The Lightweight Division...

[donnydarkoIRL]

Perhaps he will, howver, the style he uses is one which could be exploited by bigger stronger fighters easily. He can't go up forever.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Pac would do OK. He has a nice wide frame that can support weight... But it is true that he would get exploited... He would slow so his swarming style might get him in some trouble at LW.

[donnydarkoIRL]

But he's targeting the one guy at the top he should beat to test himself. Thats clever.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

But he's targeting the one guy at the top he should beat to test himself. Thats clever.

Pac is one of the most tremendous athletes in the sport right now. I was extremely impressed at the wat Marquez fought as well. Marquez is great and will be remembered for these fights and others for a long time.

[donnydarkoIRL]

It's true that Marquez will be remebered, but I feel he has to go another direction now.
A rematch with Pacquiao would be an unnecessary toll on both fighters reserves and they should both focus on other pursuits.

If Manny is to climb to lightweight, Juan Manuel can still avail of some top class competition against the likes of Joan Guzman and Edwin Valero if he so wishes.

[RozzySean]

Perhaps he will, howver, the style he uses is one which could be exploited by bigger stronger fighters easily. He can't go up forever.

I think 135 is as high as Pac can go and still be a force. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fight Hatton at some point at 140, but that would be too big for him to fight.

One reason I think Pac will do well at LW is that the division is thin right now. It's an interesting division, because there is a lot of B-grade talent and it makes for nice matchups. I'm not sure Pac could handle a really great true lightweight, but there aren't any of those around right now.

Donny makes a great point that he's targeting a beltholder who can essentially be a warmup/test fight for him. I can't imagine him lossing to David Diaz, but he struggles too much with him, it will be telling.

The only top LW who can both punch and box is Campbell. That's probably the most dangerous fight for him at that weight. Kats can crack, but Manny can outbox Kats, and for that matter,Baby Bull. Casa can't punch, but Manny would overwhelm him, me thinks. Nate has skill AND he can crack a little, esp to a guy coming up. As long as Nate doesn't stick his chin out at Manny...that would be a bad move.

[donnydarkoIRL]

For Pacquiao I feel he should target guys like David Diaz and Casamayor.

Campbell, Diaz and Katsidis are very physical guys and as Manny is undeniably smaller using a physical style those are the guys who could see him beaten.

[p4pking]

I don't think Pac would like Nate Campbells body attack at all, that's the one fighter at LW I would pick over him I think.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

I don't think Pac would like Nate Campbells body attack at all, that's the one fighter at LW I would pick over him I think.

Any of the more physical top tier lightweights have a shot beating Pac as they will be naturally stronger and will bully him rather then the other way around...

Pac would try to swarm and get straifed with the same type of blows but by much stronger and physically larger men

[ICB]

I don't think Pac would like Nate Campbells body attack at all, that's the one fighter at LW I would pick over him I think.

Campbell also has a very high out put plus he rolls with the punches very well. Pacquiao has never dealt with anyone like that before so it would be interesting to see how Pacquiao dealt with a slick fighter like Campbell.

[donnydarkoIRL]

I don't think Pac would like Nate Campbells body attack at all, that's the one fighter at LW I would pick over him I think.

Any of the more physical top tier lightweights have a shot beating Pac as they will be naturally stronger and will bully him rather then the other way around...

Pac would try to swarm and get straifed with the same type of blows but by much stronger and physically larger men

Dead on POB, exactly my train of though

For Pacquiao I feel he should target guys like David Diaz and Casamayor.

Campbell, Diaz and Katsidis are very physical guys and as Manny is undeniably smaller using a physical style those are the guys who could see him beaten.

You are right about him matching up better against Casa and D.Diaz, but Pac hits harder than Juan Diaz, even though Diaz might be physically stronger, and he's a more skilled fighter. He's got more skill than Kats as well. Those guys do present more difficult matchups, but if he uses his skill and speed, he can outbox them and still have the power to hurt them, even if he can't KO him. We saw how much Juan Diaz's workrate got reduced when he got in with a guy who could hurt him.

That being said, it he got into a pure war with Kats or Bull, he those guys would have a chance to beat him. still, I think Freddy can come up a with a gameplan to beat Bull or Kats, and if Manny can stick to it, he would win.

I feel it wasn't the pain that stopped Juan working, it was the body to body physicality and opposition nof forces. Pac couldn't offer that at lightweight

[RozzySean]

I don't think Pac would like Nate Campbells body attack at all, that's the one fighter at LW I would pick over him I think.

Any of the more physical top tier lightweights have a shot beating Pac as they will be naturally stronger and will bully him rather then the other way around...

Pac would try to swarm and get straifed with the same type of blows but by much stronger and physically larger men

Dead on POB, exactly my train of though

For Pacquiao I feel he should target guys like David Diaz and Casamayor.

Campbell, Diaz and Katsidis are very physical guys and as Manny is undeniably smaller using a physical style those are the guys who could see him beaten.

You are right about him matching up better against Casa and D.Diaz, but Pac hits harder than Juan Diaz, even though Diaz might be physically stronger, and he's a more skilled fighter. He's got more skill than Kats as well. Those guys do present more difficult matchups, but if he uses his skill and speed, he can outbox them and still have the power to hurt them, even if he can't KO him. We saw how much Juan Diaz's workrate got reduced when he got in with a guy who could hurt him.

That being said, it he got into a pure war with Kats or Bull, he those guys would have a chance to beat him. still, I think Freddy can come up a with a gameplan to beat Bull or Kats, and if Manny can stick to it, he would win.

I feel it wasn't the pain that stopped Juan working, it was the body to body physicality and opposition nof forces. Pac couldn't offer that at lightweight

True...Pac can't body up and infight with Juan the same way Campbell did, but getting countered with fast straight lefts could have the same effect. Pac couldn't fight the same way Nate fought and win. He would need a different gameplan.

Listen, I didn't just jump off the Baby Bull bandwagon. I like him, but he's a flawed fighter and he gets by mostly on heart and determination. I respect that a ton, but I rate Manny in a much higher class. Manny has flaws, too, but he's a much more complete fighter, enough so that he overcome the size disadvantage. He been in with a whole different caliber of boxers than Diaz and come out on top.

I'm not saying Diaz has no chance, but I would favor Pac in a close decision with Juan throwing more, but Manny landing much cleaner harder shots.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

For Pacquiao I feel he should target guys like David Diaz and Casamayor.

Campbell, Diaz and Katsidis are very physical guys and as Manny is undeniably smaller using a physical style those are the guys who could see him beaten.

This is true

[Galaxy]

I think Campbell should target the Casamayor/ Katsidis winner! Go after the championship!

[ArawakWarria]

Definitely go after the Ring Champ, so there are no questions.

Also, about what was said about Pac & JMM, please remember that pac started out as the smaller fighter. Maybe not in true size, but in wear and tear to make weight. Aslo, all of you already saw how extra weight slowed him down in JMM2... I think Cambell would handle them both handily based on size & technique alone.

An for the comments about age, tell me this;
who has been in the ring longer? Nate or Juan Diaz?
If you said Nate, you would be right... by four months!

He only turned pro in Feb 2000! His biggest wear and tear was in two fights with Peden, and he got smart. And in a fight of 'two old men,' he looked like a young boy as he outlcassed Ricky Quiles in his 2ND elimination fight. Don't forget that he waited 18 months for his IBF mandatory, so he has a whole lot on reserve.