"Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao" remains a pipe dream, and there's no discernible light at the end of the tunnel. Most possibly, both boxing greats will end their respective careers without trading punches with each other inside the ring.
Be that as it may, let's have a theoretical framework in comparing, again, the living legends who'll most likely never engage in that much-demanded mythical fight of the century.
Let's settle, at least, for some parameters of comparison, as we are all most probably condemned to endless and trivial guessing games regarding the dream fight that is yet to materialize. (We wish, ho-hum.)
As consolation, let's waste time and effort scoring one's performance compared to the other's vis-à-vis their common denominators, i.e. their common opponents who now total to five.
Both boxing greats have fought against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and, just last Saturday night, Miguel Cotto.
Let's start with the Golden Boy. Mayweather split-decisioned De La Hoya; Pacquiao finished him after eight rounds. (It's 1-0 in favor of Pacquiao.)
Mayweather stopped Hatton in the 10th round; Pacquiao did it in the second. (Score is 2-0, with Pacquiao upping his lead.)
Mayweather scored a unanimous-decision win versus Mosley; likewise did Pacquiao. I consider it a draw in both fighters' respective conquests of Mosley, and give them half a point each. (Now it's 2.5-0.5, still in favor of Pacquiao.)
Mayweather thoroughly outscored and dominated Marquez. Pacquiao fought the Mexican three times—the first resulted in a draw, the second and third were decision wins for the former—and all fights were close and controversial on who should've really won. (Plus one for Mayweather, who's now trailing with just a point at 2.5-1.5)
Mayweather bloodied Cotto into a unanimous decision win; Pacquiao bludgeoned the same but finished the job before the 12th and final round was over.
We end our scorecard with 3.5-1.5 in favor of Pacquiao…and it's still anybody's guess who'll actually win and if they actually fight.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Failed Where Manny Pacquiao Succeeded: Finish Miguel Cotto
Tags: boxing greats, de la hoya, dream, fight, floyd mayweather jr, manny pacquiao, oscar de la hoya, ricky, saturday night, Succeeded
Category: manny pacquiao
