions.

When we think of the best version of Floyd, we think of him in his 130lb days because he had power, his style was slightly different and more successful, his reflexes was sharper etc. such aspects of his game were echelons better. The same is the case of a smaller Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather however had been handed success on a silver spoon by his over-controlling father in a family of good boxers, went to the Olympics and was picked up immediately by promoters.

 

Floyd wouldnt have needed 3 fights to beat them probably,floyd was immensley tallented but in terms of greatness its not even close.
Greatness is defined by taking risks and over coming them,doing the unexpected.
Look at floyds climb through the weights,not once was he the under dog and he carefully picked his path through his career.
Compare that to pacs,time and time again he jumped weights,not having warm ups against bums but jumping straight in with the top dog,and some superb fighters at that.he lost a few,so what he always come back stronger and always pushed himself to the limit.
Are you seriously going to give him credit for beating someone naturally a couple of divisions smaller than him,with everything conceded to floyds demands,after 5 years of chasing him,until hed gone through war after war and wasnt a patch on his prime self.and the cherry on the cake after calling pac out for juicing and citing it as the reason the fight didnt originally come off,is found to have cheated and jack **** happens because hes got usada in his **** pocket.
Not in the same stratosphere as pac in terms of greatness,all smoke and mirrors,he was a fraud who didnt dare to be great

 

Pac needed to let the cuts from the third Marquez fight heal more than he needed his shoulder to heal.

 

I think the speed is comparable between Pac and Floyd at the lower weight classes, but Pac utilises a game that required speed more than Floyd. Hence why in effect, Pac's speed was a greater factor than Floyd's.

Golovkin's power is very Pacquiao-esque, and Golovkin at 160 is experiencing the power benefits that Pacquiao had at the lower weight classes.

I think it's a big factor where you mentioned the names of their legacy.
Pacquiao will be known for two big name achievements: The ATG Mexican trio of Barrera, Morales and Marquez, as well as the climb Diaz-Hatton-Cotto-Margarito.

Floyd will be known for making his name in the Castillo-Corrales-Casamayor (although he didn't fight him) era, and his streak against mediocre fighters like Ortiz, Guerrero, shot Mosley.

These are major differences.

 

Pacquiao is greater than Floyd

 

EM and MAB were past their prime. Pacs losses are horrendous, understandable, and conclusive. Floyd>Pac and history knows this.

 

Floyd fought many world champions, former champions while Pac was fighting ****en EM and Maband then mofos like 3k Battery lol... A lot of nondescript mofos in between the good fighters that he fought.

 

As long as they were formidable right? Fighters get kod in their prime as well.