Is Manny Pacquaio a legend yet?

Question

Since he beat all legends in that division?

Answer 1

not YET. but he's a surefire hall of famer and one of boxings most exciting fighters.

Answer 2

i agree that pac man is a great fighter, and probably an all time  great (flyweight champ winning jr lightweight title and maybe a 135 pound belt as well this summer), but as paulie said, the term legend is used too loosely these days....but i would definitely call him an all time great.

Answer 3

no - great fighter - yes - legend not yet

Answer 4

He's already got that monicker in the bag, if you ask me. Why? I guess his record will just speak for itself.

He's already won 3 world titles in 3 different weight divisions (Pacquiao is a former WBC Flyweight Champion, IBF Super bantamweight and now WBC Super featherweight) and has been the dominant figure in each weight class during and after he moved up in weight/class/division.

The only reason why Pac is not officially a 4-division titleholder today is because of technicality. Note that Barrera was an official Featherweight champion before he fought Pac but Barrera literally dropped his championship belt into the garbage can, citing outrageous sanctioning fees. So when Pacman knocked out Barrera, he unofficially became a 4 division champ because Barrera was the recognized featherweight champ back then even without a legitimate belt.

His fight with David Diaz this June for the Lightweight belt, should he win it (I have no doubt he will), will only solidy his claim to legend as that would make him world champion of 4 different divisions. ACTUALLY 5 DIVISIONS IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.

Some actually currently consider Pacman a legit 4 division champ for having that Ring Mag title at 126. Featherweight. But technically, he's only a 3 division world champ. Ring Mag is no sanctioning body. It's just a matter of opinion on how you'll look at the Ring Title I guess. A lot actually consider it as the only legit title nowdays due to so many sanctioning bodies in boxing and also because these bodies has more politics than actual boxing.

If being a 4/?5 division champ won't make you a legend then I don't know what.

Also the main ingredient that makes a boxing legend is heart and the ability to excite boxing fans. Nobody can deny that Pacman has both that and heaps of it I might add.

You may have undefeated boxers who dominates their divisions but lack the excitement and heart that is what true boxing is about.

That is why Pac is so popular worldwide and the most exciting fighter currently there is. He brings back to boxing the excitement that it lost for a long time. This is evidenced by the amount of money he generates for his fights and the amount of people willing to watch him fight irregarless of what they think about him. Anybody who fights Manny in his weight divisions will surely get the biggest payday of their careers ATM. That is the plain and simple truth.

Answer 5

Legend? Define legend then I'll answer your question.

Answer 6

maybe he's not a legend around your place but in the Philippines he is, Barrera and Morales are legendary pugilists... both were destroyed by Manny, not to mention that he is #2 in the pound4pound category and the most exciting boxer today.. Manny Pacquiao has speed and speed kills, combined w/ punching power then you get a slugger nobody wanna mess with.

and yes Pacquiao is a legend, and when they open the history books 50 yrs from now I'm sure they'll see Manny Pacquiao as one greatest fists that ever entered the ring.

Answer 7

not yet but pacquiao is history record holder the first Asian 3 division champion title holder!

Answer 8

Draw your own conclusion. The term "legend" is one that is banded around all too freely in sports today, and in my opinion, being given the label of legend is becoming more and more meaningless - just like  having a some versions of the World Title in Boxing, really (IBF, I'm looking in your direction). I was reading this one British newspaper (The Sun) last week, and I saw to my surprise that they were referring to Ricky Hatton as a "legend". I mean, I am British and I do like Hatton as a boxer and as a person, as many people here will know, and believe that he has gone a long way to increasing the coverage and popularity of the sport in Britain, but a legend? What has he done to warrant that lofty status? Beat Kostya Tszyu and an over the hill Castillo, and lose to Floyd Mayweather? Sorry, no. Hatton is not a Boxing Legend.

If what you are indirectly asking is will Pacquiao get into the Hall of Fame after he has retired, then yes, he WILL get into the Hall of Fame, as will Hatton. I mean, lets face it - Barry McGuigan got into the Hall of Fame, and he only made 2 defences of the WBA Featherweight Title.