Manny Pacquiao: Skills or smart MATCH MAKING?

[MaD RoBoT]

its because Manny dominated these guys that made the haters complain

had Pac won all these by the skin of his teeth, no one will care

[Rick Grimes]

Hatton/Pac, Cotto/Pac were 50/50 going in with a slight advantage to Pac..

DLH/Pac was 4 to 1 odds in favor of Dela Hoya..

How can it be good matchmaking when the odds on 3 of his last 5 fights were either split, or him being an underdog..

Pacquiao was a big favourite in the Hatton and Cotto fights.

[CarlosG815]

None of them are bums.

That was my inital post, it is true.

Cotto was still a very good capable fighter, Clottey was a prime capable fighter... Margarito was past prime IMO, but held a huge size advantage, and probably would of given anyone in the division a run for their money, it's just that Pac dismantled him. Doesn't make him a bum. Hatton also wasn't a bum, although I think he was sliding after the Floyd loss, he still wasn't a bum.

Hindsight is 20/20.

You say he hasn't fought a capable opponent in years.

I say that's ridiculous.

Everyone of those fights were close on the boards pre-fight... whether you had them losing or not.

I agree, hindsight is 20/20. Now we will wait and see what Margarito and CLottey do in the future and we will see if you are right and I am wrong... However, I do not see either of these guys doing anything great in their future career and that will prove that I am correct in saying they having nothing left and are not "game" opponents.

Cotto was a good win.

[CarlosG815]

Pac fought Barrera, Marquez, and Morales in a period of 14 months when all 3 of them were the top fighters at 126-130..Matchmaking cannot be the reason he took all those fights because he was an unknown who was not affiliated with top promoters (Top Rank and Goldenboy). In fact it was the other way around. Barrera was with GB, while Morales and Marquez were with Top Rank..

Barrera was on the slide, but it was still a decent win for Pacquiao. Barrera IMO was never as great as guys like Morales or Pacquiao.

And if you ask me, Pacquiao did not beat Marquez, but that is just my opinion, and when I analyze these fighters without taking in who got the W, it is clear that Manny is not as good as his W column may suggest.

He lost to Morales and Marquez, so of the last "live" opponents he fought who are actually guys who will make a good fight, he lost to them.

[THE REED]

I agree, hindsight is 20/20. Now we will wait and see what Margarito and CLottey do in the future and we will see if you are right and I am wrong... However, I do not see either of these guys doing anything great in their future career and that will prove that I am correct in saying they having nothing left and are not "game" opponents.

Cotto was a good win.

That doesn't quite work.


Was Jeff Lacy a very capable fighter going into the Calzaghe fight?

Of course.

How about after?

Not so much.


Pacquiao inflicts serious damage on his opponents, they are not necessarily going to come out for the better after their fights with Pac.

Especially Margarito.... Especially.

I thought Marg was past prime a bit, but looked to be in tremendous shape.

After the 12 round punch bag routine he just went through... I won't call him shot yet, because I need to see him fight someone else.. but I wouldnt be surprised if he looked horrible in his next fight, no matter the opponent.

Credit to Cotto for bouncing back twice in his career, to capture a title after taking that beating from Pac.

[DET. IRONSIDE]

Pac is a great boxer. One of the finest skilled boxers I have seen.

Fast feet, hands and great body movement. Awesomely co-ordinated. Perfectly aggressive in that he still keeps his eye on the prize rather than letting the aggression rule his game.

Those are great skills but his promoter is an evil snake-oil salesmen.

[DET. IRONSIDE]

Barrera was on the slide, but it was still a decent win for Pacquiao. Barrera IMO was never as great as guys like Morales or Pacquiao.

And if you ask me, Pacquiao did not beat Marquez, but that is just my opinion, and when I analyze these fighters without taking in who got the W, it is clear that Manny is not as good as his W column may suggest.

He lost to Morales and Marquez, so of the last "live" opponents he fought who are actually guys who will make a good fight, he lost to them.

He won two rematches with Morales.

[myCoCainE]

Pac is the B side of matchmaking in his early career. He is the A side now.

It was the mistake of the matchmakers before to underestimate him and thought of him as a good addition for their fighter's resume. As the A side of matchmaking now, they are doing the same to Pacquiao's what they have done to the past great fighter's they tried to fed Pacquiao to and nobody should really be surprised by this as this has been on going in the sport for years now or else matchmakers shouldn't even exist today. It's up to Pacquiao's skills now to maintain that position.

Now unless a greater fighter or a future A side stops Pacquiao in his tracks or god forbid Pac fights way in his prime, Pac will continue to be the A side of matchmaking today, unless his name is Floyd of course.

[CarlosG815]

That doesn't quite work.


Was Jeff Lacy a very capable fighter going into the Calzaghe fight?

Of course.

How about after?

Not so much.


Pacquiao inflicts serious damage on his opponents, they are not necessarily going to come out for the better after their fights with Pac.

Especially Margarito.... Especially.

I thought Marg was past prime a bit, but looked to be in tremendous shape.

After the 12 round punch bag routine he just went through... I won't call him shot yet, because I need to see him fight someone else.. but I wouldnt be surprised if he looked horrible in his next fight, no matter the opponent.

Credit to Cotto for bouncing back twice in his career, to capture a title after taking that beating from Pac.

If you train hard you can be in tremendous shape, but if you don't have it you don't have it. Margarito will look in good shape in his next fight, but unless he fights a bum, he is not going to give an impressive performance. He is shot.

I was never sold on Jeff Lacy, and for you to claim that pitty patty slippy slappy joey zaggy took anything out of any fighter, you are clueless. He lost every big fight, including a beating to a SHOT Roy Jones Jr.

Jeff Lacy was a good hypejob but he was not the real deal.

That is like Berto fighting Manny and losing, then fighting Mosley and losing, then fighting Floyd and losing, then you say "Manny took it out of him" when in reality, Berto is not the real deal.

Lacy was missing too many variable to live up to the hype that was created about him and it showed when he fought higher levels of competition.

Please tell me what is Lacy's best win in your opinion, and which performance he was most impressive.

[mikemurni]

Barrera was on the slide, but it was still a decent win for Pacquiao. Barrera IMO was never as great as guys like Morales or Pacquiao.

And if you ask me, Pacquiao did not beat Marquez, but that is just my opinion, and when I analyze these fighters without taking in who got the W, it is clear that Manny is not as good as his W column may suggest.

He lost to Morales and Marquez, so of the last "live" opponents he fought who are actually guys who will make a good fight, he lost to them.

So this defeat your first argument that Pac was being match since 2005 because clearly you didnt know what you are talking about. Pac didnt have a big promoter lookin' out for his interest in 2005.

Barrera was the recognized P4P# 3 fighter on the sport..

And Morales and Marquez were both in that P4P list even when Morales lost his fight against Raheem..

The fact is that he fought Morales, Barrera, Marquez 7 times and was 5-1-1 with 4KO's..

And he continued to do so in the higher weights against Cotto and Hatton. And even Dela Hoya, Clottey, and Margarito..