Sexy Sergio: Manny Pacquiao Is Top 4 or 5 GOAT + Brian Castano: Pacquiao is the GOAT.

You're high if you think MAB is greater than Benitez no reputable list has MAB>Benitez. Benitez is anywhere from a top 50-60 ATG MAB is like a top 80 ATG if that.
MAB was seen on the way down anyway when Pac beat him with that said it was still a good win.

 

No Pac is a top 20 to 25 ATG.

 

I've rated him top 20 for years now. [Shrugs]

I don't think he's the best fighter of his era but that's not a negative statement, people get too caught up in his rivalry with Floyd.

Time is always the great equalizer with perspective. Really need to wait a decade on to get a better total view of the era and seeing hypocrisies in your own views on the subject (all sports). Just takes time. Heck, not long ago on here Lomo and Golovkin were top 25 boxers of all time, am I right?!

 

I don't dispute that SRL has a better resume than Pac...he fought all the best boxers in several divisions during a great couple decades of boxers....but it's only slightly better IMO.

However I think you're being a bit harsh on Pac. Two of his losses are disputable: Bradley and Horn. The Torrecampo and Sinsurat losses were at a crazy weight (112) WAY below the weight he was comfortable at. FFS Ali lost 5 times, Ezzard Charles lost 25 times, Ray Robinson lost 19 times; so Manny lost some fights and got KO'd...leaning solely on those KO's ignores everything else Pac did in his career.

He defeated some amazing, HOF boxers:

Shane Mosely
Oscar DLH
Eric Morrales
Marco Antonio Barrera
Miguel Cotto
Surely all five of these guys are HOF considerations.

And some very good, second level Champions)
Ricky Hatton (world champ)
Keith Thurman (world champ)
Oscar Larios (63-7-1 final record)
Luca Matthysse
Adrian Broner

And he gave several of those guys above rematches and third fights.

Personally, I think Pac is a top 15 all timer, but I'm not going to make list. It's just a guess.

 

I don't know what you consider a reputable list but a quick google search of ATG lists will find a few with MAB above Benitez. ESPN has a top 50 list with MAB in it and Benitez out. Fight game media has a list with MAB above Benitez.

 

He beat a shot Erik Morales
He beat a shot Oscar
He beat a shot Mosley
MAB good win
Cotto good win
Hatton good win
Thurman Good win
Larios nothing special
Lucas nothing special
Broner nothing special

Those guys from those eras lost but they fought much more than guys do now. If Pac fought back then he'd have more than 7 loses for sure and if they fought in this era many would be undefeated or have 1 or 2 loses. My point is his best win is MAB or JMM and JMM he never really beat clearly. Good wins but not 10 ATG worthy for sure. He lost his legacy fight to PBF and the other loses he had are excuses I'm sorry. Great fighter but not greater than SRL whose win over Duran is so much better than Pac's best win it isn't even worth debating.

 

I agree with your last sentence

HOWEVER

I'll be in Houston the rest of this week; staying at the downtown Hilton. If you see an old guy in front of the convention center holding up a sign "Pimp C is a Manny Hater!" you'll know who it is!

 

If SRL had beaten Montreal Duran I'd agree. But Duran was in Leonard's own words a compromised and diminished fighter in the rematch. It wasnt that Diran was old or war torn. He was just out of shape.

 

In my lifetime I was born in 92 Pac and RJJ are the greatest fighters. Their greatness surpasses the rest of the others easily.

 

Ring Magazine Bleacher Report both have Benitez above MAB.

 

Those are excuses and flaws of Duran as a fighter. Some guys live sleep and drink boxing like Hopkins and PBF others don't like Duran and Toney. Pac never beat anyone as good as Duran or Benitez or Hearns or Hagler.

 

Not a Pac hater just a truth teller.

 

I said he was out of shape not old and torn. Duran was a more sophisticated technically skilled fighter than SRL. That's why he won. SRL had the size, power, strength and speed advantages, but Duran was able to nullify them with a high level of skill.

 

So it goes both ways.

 

Misread it my bad, I edited my post. Even still he lost not SRL's fault that he showed up ready to fight and Duran didn't it's an excuse and a flaw as a fighter. If AJ shows up in bad shape and not ready to fight do you think people will let AJ get away with using that as an excuse if he lost to Usyk??? Of course not he will be bashed and rightfully so.