Manny Pacquiao climbed 10 divisions and fought ATG's in their prime

Pac the GOAT.

 

Your last paragraph is a bit hyperbolic. It's honestly kind of amusing that you lionize Pacquiao's feats as unattainable. They're great but every 30 or so years a Pacquiao does come around whether it's Duran or Armstrong. It's amusing because the way you're waxing nostalgic about Pac is the same way that old school hardcores wax nostalgic about Henry Armstrong and SRR and how modern fighters could never catch up to them because of how often they fought or the common complaints about all the ABC belts and bloated divisions. You kind of sound like a boomer writing off any potential newcomers, there will always be a Duran, Pacquiao, Armstrong esque fighter even if they are rare (realize that sounds paradoxical but you get the point).

 

Former Flyweight champion that is still competing at the highest level at Welterweight in his 40s? No, there will never be another Manny Pacquiao. We may see another or many more generational talents, but we won't see another former Flyweight tearing things up at Welterweight.

 

By that same token older fighters didn't have the luxury of all the weight classes we have now or all the Alphabet titles. They had to fight and sure you could argue their resumes got padded but they also didn't have the luxury of really studying their opponents and have months to prep either. Modern fighters not being active is probably because of their extensive amateur careers where they waste their valuable years where it could be used to bolster their pro career. Canelo is an example of a fighter without an extensive ammy career but a pretty beefy pro record, and no I'm not saying he's anywhere close to Pacquiao.

 

Nah, they just get paid enough to facilitate it. My favourite fighter (Ezzard Charles) made peanuts in the 40s and 50s. Guys were getting paid like $40 per fight on the come up, and $130, 000 in the biggest fight of his career.

The top guys can afford to live and retire from boxing without fighting on a bi-weekly basis.

 

Damn right thats why its Charles>Pac all day everyday.

 

Pacquiao wouldn't even be a pimple on Ezz's ass.

 

You cannot compare salaries between generations without consideration of the cost of living.
Granted, 30 million a fight is extreme and outlandish, but those are outliers.

 

Well, Roberto Duran turned pro at bantamweight, knocked out a future featherweight champ at featherweight (Ernesto Marcel), weighed 130 in his first title winning fight against 135lb LIGHTWEIGHT Champ Ken Buchanan, totally bypassed 140 to beat 147lb SUGAR RAY LEONARD, and years past his prime and several weight classes (at least 4) beat 160lb MIDDLEWEIGHT Champ IRAN BARKLEY who had just brutalized Thomas Hearns. He also beat world ranked Jorge Castro well into his 40's at 168lb. I'm sorry, I love love Manny but MAN look at the size difference between Iran Barkley and Duran! It wasn't quite the same as Pacquaio-Thurman lol. Duran was not a modern title chaser like Floyd Mayweather or Manny but he sure as hell could've won a lot more titles in a lot more weight divisions if he was managed properly. I'm thinking between 122 - 168 was within his scope. NINE weight divisions was possible in modern times for this man. Duran and Pacquaio both deserve to be mentioned in the same breath but I think Duran's biggest scalps are a bit more impressive.

 

He is an ATG. He is like Sugar Ray Leonard and Robinson and Monzon. He could dominate and fight In any Era of boxing.
Thats what makes an ATG.

 

Most of the boxers however great they were during their prime are just stepping tomato cans (for the younger generations) at the age of 40s IF they can even fight at that age, whereas Pacman still holds the belt fighting younger ones, stronger, bigger guys.
Same generations fighters that Pacquaio fought are all washed-up now , mostly retired (Morales, Barrera, JMM, Mayweather, Cotto, Margarito, DelaHoya, Bradley,et al) but the Pacman kept on giving what is good for boxing!
That's what makes Pacquiao SPECIAL and Entertaining.

 

Can't argue that. Even at MW, the Duran that gave Hagler a tough fight could pick up a MW belt in mordern times. I don't rate Barkley too much but that was still a great achievement.

I'd only add though that Pac wasn't just some pro turning Flyweight, he was the LINEAL Flyweight champ that fights ATG WW's. And when he turned pro, he was under the minimum weight limit (had to carry rocks). Thats a huge distinction to make. It's like expecting Chocolatito to come up and fight Crawford/Spence now.