I've often thought that Manny Pacquiao's ascendance was, in many ways, similar to that of "The Belfast Spider" Jimmy McLarnin. Both fighters started off at or near flyweight and eventually settled at welterweight, and both defeated quality fighters in multiple divisions. Manny Pacquiao obviously has more championships to his name, but McLarnin likely would have bagged a few more in more contemporary eras. Plus, McLarnin at one point in time or another defeated the lineal or number one guy in just about every division he competed in- and the same can't be said for Pac. So...which of the two careers impresses you more?
I think I might go McLarnin even though he had such an ugly style (he's a transition guy). But McLarnin was often the bigger man in the ring, and would today be accused of some of the things we call Mayweather out on. Still McLarnin has as impressive a win list (on face value) as anyone in history.
To be fair, a lot of Pac's earlier performances look a bit unpolished too. Both of them utilized that centered on their speed and power. Pac has always tended to rely more upon his jab than McLarnin did, though. Jimmy tended to eschew that and instead looked to land the hook or cross right away.
