Manny Pacquiao is closing in on retirement. After over 25 years spent in the ring, after a career that has seen Pacquiao achieve so, so much, Manny’s place amongst the all-time greats is as solid as cement. When Pac Man does finally hang up the gloves, the debate as to just where he deserves to be ranked amongst the greatest of the greats will begin in earnest.
But right now, with perhaps just one more fight to come before Manny waves goodbye, his strength and conditioning trainer Justin Fortune says Pacquiao “goes down as the greatest fighter in history because no-one has done what he accomplished in boxing.” And, in speaking further with The Manila Times, Fortune made it clear he is not in favor of Manny finishing his career with a fight with “bum” Conor McGregor.
Fortune says Manny is so many leagues above McGregor there is zero point in fighting him.
“Why even make that guy rich? And it won’t do absolutely nothing for Pacquiao as far as his legacy,” Fortune said of the talked about Pacquiao-McGregor fight. “Remember, this is just my opinion. Manny goes down as the greatest fighter in history when he finishes because no-one has done what he accomplished in boxing. Why destroy your legacy for a bum like McGregor? Manny will destroy McGregor inside three rounds. He will obliterate him; too fast and too strong. McGregor is nothing.”
Doubtless, most fans, if not all, will agree with what Fortune has to say about a possible Pacquiao-Mcgregor fight. But a far more interesting subject is, will Pacquiao indeed go down as “the greatest fighter in history” when he hangs up his gloves? Floyd Mayweather’s name instantly pops up in asking such a question. But although Mayweather defeated Pacquiao in their disappointingly dull 2015 fight, Pac Man has many supporters who claim he deserves to be rated as a greater fighter than Floyd.
Whether he tears through McGregor before retiring or not, Manny Pacquiao will have to be ranked, at the very least, in the top-10 greatest fighters of all time. Does Mayweather deserve to be ranked so highly? And what if Pacquiao, 62-7-2(39) fights and defeats someone other than McGregor in his final fight – a top-class welterweight for example? It’s up to Manny how he goes out, how he puts the finishing touches on his incredible resume.