Granted, alot of people call Muhammad Ali the "Goat" these days. Check out how many people said that when he was in his prime and handling people like Sonny Liston and Cleveland Williams. He never got better than that, however his victory over George Foreman in the 70s silenced even his most ardent critics.
Sugar Ray Leonard. I was once heard "Larry Merchant" say "After Leonard beat Duran, we knew he was a special fighter. How special was the question." Funny stuff. Did anyone ever hear of a fighter named "Wilfred Benitez?" A guy named Ray Leonard fought one of the greatest games of chess I've ever seen before taking Wilfred out in the 15th. Not to mention, Leonard's victories over Pete Ranzany, Randy Shields, Andy Price, etc, proved he had great ability.
George Foreman. How long did it take even the most experienced observers to admit that "Big George", whether he was 40 or 45, was for real and still one of the strongest men to ever fight? I recall a fight when George landed a right to the body of "Bert Cooper" which sounded off throughout the arena and led to the crowd chanting " We Want Tyson." Might've won over some fans but the boxing press was steadfast in it's refusal to aknowledge "George" as anything but a side show. If a younger fighter had this success, they would've been all over him. Refusing to believe what you see is a funny riddle that leads to confusion. When it becomes impossible to ignore the fighter's greatness, most people just lie and say they knew he was "great from the start." Which leads me to Manny Pacquiao. His wins over De La Hoya, Cotto and Ricky Hatton have shown me greatness in the Jr. Welter and Welterweight divisions that I haven't seen since the 80s. Nevertheless, there are fans, some of whom are experienced and knowledgable, who have more excuses for these defeated fighters than a politician caught picking up a dragqueen on Sunset Blvd. I understand and accept that people often have interestlingly diverse opinions. However, I see what I see, I hear what I hear and then I make up my mind. There's no shame in me admitting that I think Pacquiao is an ATG and will not lose at WW as long as he's anywhere near his prime. Please keep in mind, I've seen him fight.
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