Smaller fighters have been fighting bigger fighters since the beginning of boxing.
I'm aware and smaller fighters are not forced to fight at higher weight classes either. If manny wants to fight one time at 147 thats on him.
It's sad when a smaller fighter beats a bigger fighter who he could never beat unless the bigger fighter had to sacrifice his advantages.
Like when Sugar Ray Leonard came out of retirement, jumped two weight classes to fight Marvin Hagler? (hagler was getting older/slower, leonard demanded a larger ring, bigger gloves, etc.)
That's been going on since the beginning of time too. Prime sugar ray leonard vs prime Hagler? Hagler wins without question but that's the way it works since they weren't in the same weight classes.
Plus, you don't think pacquiao gave up some of his advantages too? I mean HE is the one that had to gain 15 pounds. Oscar just had to lose 3 pounds.
If he fights at 147 then he is 147 and whatever else weight he fights at just like a Paul Williams or any other smaller fighter who has moved up since boxing began.
But why does he have to fight at 147? he is not a champion at 147. He holds no belts at 147. He's not obligated to fight anyone at 147. I just don't see why him doing a one time thing to fight oscar de la hoya, simply because it was a huge event, would then make manny have to fight at 147. Makes no sense. I mean when Roy Jones went from light heavyweight to heavyweight to fight John Ruiz, no one demanded Roy Jones stays at heavyweight to fight Lennox Lewis! Everyone knew it was a one time thing.
And on Floyd, he beat the best there was as he climbed the ranks
But so did pacquiao! He beat everyone in his divisions as he was climbing the ranks.
and none of those fighters (Cotto or Margarito) at that time should have been mentioned in a sentence with him except Mosley and DLH.
Unbelievable. EVERYONE was calling for a Mayweather vs Cotto or a Mayweather vs Margarito fight. ESPN, HBO, The ring magazine and most importantly, the fans. The main point is, Floyd didn't fight any of the ranked welters besides zab judah (who as I mentioned just lost to baldy).
It looks like he had great foresight at knowing both Margarito and Cotto would at some point be exposed as overrated fighters.
Or he chose the easy path.