From One ATG to Another: BHop Says Manny Tops Floyd in Legacy
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Jun 2020
Most boxing chroniclers and experts believe that Manny Pacquiao and Bernard Hopkins are the only boxers in the last thirty years who have a shot at being included in the pantheon of the Boxing's All Time Greats.
This from among a gaggle of fine, well accomplished Hall of Fame fighters that include Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Andre Ward, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones, Jr., Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez.
The All Time Greats is a highly exclusive group from across eras of boxing that included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson, among others.
Many fighters are able to get enshrined at the Boxing Hall of Fame, very difficult it is to even just get nominated but only a select few of those who makes it to the Hall have been able to get considered as an ATG or all time great fighter.
So when Bernard Hopkins said he would rather have the legacy of Manny Pacquiao than that of his rival, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., that is practically an ATG complimenting a fellow ATG.
"I’d rather have Manny Pacquiao’s legacy than Floyd Mayweather’s,” Hopkins told The Ring. “Manny fought everybody and Floyd fought guys (on his watch).”
Compliments are rare among ATGs.
You never heard of Ali and Frazier or Pep and Saddler publicly saying good words about each other even after they have long retired. Or even Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, and Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
Oh well, their rivalry extended to their retirement days, I guess.
There was no direct rivalry between Hopkins and Pacquiao for they fought in different divisions, except perhaps in the estimation of the fans of their worthiness as top pound for pound fighters.
But even then, it was rare for a potential ATG to be vouching for another candidate ATG especially at this point when their being considered as ATG is yet to be made formal and official.
It speaks well of the class of Hopkins and volumes about the quality of a fighter that Manny has been.
Hopkins retired with a record of 55-8-2, 32 KOs as a former long reigning undisputed middleweight champion and two time Ring lineal light heavyweight champion.
For Hopkins, boxing legacy is not about being undefeated but more of how a fighter challenges himself against assortments of quality opponents.
Like Manny, Hopkins fought practically a who's who in his career including Roy Jones, Jr., Tito Trinidad, Jermain Taylor, Kelly Pavlik, Oscar de la Hoya, Jean Pascal and Sergei Kovalev, mostly at their best prime in fights he was the underdog.
Manny fought Chatchai Sasakul, Lehlo Lebwaba and Marco Antonio Barrera as underdog, Erik Morales thrice, winning twice and Juan Manuel Marquez four times, winning two with one draw. He also fought David Diaz, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito on his debuts at 135, 140, 147 and 154 lbs, winning each time impressively in devastating fashion.
Manny lost to Floyd in 2015 but their fight came five years remove from Manny's strongest prime where fans and experts believe the result could have been different.
From one ATG to another, indeed.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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