I get what you're saying. One person is textbook and style-wise better but the other is making the bigger moves legacy-wise.
This might take a while. This is my personal analysis of the situation that makes me give Manny the higher place in boxing history.
Overall, both fighters have a great resume. But IMO I think Pacquiao edges Mayweather in an All-Time Great contest.
Carrer defining wins:
Floyd Mayweather: Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Zab Judah, Arturo Gatti, Jose Luis Castillo, Diego Corrales.
Manny Pacquiao: Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (twice), Lehlohonolo Ledwaba.
In those lists of fighters, Pacquiao has more wins over first-ballot Hall of Famers than Mayweather does.
Adversity of those career defining wins:
Floyd Mayweather: Corrales was favored to beat Floyd, so this win was huge! Also, they were the two best super featherweights at the time. The win against Jose Luis Castillo was disputed, but Floyd fought not at 100% with the shoulder injury. The second fight was all Mayweather. Gatti was massacred and Judah was soundly beaten but Floyd was favored to do so in each. He moved up in weight to beat De La Hoya. But he then fought a smaller fighter in Ricky Hatton at Floyd's weightclass.
Manny Pacquiao: Took a fight in two weeks notice against a world champion in Ledwaba. Moved up in weight to dominate Barrera. Fought Morales 3 times at Morales' weight class (but it gradually turned more into Pacquiao weight class as the trilogy progressed). Comfortably beat Barrera in the rematch. Marquez was a controversial win, but the knockdown played a factor. Went up two weight classes and was the underdog against De La Hoya (yes he was weight drained, but pre-fight, Pacquiao had everything against him). Beat Hatton at Hatton's weight class.
Both fighters have controversial wins and dominant performances. But Manny more consistently moved up in weight to beat elite fighters.
Record:
Floyd Mayweather: 39-0
Manny Pacquiao: 49-3
Easy debate here. Mayweather wins.
Fighter's Evolution:
Mayweather has fought one way his whole life. Counter punching and pot shotting through his inpenetrable defense. He slugged it out in the lower weights but relied more on his defense the higher in weight he went. He started his pro career at super featherweight and went as high as junior middleweight.
Pacquiao was nothing more than a slugger when he started his career. He only relied on his left hand. Throughout his career, he added counter punching, better head movement, discipline, power in both hands, etc. Pacquiao is an example of a fighter that just keeps getting better. His power has carried over in all the weight classes he's touched. He started out as a junior flyweight and fought as high as welterweight.
I think Pacquiao gets the nod here.
Criticism of both fighters:
Mayweather supposedly ducked fighers along the way. Barrera/Morales when Floyd was at the lower weight classes, Tszyu at junior welter, and Cotto/Williams/Mosely (goes both ways)/Margarito at welterweight. Yes, Floyd can beat all those fighters but the fact that he didn't even try will hurt him in the long run.
Pacquiao's timing at the boxing game is perfect. Barrera, Morales, and De La Hoya were towards the end of their career when they fought Manny. But the fact that Pacquiao isn't afraid to fight anyone and in multiple weight classes makes his career more impressive IMO. He fought the big names and elite fighters.
I'm sure there's more to take into consideration but these are the things that stick out in my head that make Pacquiao further ahead of Floyd in the ATG status. Neither of the two careers are over yet so in the future, they may be bigger than we think they are now!
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