I REMEMBER way back in 1999 when Manny Pacquiao lost his WBC flyweight title. As I was boxing as a flyweight myself in those days I used to follow that division with interest. I always used to read the Boxing News reports on the fights with men like him who, at that time, didn?t get the publicity that the higher weight classes got.
The fight that made me really take notice of him was when he challenged Lehlohonolo Ledwaba for the IBF super-bantamweight title. Ledwaba was a good champion who had made several defences and beaten some good men. But Manny did a number on him and impressed in stopping the champion in six rounds.
But even though that made me rate Pacquiao as a good fighter, I would never have dreamed about what he would go on to achieve.
The fight where myself and most other people thought he was special would probably have been the first Barrera fight. He hammered the Mexican legend for eleven rounds as he stopped him to become genuine star and put himself in line for the marquee fights.
But the next fight up showed he still wasn?t a man that you?d expect to have the amazing career he?s gone on to have: Despite dropping WBA and IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez three times in the first round, he then went on to be outboxed for much of the remainder. Many felt he was lucky to escape with a draw.
Pacquiao then lost his next super fight when the other Mexican legend Erik Morales beat him in an absolute 2005 war at super-feather via a unanimous twelve-round decision. That was a great fight!
One fight and a year later they went at it again in another tremendous battle and this time the power of Manny was a telling factor, the Mexican suffering the first two legitimate knockdowns of his career as he was stopped in round 10.
Despite further wins over Morales and Barrera over the next couple of years, things almost came unstuck again when he rematched Juan Manuel Marquez and escaped with another controversial decision this time being judged the winner by split decision and becoming the WBC super-featherweight champion.
Still, at that point, Manny didn?t look like the man he does now.
But from his next fight onwards, he?s looked sensational, apart from his last outing against Shane Mosley.
His peak performances for me was the four fight against David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Each one of those performances had boxing fans in awe. Stepping up to take the light, light-welter and welterweight titles, hammering each one of those fighters and forcing De La Hoya and Hatton into retirement after devastating defeats.
The last three fights haven?t been as destructive, it has to be said. But he?s fought three men who are known to be able to take a good shot.
Clottey, though, is a very tough man. But, he was made for the Pac-man and although he won every round it was a quite repetitive performance.
Margarito for me had already been exposed and beaten in a better fashion by Mosley and the fact that Freddie Roach had made the 154lb WBC title fight made at 150lb took something away from the fight for me.
Having said that, Manny looked good and it was great to watch, you have to remember he?s not as big naturally as Mosley. The size was a factor. It made for exciting viewing as you had the Mexican trying to walk through Manny and landing some meaty blows.
The Mosley fight was a struggle for Pacquiao.
Shane had him reaching and missing all night, made him look ordinary and took away the famous work rate and intensity. The fight was not good to watch.
But it was another win for the man who has travelled up through the weights and you can?t look a million dollars all the time.
Would I put Manny Pacquiao up there with the greatest fighters of all time?
The past is littered with great names. I?m not one of those that talk about who would beat who from all the different eras. I like to think more about who in history deserved to be called a great fighter of their time. In their own era.
Would Manny have beaten Ray Leonard or Thomas Hearns at welterweight? I don?t think so. Would he have beaten Duran at lightweight? I don?t think he would have won that one either.
But does that mean he?s not one of the greats for achieving what he has in his own era?
He?s travelled up from flyweight, EIGHT stone to fight some of the biggest names of our time as he?s won world titles all the way to welterweight. He?s entertained us all on the way with his fan friendly all out aggressive style.
I most definitely put him in as one of the greatest fighters the sport has had. He?s been a breath of fresh air and as there isn?t going to be that many fights of his left if Freddie Roach gets his way, we should enjoy him for the time he?s here.
