WHO YOU GOT? THE HAWK VS. PACMAN

[SenorPipino]

While listlessly watching the vapid girls' softball tournament the other night on ESPN (they preempted FNF for this schlock???), I began mulling some dream fights (perhaps because I was dozing) and eventually locked in on a potential bombs away 140 lb. matchup---Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor vs. Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, of course, has a limited record at 140. Just one bout. But it was undoubtedly the signature win of his career, a second round destruction of Ricky Hatton.

Pryor, on the other hand, reigned for nearly 5 years and had 11 title defenses, including 2 bouts with the legendary Arguello.
On the surface it would appear that the Hawks lengthy track record at junior welter entitles him to the favorite's role over the Filipino.

But how good would Pacquiao have been if he stayed at 140 instead of chasing after the welterweight title, a division he dominated for several years , albeit without the power he displayed at the lighter weights.

And how good was Pryor? He won the title from another legend, Antonio Cervantes, but the Colombian was nearly 36 and near the end of the road with more than 100 fights under his belt. As it was, he outboxed Pryor for several rounds, until the Hawk turned up the heat in the 4th and Kid Pambele crumbled.
And were his wins over Arguello proof he was an extraordinary fighter, or was Arguello merely a past his prime smaller opponent, who didn't belong in the ring with the best 140 pounders?

Would a bout between Pacman and the Hawk been a nonstop, brutal affair? Or would we be surprised and instead witness primarily a chess match, punctuated by occasional bomb bursts between 2 kayo artists who could also box?

Your answers have to be more interesting than watching the ladies batter up.

[Othro]

Pacquiao TKO 11

[p4p1]

I like Pacquaio in this one as well, it's a shame we didn't see more from him at 140 because I think that or 135 would be his ideal weight for the past few years.

[Vladimir5555]

Pac TKO 10

[gilgamesh]

Pacquiao via decision or late TKO stoppage.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Two human buzzsaws going at it. "Who wins? The imaginary fans!"

[elmersalsa]

I love the great Manny Pacquiao, my favorite fighter today, but at 140, he does not beat these guys:
Antonio Cervantes
Wilfred Benitez
Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles
Carlos Ortiz
Nicolino Locche
Julio Cesar Chavez
Meldrick Taylor
Alexis Arguello
And of course, he would not beat the great Aaron Pryor. Pryor was an outstanding punching machine that threw punches from all angles. He was something. I do rate Pacman over the Hawk in the ATGs rankings by far. That is because Pryor himself destroyed his career into drug abuse. Pacman accomplished way much more. But he would have not accomplished what have he has accomplished if he was fighting in Pryor's era.

[SenorPipino]

Actually I'm surprised that there's so much support for Pacquiao.
I tend to agree with Elmersalsa that Pryor's somewhat unorthodox, punching at unusual angles style, would confuse Pacquiao, and leave him somewhat bewildered and mesmorized.
Could Pacman take Pryor's punch? He sure punched harder than JMM.
And we saw The Hawk take countless right hand bombs from Arguello, who may have been past his best days, but could still punch. Right Billy Costello?
I'll go with Pryor in this matchup, surprisingly by a decision in a battle of bombers. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Manny get taken out late if it's a 15 rounder.

[Crease]

I love the great Manny Pacquiao, my favorite fighter today, but at 140, he does not beat these guys:
Antonio Cervantes
Wilfred Benitez
Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles
Carlos Ortiz
Nicolino Locche
Julio Cesar Chavez
Meldrick Taylor
Alexis Arguello

Maybe this should be a thread? It's a conversation on itself.

[Uppercut1]

Pryor by close as eff decision.

[elmersalsa]

I love the great Manny Pacquiao, my favorite fighter today, but at 140, he does not beat these guys:
Antonio Cervantes
Wilfred Benitez
Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles
Carlos Ortiz
Nicolino Locche
Julio Cesar Chavez
Meldrick Taylor
Alexis Arguello

Maybe this should be a thread? It's a conversation on itself.

Crease, do you think that the Pacman beat those guys?