Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
The end of an era is upon us, according to some in the boxing world after a shuddering right hand from Juan Manuel Marquez laid out eight-weight great Manny Pacquiao in their fourth meeting last month.
Even before this event happened, derogatory statements had been flying around about Pacquiao that included, "Pacquiao must be on something to be that good" and "how could he go from a flyweight to a light-middleweight with taking this or taking that."
Add to that so-called former sparring partners injecting him and pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather’s constant barrage of abuse, coupled with his dismissal of Pacquiao's right to a 50-50 split in any potential super-fight.
Ring announcer Teddy Atlas’ had also been vocal in his personal vendetta against the Filipino Congressman and may now be stating; 'I told you so', following the Marquez defeat. If you ask me - Atlas and his negativity towards Pacquiao put a dampener on the legacy of a true ring warrior, who has never, for one second, come across as a man who lacks integrity.
From capturing his first title in 1998, to his rise to popularity, his extended capabilities in recent years and impressive performances against much bulkier champions. One thing is for certain and unequivocally cant be denied - Manny Pacquiao is an exceptional fighter and his achievements cannot be underestimated.
His skills are unsurpassed and only rivalled by the great Floyd Mayweather himself in the last 10 years and you would have to go way back to find anyone close to Pacquiao in quality at his best.
Fight fans will always have their favourites and futile debates about a 1986 Mike Tyson versus a 1974 Ali will rage on and on, but there are some absolute world beaters out there and Pacquiao at one time was king of them all.
From 130lb to 140lb, Manny Pacquiao is probably in the top five of all time, with murmurings set to rumble on for decades about who truly is the best boxer ever - but Pacquiao’s reign through the weight divisions alone has to be stood up with the best achievements the world has ever seen.
The way he dominated much larger opponents and true world-class opponents at that, is truly remarkable and in every fight that you see his name headlining the bill, you can guarantee that you won't be disappointed for your money.
I stand by the fact that Pacquiao was royally robbed against Timothy Bradley, but then again - he should have lost the third fight with Marquez, so that balances it out. But you can't write him off just yet on the back of what was 'the perfect punch' by Marquez and I am throwing my backing behind a Pacquiao revival in 2013.
The 34 year-old, who may fight again in April, is a entertainer we should all cherish while he is here and still willing to lace on the gloves for our pleasure - as it may be a long time until we see another who can rule through the weights like the “Pacman.”
WBN Editor
‘Pacman’ up there with the greats of all time
Even before this event happened, derogatory statements had been flying around about Pacquiao that included, "Pacquiao must be on something to be that good" and "how could he go from a flyweight to a light-middleweight with taking this or taking that."
Add to that so-called former sparring partners injecting him and pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather’s constant barrage of abuse, coupled with his dismissal of Pacquiao's right to a 50-50 split in any potential super-fight.
Ring announcer Teddy Atlas’ had also been vocal in his personal vendetta against the Filipino Congressman and may now be stating; 'I told you so', following the Marquez defeat. If you ask me - Atlas and his negativity towards Pacquiao put a dampener on the legacy of a true ring warrior, who has never, for one second, come across as a man who lacks integrity.
From capturing his first title in 1998, to his rise to popularity, his extended capabilities in recent years and impressive performances against much bulkier champions. One thing is for certain and unequivocally cant be denied - Manny Pacquiao is an exceptional fighter and his achievements cannot be underestimated.
His skills are unsurpassed and only rivalled by the great Floyd Mayweather himself in the last 10 years and you would have to go way back to find anyone close to Pacquiao in quality at his best.
Fight fans will always have their favourites and futile debates about a 1986 Mike Tyson versus a 1974 Ali will rage on and on, but there are some absolute world beaters out there and Pacquiao at one time was king of them all.
From 130lb to 140lb, Manny Pacquiao is probably in the top five of all time, with murmurings set to rumble on for decades about who truly is the best boxer ever - but Pacquiao’s reign through the weight divisions alone has to be stood up with the best achievements the world has ever seen.
The way he dominated much larger opponents and true world-class opponents at that, is truly remarkable and in every fight that you see his name headlining the bill, you can guarantee that you won't be disappointed for your money.
I stand by the fact that Pacquiao was royally robbed against Timothy Bradley, but then again - he should have lost the third fight with Marquez, so that balances it out. But you can't write him off just yet on the back of what was 'the perfect punch' by Marquez and I am throwing my backing behind a Pacquiao revival in 2013.
The 34 year-old, who may fight again in April, is a entertainer we should all cherish while he is here and still willing to lace on the gloves for our pleasure - as it may be a long time until we see another who can rule through the weights like the “Pacman.”