what will put a champ next to ali & srr in the top ATG?

Both men are already ATGs, but next to Ali and Ray Robinson means that they have to fight the best. Both men have already fought the best.

Manny Pacquiao has won 8 world titles in 8 different divisions. Going up 8 weight classes alone is a great achievement, but look at the guys he beat. Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, and Shane Mosley. Most of those are sure fire hall of famers, and if not, they will definitely be candidates. Manny Pacquiao moved up from Lightweight to Welterweight and beat De La Hoya. He beat Ricky Hatton, who was undefeated at 140 pounds. He beat a very hard punching and big Welterweight in Miguel Cotto. He beat Antonio Margarito, who had a huge size advantage.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has an undefeated record of 42-0. Being undefeated alone is already a great achievement, but look at the guys he's faced. Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Carlos Baldomir, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, and Victor Ortiz. Also look at the quality of his opposition. Corrales was 33-0, and Mayweather knocked him down 5 times. De La Hoya at 154, his natural weight. Hatton was 43-0. Marquez, I believe was #2 P4P? Mosley just destroyed Margarito. Ortiz, a big guy who beat an undeated Berto.

I actually think both are Top 25, but as time goes by, they will be ranked higher. If Manny Pacquiao beats Floyd Mayweather Jr, Timothy Bradley, and Sergio Martinez at 154 or even 160 to win his 9th world title in 9 weight classes, Top 10 would be a strong consideration. If Floyd Mayweather Jr beat Manny Pacquiao and Sergio Martinez at 154 or 160, I'd still probably rank him at Top 20, but if he beats Rocky Marciano's undefeated record of 49-0-0 against guys like #1 Junior Welterweight Amir Khan, #1 Junior Middleweight Miguel Cotto, undefeated Saul Alvarez, James Kirkland who beat Angulo, etc, Top 10 would be something to consider, but both men have to work hard and keep fighting the best to be next to guys like Robinson, Greb, Langford, Armstrong, Ali, Charles, Pep, Duran, etc. And that goes for any fighter.

If either Mayweather or Pacquaio continues to dominate and eventually meet and have the long awaited bout, the winner will go daown in history as an ATG right up their with Ali & Sugar. Not only because of their match with each other but that added to their dominating careers.

Time. i know that sounds stupid but it seem in sports that a competitors greatness is only reconised after they leave the sport. only in very rare cases is it otherwise. pac is 1 of the rare cases. look at the level of compitition ali faced thruout his carerer. and the times he lived in. the stand he took for human rights. his greatest win wasnt even in the ring. it was against the us government. so perhaps it may take an extrodinary man in extrodinary times against ecceptional competition to stand in that group. and there will never EVER be another muhammad ali. he is now and will always be the champ in my mind. i knew him personally in the late 80s-early 90s. i worked in downtown louisville at an exclusive hotel called the brown. the champ stayed there when he was in town to see his family. he used to know me by my 1st name! i doubt he would remember me now, but it was a great feeling when a man that great, in so many ways used my first name when talking to me and did everytime he was in town.