If it was a "greener" Manny moving up in weight when they were both active i'd take Kostya. It would still be a very entertaining fight, but Pacquiao even today is still somewhat open to straight right hands. Against a bigger experienced guy like Tszyu (who was also adept at handling speed) the effect would be amplified. The more well rounded and polished Pacquiao of recent years would do a paint job on Tszyu.
Great fight, it would be competitive & interesting. I used to think Tszyu, but Pacquiao has made a believer of me.
Agree that this is a bad style matchup for Pac. Tszyu had excellent timing, s solid chin, and one hell of a straight right. I've probably picked the other way around before, but right this moment my money is on Zoo.
I tend to agree I think Pac is a brilliant fighter but at these higher weights he's dealt with guys who were mostly shells of what they had been, and some of them were never all that to begin with... I think people tend to overrate these wins based on Pac's being smaller... I think his speed troubles Tszyu, but his aggressive style is something that Tszyu preferred and it must be said that Pac has consistently had problems with good right hand punching, Tszyu's best weapon
I think I agree with Sly. Tszyu has never seen anything like him. Tszyus very best victims werent within a hundred miles of Pacquiao.
Who has Pac beaten north of 130 that was comparable to a prime Tszyu at the time that he fought them?
I dont subscribe to the downgrading of Pacquiaos resume above 130. I think of it as an amazing run almost no one else could duplicate.
Hatton went on a well-documented downward spiral following the Floyd fight, he looked like crap against Lazcano and had issues making weight as well. Cotto had just been on the receiving end of a plaster-gloved beatdown. Both guys were better than Tszyu at their best, but neither of those versions were better than Tszyu at his best. Further, and more importantly, none of the guys Pac has fought pose the same stylistic issues for him that Tszyu does.
that's crap Hatton looked as good as ever againt malignaggie. A lazcano type of fighter would have always troubled him
But you can also look at it this way: Vince Philips beat down Tszyu and Hatton beat down (albeit an older perhaps slightly past his best) Tszyu. Pacquiao is a man that has beat down tough guys like Morales, De La Hoya, Mosley, Margarito. So while I agree with the stylistics problems that Tszyu poses to pacquiao, the problems (speed, power, agression and unending stamina) that Pacquiao would pose for Tszyu would be greater.
Most of the opponents were either coming off of losses or were compromised considerably by age, or both I think some downgrading is badly needed in light of the "Pac is #1 p4p all time" type of hysteria I was FAR MORE Impressed with who Pacquiao was beating from 122-130 than I have been with the guys (or versions of them) he has toppled since
Hatton did look good against Malinaggi, that is true. There wasnt a 140lber in the Universe in 2009 who could have done to Hatton what Pacquiao did. Like I say, I dont subscribe to the idea of tearing apart Pacquiaos CV above 135 at all.
but the 140 division sucks balls and has for several years now, the lack of a 140 pounder aorund to do that to Hatton says more about the utter shitiness of the division than it does about Manny And that is probably his highest quality win during this "Manny vs. Big Guys" tour of the last few years... Break 'em down: Shane Mosley, in his previous two fights, had a draw with Sergio Mora and a one-sided decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Antonio Margarito, in his previous fight, won a decision over a relative nobody (Roberto Garcia) after 16 months out fo the ring following a brutal knockout loss to Shane Mosley Miguel Cotto hadn't exactly set the world on fire in his SD over Clottey (who makes Jose Luis Lopez look like Aaron Pryor) ... but that is still a pretty good win Oscar De La Hoya was a joke by that point... he had lost 2 of his previous 4 and in the fight before it, he had unimpressively decisioned Steve Forbes, a fat former 130 pounder he was expected to walk over I just think its ridiculous that people pick Pac almost automatically to kill everybody he's matched with when he has never been in with a great bigger man in that fighter's prime
Pac is a stylistic nightmare for Zoo, but the reverse is to a degree also true. Prime Pac vs prime Zoo is a pick em, but I lean towards Pac by decision.
yup, a strong of great performances against great fighters and good fighters... THAT makes him more of an all-timer to me
But it's his performances above 130lbs which solidified his greatness. Stopping or dominating Welterweights and Jnr Middles when you started out at fly weight is more impressive than beating up Barrera, Morales and drawing with Marquez. Not even a debate....regardless of the attempts by the maverick contrarians.
horseshit it would be a hell of a lot more impressive if the welterweights he was beating up were serious threats it is way, way more impressive to beat great fighters who are still great but are close to your size than it is to beat up shopworn old timers who bear little resemblance to the fighters they once were
Bullshit mixed with sheepshit and pigshit Pacquiao was NOT supposed to be able to beat De La Hoya. I, for one, thought it would be a MISMATCH in Oscar's favour and I was not in the minority. Sure Oscar was a shell of his former self but it didn't change the perception going into that fight considering the considerable size difference between the two men and the fact that Oscar was known for both chin, and power. A short small man like Pacquiao wasn't supposed to be able to do what he did to De La Hoya. After his performance that fight Pacquaio was justifiably the favourite over guys like Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, Margarito and Mosley..but it wasn't just that he beat them, it was the way that he beat them...the fact they couldn't hurt him and the fact that he could hurt them. People were wondering...HOW THE FUCK can a guy that size hurt men that size and not be hurt himself in return?? His victories over Barrera (already stopped by Jones and beaten by Morales) and Morales (already beaten by Barrera and some other dudes) pale in comparison to what he achieved in those fights padna.
agreed Pacquiao beating the mexican trio was shocking (especially Barrera the 1st time), but him beating Cotto, Clottey, Margarito and DLH was simply unbelivable.
