Is Manny Pacquiao Really That Good?

Being the former pound for pound king, it is a given that a lot of people are  familiar with the name Floyd Mayweather Jr. Well, as everyone has stated as of late, he has also been robbed of that crown by Manny "PACMan" Pacquiao. 

In my opinion he the most exciting and explosive thing to happen to boxing in a very long time. It can easily be said that he is one of the best boxers in the sport today and one of the greatest ever.

Like I said, one of em.

In recent debates fueled by endless media coverage the question stands: Can Floyd Mayweather Jr beat Manny Pacquiao? The answer will vary as peoples opinions do and until the fight actually happens, if it happens, all us boxing enthusiasts can do is express our opinions. So lets look at a few things first.

First off I, unlike many, am not buying into the Pac Man hype that has hit America recently.  I still have questions that have not been answered in any of the last three fights from which he has been crowned pound for pound king.

To understand where I am coming from we must first look to his last fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.  In these fights not only is he most tested, its the last fight before he began his "greatest ever" campaign to prove he was the best fighter out their and not just in one weight class.

To sum it up this fight show that against a skilled boxer-counter puncher Manny will have his toughest test. Ironically we have not seen PAC MAN fight this type of fighter in these last three fights and that is where the questions remain. 

Can Manny beat a Boxer that knows how to box and counterpuch or for that matter knows how to move his head?

Against David Diaz, Pacquiao faced an opponent who had no lateral movement and basically just stood their hoping he could take Manny's power long enough to land one big SLOW punch.

In his bout against Oscar De la Hoya it was to be his finest hour only to be over shadowed by the fact that he beat an old, de-hydrated boxer who once again couldn't move and I don't care who you are no boxer will win if he is de-hydrated. 

This leaves us with Ricky "get hitman" Hatton, again no head movement, no defense and he seemed intent on only trying to land his ever so famous but totally ineffective haymaker left hook.

Now lets take a look at Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The only question I have is if the fight happens, will Floyd's unwillingness to throw punches and come forward with the action cost him a decision in, again if it happens, his biggest contest to date?

I refuse to listen to people that tell me that PAC MAN's Speed will be the reason he will dominate Floyd because though it will give him trouble in the beginning like all his fights his defense will eventually negate speed. 

I mean, let's be honest Floyd will utilize more defense in the first round than David, Oscar and Ricky combined! He also has been excellent at making his opponent fight his fight and against Hatton he fought Hatton's fight which was inside for most of the fight and eventually picked Hatton apart. 

I also don't buy into the argument that pressure will be his down fall as this was every one's reason why he would fall to Ricky.

Now Floyd has a very tough fighter in front of him in JMM, yet he is constantly scrutinized by choosing this fight instead of PAC MAN.  Lets look at the return opponents for Oscar De la Hoya after a nine-month layoff in 2000, Felix Sturm. 

In his return after a on- year lay off following his close defeat to Mayweather, he fought Steve Forbes, I ask you were either of these fighters arguably the No. 2 Pound for Pound best fighter in the world at the time?

Or how about Felix Trinidad electing to fight Hacine Cherifi after an eight month layoff or electing to fight an easily hittable Ricardo Mayorga after a two and a half year layoff.  Yet Floyd is criticized for fighting the NO.2 Boxer in the world.

Next he is ridiculed for fighting smaller fighters. This again is a dumb thing to argue because, uh hello Manny is a smaller fighter! I have never bought into the bigger fighter rule anyway like Emanuel Steward said "The harder puncher is the harder puncher." 

Manny too has expressed interest in fighting Miguel Cotto.  The reason Said by Freddie Roach, I will quote as he proves my point, "Cotto will stand in front of us and come forward." 

Again why is Manny and Freddie avoiding the fighters that will give Manny his toughest challenge. Not saying that Cotto is a push over I believe Cotto has the boxing skills to give Manny a real tough time.

He put Floyd  down for not waiting one day to fight Manny, well Roach can fight mosley now but he wants Cotto why Cotto= less boxing and counter punching that Mosley. 

My prediction if FLoyd beats Jmm Which he should and he then takes on Manny that he will once again show everyone why he is in a class of his own.  Can Floyd Deal with PAC MAN's Power? 

Can Manny fight his type of fight after he's tired from chasing Floyd all night? Is it that everyone thinks Manny can beat him or is it that every one is hoping that some one does and their now on PAC MAN's Wagon, Previously on the Hatton wagon, formerly on the DLH wagon. 

Bottom line: It will be a fight to remember.