well i have to disagree. Cotto and Clottey clearly looked bigger I'm not saying manny is a super small guy, but he's obviously not a big welter. He's a small welter.
What has this thread turned into... He's a small welter who needs to eat more than he should to maintain the weight. This is fact. Why are we arguing this? As for what makes him the greatest of our times? I don't know if we can say that. In fact I know we can't, since RJJ was most certainly greater. But what makes him great is his work ethic, his mental strength, his ability to absorb and reproduce what he has been taught, his affiliation with one of the top two strategists of our era, and to a large degree, his chin. You might also throw in cutting edge knowledge within his camp, of nutrition. I would not consider his "willingness to fight the best there is out there" because I don't quite feel he has that. I defend Pac against the roid callers all the time, but if you ask me he should be fighting Paul Williams right now. Not to lead the thread in a different direction but win or lose, that fight enhances his legacy for me.
What really makes him special are his speed and his power. Especially his tremendous knockout power. Without it, he'd be Bobby Pacquiao.
Pac is not a true welter. Just check his ring weights during his fights: [code] Nov 06 - Morales 3 - 144 lbs Oct 07 - Barrera 2 - 144 lbs Mar 08 - Marquez 2 - 145 lbs Jun 08 - Diaz - 147 lbs Dec 08 - Dela Hoya - 148.5 lbs May 09 - Hatton - 148 lbs Nov 09 - Cotto - 149 lbs Mar 10 - Clottey - 145 3/4 (weight in after feasting on a steak)[/code]4 years span and his ring weight hasn't changed much. Margarito and Mosley, for example, both weigh in at 160 lbs during their fight at welter.
Water-weight and muscle are two different things. You can't compare a fully hydrated 130lb version of Pac weighing 144lbs, to a lean ripped Pac weighing in at 147 and looking like a full-fledged WW on fight now. Idiots, lol Hell, most light-weights are 147 - 150 on fight night. Doesn't mean they can suddenly gain 15lbs of muscle overnight and start fighting at WW. On paper , the weight is the same, but that only is the surface.
Awkward style, insane output on punches along with hand speed, quick change in angles, and the ability to fight just like he did in the 1st round
This is the Ring's top 10 at welterweight as of 8/1/2010. 1. Floyd Mayweather Jr. 5′ 8″/ 72″ 2. Manny Pacquiao 5′ 6½″/ 67″ 3. Andre Berto 5′ 8½″ 4. Shane Mosley 5′ 9″/ 74″ 5. Miguel Cotto 5′ 7″ / 67″ 6. Joshua Clottey 5′ 8″/ 70″ 7. Rafal Jackiewicz No Data Given. 8. Jan Zaveck 5′ 7½″ 9. Vyacheslav Senchenko 5′ 10″/ 70″ 10. Timothy Bradley 5′ 6″/ 69″ In terms of being a welterweight Pacquiao is the smallest of the top 10. That dose not make him a small welterweight. A weight in which he has only had 2 fights. One against Cotto who is pretty much the same size as Pacquiao not bigger. and Clottey who is bigger than Pacquiao. Pacquiao has been at a size disadvantage but more often than not is not at a size disadvantage. Pacquiao is on a 12 fight winning streak dating back to 9/10/2005. These are the sizes of his opponents. Cotto and Clottey are listed above. Ricky Hatton 5′ 7½″/65″ Oscar De La Hoya 5′ 10½″/ 73″ David Diaz 5′ 6″ / 69″ Juan Manuel Marquez 5′ 7″/ 67″ Also has a Draw with Marco Antonio Barrera 5′ 6″ / 70″ Has Two Wins Jorge Solis 5′ 8½ Erik Morales 5′ 8″ /72″ Has Two Wins and a Loss Hector Velazquez 5′ 7 / 67″ In this stretch Pacquiao was at a size disadvantage against Clottey, De La Hoya (who was past his best and at the wrong weight) Solis and Morales (who he as also lost to.) Manny Pacquiao is not small.
LWs entering the ring at 147-148 lbs is a common thing. Just like WWs entering the ring at 155-160lbs. Pac don't enter the ring at 155-160lbs - he's still small for a WW.
Pac has dedeptive range with his straight left...He Regularly hits opponents who thought they were out of range... And unlike most power punchers, he has unbelievable stamina...As strong mentally as physically, maybe even more so...