OF COURSE ?TOO SHARP? JOHNSON CAN?T COMPARE HIMSELF TO PACQUIAO
By Chito Yu Katangkatang
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 Dec 2011
New Hall of Fame Inductee Mark ?Too Sharp? Johnson recently insulted Manny Pacquiao?s boxing legacy by publicly stating he cannot compare himself to Manny and that Pacquiao fights dead men. As a Filipino, I don?t consider myself much of a Pachugger but I respect what Congressman Pacquiao has achieved for himself, for His country and for boxing. Indeed we should not compare Johnson with the current pound for pound King. To do such would defy logic and desecrate boxing. Let me lay down my points on this issue.
Manny Pacquiao has defeated Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley. How many of these guys are sure hall of famers? How many of these guys held titles and were in their prime when Pacquiao fought them? To call all of these guys dead men would only mean two things. Either Mark Johnson was high on drugs when he said this or he is simply an attention whore.
On the contrast, who did Mark Johnson fight in his career? He was decisioned and knocked out by Rafael Marquez in what was Johnson?s first marquee fight. He won a close majority decision over then 27-0 Fernando Montiel, he was knocked out by a newbie Ivan Hernandez (17-0) and was sent to retirement courtesy of Jhonny Gonzalez.
Johnson said he called out people to fight him but the likes of Johnny Tapia, Michael Carbajal, Ricardo Lopez and others. I don?t think he was ducked because he was too dangerous. These champs didn?t want to fight Johnson because there is no money fighting him! Just because people doesn?t want to fight you doesn?t mean you?re a threat to them. It could also mean you?re a waste of time. Imagine if Pacquiao fought every fighter who called him out. Then we would have seen a Pac-Malignaggi, Pac-Mayorga, Pac-Katsidis or Pac-Darchinyan.
Based on the above premises, Johnson's resume is mediocre one. There are boxers with better records and who are more worthy of a Hall of Fame induction. But I cannot question the wisdom of the people who selects Hall of Famers. They know boxing more than I do. But if we take a survey around the world and ask randomly if they know a ?Too Sharp? Johnson who was the only black flyweight champ, I wonder if two people can say yes. But if we ask them who Pacquiao is, I wonder if there?s someone who doesn?t.
Aside from being the only black boxer to capture a flyweight belt, I honestly don?t see any reason why this guy is inducted to the hall of fame. What about the only Chinese guy, the only Indonesian, the only Samoan to capture a certain title, are they automatically Hall of Famers? Maybe it would be better to submit Johnson?s record to Believe it or Not.
Maybe we can tell Johnson to unretire, then He and Pacquiao can do an exhibition match at flyweight. Then we can do a concrete comparison. Just my two cents.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Chito Yu Katangkatang.
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