As great and dominant as Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr have been, it is a subject of great debate how they would have fared against some of the best fighters of past decades. If Floyd Mayweather struggled to beat a past his prime De La Hoya and Pacquiao struggled to beat Juan Manuel Marquez, how would they have beaten Leonard, Hearns, or Chavez ? Let’s examine how each fighter would have fared against 10 fighters in or around their weight class.
10) Julio Cesar Chavez Julio Cesar Chavez was one of the most devastating body punchers of all time. His come forward style combined with underrated defense got him to an undefeated record of 89-0-1 before finally losing. Chavez also had one of the best chins in the history of the sport and could absorb getting hit with everything but the kitchen sink and still kept coming forward.
vs Pacquiao This would have been one of the most brutal and grueling fights in the history of boxing and would have definitely ended each other’s careers in one night. Both fighters would have exchanged heavy leather, would have absorbed major punishment, and both would still have a willingness to keep fighting. Pacquiao’s speed and power would have given Chavez fits just as Meldrick Taylor did but Chavez would have also had his moments landing his body and head punches while Pacquiao covered up to catch a breather. But due to the fact that Meldrick Taylor outlanded Chavez and was on his way to a decision had it not been for Richard Steele, this fight would have ended up in a draw or Pacquiao winning a razor thin decision. Pacquiao’s punches from different angles and volume would have definitely caught the judges eyes.
vs Mayweather Chavez Vs Mayweather would have been one of the best “boxer” vs “brawler” type of fights in history. Mayweather would have outlanded Chavez much the same as Taylor did, except with one shot at a time and combinations here and there. Floyd’s lead right would have found its mark repeatedly but Chavez would have laughed at it. The determining factor would have been Chavez’s consistent body shots and his ability to abosrb punishment and keep coming forward landing hard shots. Chavez would have punched right through Mayweather’s shoulder while on the ropes and he would have patiently stalked and walked Mayweather down. Chavez’s consistent body attack would have also opened up the opportunity for a right hand over the top. If Jose Luis Castillo was able to give Mayweather the toughest fight of his life, Chavez almost certainly would have defeated Mayweather by late round stoppage or by a close decision. Chavez was a 3 times better version of his old sparring partner Jose Luis Castillo.
