“Among all-time greats, I would say [Pacquiao] has to be in the top dozen . . . for what he has done in the last three years of his career,” Steward told the Boxing on the Ropes radio program.Steward, who has trained more than 20 world champions, said Pacquiao’s greatness must be seen in the light of his performances against the best fighters of his era rather than by his record eight world titles as he moved up in weight from flyweight (112 pounds) to junior middleweight (154lbs).
Steward stressed the fact that Pacquiao has shown willingness to fight the best available opponents and beat them convincingly.
“But the fact [is] that he’s fought some of the best and most of the guys were future Hall of Fame guys themselves,” he told program host Geoffrey Ciani.
Steward was referring to the legendary Mexican world champions Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and
Juan Manuel Marques; 10-time Mexican American world champion Oscar De La Hoya; British junior welterweight star Ricky Hatton; Puerto Rican world welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and three-time welterweight world champion Antonio Margarito of Mexico.
“[Pacquiao] has performed on a top level and only lost one fight to Morales who he [later] knocked out twice,” said Steward, who also serves as commentator for most of the big televised world title fights for HBO.
“Just to have this longevity, I would have to rate Pacquiao in the top dozen fighters of all time,” he added.
Steward also gave Pacquiao credit for choosing “Sugar” Shane Mosley for his coming May 7 fight in Las Vegas, although he suggested that a third fight with Morales could have been better.
“He’s never been a boring fighter and Shane—until his skills have started to wane a little bit—has always fought with his heart,” Steward observed.
Steward did not rule out a Mosley upset, especially if Pacquiao is distracted by “his political job now and this or that.”
By Jun Medina
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