Legacies: Mayweather or Paquiao – who do you pick?

By Boxing News - 11/12/2012 - Comments

Image: Legacies: Mayweather or Paquiao - who do you pick?by Tom Drury: These two fighters generate huge amounts of debate on boxing websites and by the public in general. I thought I would write this article based on the fights these two great fighters have been involved in, the quality of the fights, quality of opposition and the legacies they will leave behind once they hang up there gloves. I will start with Manny Pacquiao and his debut fight in the states against Ledwaba, Pacquiao took the fight with only two weeks notice and sent out a message to the boxing world with a blistering performance.

Pacquiao then went onto fight Marco Antonio Barrera in what was the first of two fights with the Mexican. Pacquiao totally outclassed Barrera in both fights. Early 2004, Pacquiao entered the ring against Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez. This was the first of a highly entertaining and controversial trilogy and a fourth fight happening this year 2012. Many fans, experts, trainers and fighters thought Marquez won two of the three fights. I also have this opinion.

What I do know is the boxing ability, durability and sheer will to win in that trilogy was breathtaking viewing. Then came another scintillating trilogy with another Mexican legend Eric “El Terrible” Morales. The trilogy ended even with Morales winning the first, Pacquiao the second and a draw in the third but again wars that the boxing world will never tire of watching, pure entertainment.

Pacquiao also faced Diaz, De La Hoya, Cotto, Hatton, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Mosley and Tim Bradley. Pacquiao seemed to hit his peak in the De La Hoya, Cotto, Hatton fights. His speed was just too much for Oscar. He gave Cotto a brutal beating and more or less ended Ricky Hatton’s career with one of the most spectacular one punch knockouts I have ever seen. Not to mention the massacre against Margarito which left the Mexican out of boxing for a while with a broken orbital bone. Then came “Sugar” Shane Mosley. In my opinion this was the first fight I thought Pacquiao was slowing his footwork wasn’t what it was. His work rate average and his hand speed also seemed to have diminished a little. The power was still evident as he dropped Mosley for the first time in his career. Bradley was next. Pacquiao lost the fight on the scorecards in what was one of the most controversial decisions I have witnessed.

Floyd Mayweather as we all know is [43-0] “43 have tried and 43 have failed”. I will start when Floyd’s career really went into overdrive and captured the boxing world with his tremendous talent. In 2001, Mayweather fought the hard hitting Diego Corrales. Both fighters were undefeated and Mayweather did a number on him winning by tko in the tenth round. Then came the two fights with Jose Luis Castillo. Mayweather won both by unanimous decision, and each of them controversial decisions to say the least. He defended his titles four times before meeting with the war like Arturo “Thunder” Gatti. Gatti was totally outclassed, outgunned and took to pieces before retiring in the sixth round. Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Mosley, Ortiz and Miguel Cotto were all to fall against Mayweather.

De La Hoya, Marquez, Mosley and Cotto are the fights of late that really stand out for me, he was in a different league to Oscar De La Hoya, the technical boxing skills of Marquez were nullified by Mayweathers brilliance after a two year period of inactivity. Mosley in my opinion was one of Floyd’s defining moments on the big stage showing he could also get through adversity, after been hit with one of Mosley’s hayemakers Floyd came back to win by a lopsided decision. Ortiz was next in 2011 although controversial Mayweather was well in his rights to finish the fight as he did Ortiz was clearly out of his depth hence why he tried to headbutt Mayweather. Miguel Cotto, Mayweathers hardest fight by a long way, he was made to mix it up with Cotto and ended up beating the Puerto Rican warrior at his own game.

These two highly decorated fighters and future hall of famers have had unquestionably great careers but who will leave the sport with the greatest legacy?



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