Pacquiao knocking on Whitaker's door as far as resume is concerned

Whitaker is currently ranked by The Ring as #10 All-Time (see below):

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Joe Louis
5. Roberto Duran
6. Willie Pep
7. Harry Greb
8. Benny Leonard
9. Sugar Ray Leonard
10. Pernell Whitaker


Now put Manny's current career in perspective when placed side by side with Sweet Pea's:


WHITAKER'S NOTABLE FIGHTS (+ win, - loss, = draw):

World Champ at 135 (Lineal, WBC, WBA, IBF)
+Roger Mayweather (UD12)...in his 12th fight!
-,+Jose Luis Ramirez (SD12, UD12)...robbery in the first fight
+Greg Haugen (UD12)
+Freddie Pendleton (UD12)
+Juan Nazario (KO1)
+Azumah Nelson (UD12)
+Jorge Paez (UD12)

World Champ at 140 (WBC)
+Rafael Pineda (UD12)

World Champ at 147 (Lineal, WBC)
+,+Buddy McGirt (UD12, UD12)
=Julio Cesar Chavez (D12)...robbery
+,+Wilfredo Rivera (SD12, UD12)
+Diosbelys Hurtado (TKO11)...I always wonder if he had a coke boost between rds a la Pryor vs. Arguello
-Oscar De La Hoya (UD12)...close, but I thought Whitaker won
-Felix Trinidad (UD12)...a past-prime Pea was dominated

World Champ at 154 (WBC)
+Julio Cesar Vasquez (UD12)

______________________________

PACQUIAO'S NOTABLE FIGHTS (+ win, - loss, = draw):

World Champ at 112 (Lineal, WBC)
+Chatchai Sasakul (KO8}...won title at age 19!
-Medgoen Singsurat (KOby3)...weight-drained

World Champ at 122 (IBF)
+Lehlohonolo Ledwaba (TKO6)
=Agapito Sanchez (TD6)...Sanchez should've been DQ'd for repeated low blows
+Jorge E. Julio (TKO2)
+Emmanuel Lucero (TKO3)

World Champ at 126 (Lineal)
+Marco Antonio Barrera (TKO11)
=Juan Manuel Marquez (D12)

World Champ at 130 (Lineal, WBC)
-,+,+Erik Morales (UD12, TKO10, KO3)...Morales's first win was clear
+Oscar Larios (UD12)
+Jorge Solis (KO8}
+Marco Antonio Barrera (UD12)
+Juan Manuel Marquez (SD12)

World Champ at 135 (WBC)
+David Diaz (TKO9)

Non-Title Superfight at 147
+Oscar De La Hoya (TKO8}

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FINAL STATS:

Whitaker: Champ in 4 weight classes, 2 linear titles, 6 ABC belts
Pacquiao: Champ in 5 weight classes, 3 linear titles, 4 ABC belts

Whitaker: 12-3-1 against current or former champs
Pacquiao: 11-2-2 against current or former champs

Whitaker: holds wins at 135, 140, 147, 154
Pacquiao: holds wins at 108, 112, 115, 122, 126, 130, 135, 147

 

I have Manny somewhere from 15-20, but any combination of wins over Marquez, Hatton, or Mayweather would help his cause even further.

 

That Pacquiao is getting closer to Pea's status, especially if he can pull out a victory over Hatton, Mayweather, or Marquez. Right now I put him at 15-20.

Another stat worthy of note is that Pacquiao has also matched Whitaker at gaining consensus #1 P4P status, in my estimation the smallest P4P #1 ever.

 

FAR as in above or below Pea? Keep in mind that Pea was my favorite fighter ever until Pac came along, as my handle suggests, so I try to be as objective as possible.

 

But is that really his fault? When he was at 112 in 1998, the best fighter at the time was WBC/Lineal champ Sasakul, and his then-promoters in the Philippines had no intentions or dreams of Manny leaving Asia. Manny took out Sasakul at age 19 no less IN Thailand.

Then when Murad Muhammad came along and brought him to America in 2001, the best junior feather was IBF champ Ledwaba, who was Top 15 P4P at the time in most publications. KO6. Barrera, Morales, and Hamed had already moved to 126 when Pacquiao came to America. The other beltholders at 122 were the WBO's Sanchez (who low-blowed Manny to a BS draw against a house fighter on a Top Rank card...funny how time flies! Manny was the scourge of Top Rank back then) and the WBC's Larios (who Pac ended up destroying years later anyway). Also worthy of note is that current junior feather king Israel Vazquez became Pacquiao's sparring partner and close friend at Wild Card during his late stages at 122.

Then to 126, where lo and behold, who was the best feather in the world after beating Hamed, Morales, and Kelley? Ring/Lineal champ Barrera, who was Top 3 P4P at the time, and was thoroughly demolished by Pac-Man in 11. Then who was left at 126? Morales had moved up to 130, so the no-brainer was Marquez, who held both the IBF and WBA belts after embarrassing Mantecas Medina and Smoke Gainer respectively. So Manny took on the best at featherweight without a doubt.

At 130, meanwhile, Morales had beaten Jesus Chavez for his WBC belt, then unified with Famoso Hernandez for the IBF. Morales was the man at the weight. Then, in an upset, lost to the supposedly faded Barrera. It was clear now that Barrera and Morales were the 1-2 best fighters at junior lightweight. And Manny took them BOTH on, going 3-1 with 2 KOs in the process. Then he beat the next best in the division in Marquez. He cleaned house.

Now at 135, he left unfinished business, since Diaz was the weakest beltholder, and the best champs at the time were Campbell (who was fresh off beating Juan Diaz) and Casamayor, who still held the Ring/Lineal belt after beating the late Chico Corrales. Marquez did not enter 135 until AFTER Pacquiao fought Diaz and left for 147, where he currently is today.

So the argument that his quality of opposition and acceptance of challenges to fight the best of the best in the division (save that of lightweight) I think is unfounded.