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In April, 32 boxing journalists from around the world cast votes in the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound rankings. All 32 voted for Manny Pacquiao as the top boxer in the world.
April was the last month that Floyd Mayweather Jr. was eligible because he had last fought in May 2010 and the poll's rules require a fighter to compete at least once in a 12-month span to be eligible.
But in that poll, Mayweather not only wasn't first, he wasn't second. He finished third, well behind middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, as well as behind Pacquiao.
After defeating Victor Ortiz in dramatic and controversial fashion on Sept. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mayweather once again became eligible for the rankings. His fourth-round knockout of Ortiz clearly impressed the voters, as he received 17 of the 43 first-place votes cast to finish in second.
Still, Pacquiao, who fights No. 5 Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, held onto the top spot by getting 26 first-place votes. Pacquiao was voted either first or second by every voter, but opinion was more divergent about Mayweather.
In addition to his 17 first-place votes, Mayweather received 16 seconds, seven thirds, two fourths and a fifth.
The choice of who should be first between Pacquiao and Mayweather has long been contentious. I've asked five poll members – Al Bernstein of Showtime and The Boxing Channel, Mike Coppinger of BoxingScene.com, Marty Mulcahey of MaxBoxing.com, Lem Satterfield of ******.com and Dave Weinberg of the Press of Atlantic City – to explain the thought process behind their votes.
Coppinger and Weinberg voted Mayweather first and Pacquiao second. Bernstein voted Pacquiao first and Mayweather second. Mulcahey had Pacquiao first, Martinez second and Mayweather third. Satterfield went with Pacquiao first, Martinez second, Nonito Donaire Jr. third and Mayweather fourth.
April was the last month that Floyd Mayweather Jr. was eligible because he had last fought in May 2010 and the poll's rules require a fighter to compete at least once in a 12-month span to be eligible.
But in that poll, Mayweather not only wasn't first, he wasn't second. He finished third, well behind middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, as well as behind Pacquiao.
After defeating Victor Ortiz in dramatic and controversial fashion on Sept. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mayweather once again became eligible for the rankings. His fourth-round knockout of Ortiz clearly impressed the voters, as he received 17 of the 43 first-place votes cast to finish in second.
Still, Pacquiao, who fights No. 5 Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, held onto the top spot by getting 26 first-place votes. Pacquiao was voted either first or second by every voter, but opinion was more divergent about Mayweather.
In addition to his 17 first-place votes, Mayweather received 16 seconds, seven thirds, two fourths and a fifth.
The choice of who should be first between Pacquiao and Mayweather has long been contentious. I've asked five poll members – Al Bernstein of Showtime and The Boxing Channel, Mike Coppinger of BoxingScene.com, Marty Mulcahey of MaxBoxing.com, Lem Satterfield of ******.com and Dave Weinberg of the Press of Atlantic City – to explain the thought process behind their votes.
Coppinger and Weinberg voted Mayweather first and Pacquiao second. Bernstein voted Pacquiao first and Mayweather second. Mulcahey had Pacquiao first, Martinez second and Mayweather third. Satterfield went with Pacquiao first, Martinez second, Nonito Donaire Jr. third and Mayweather fourth.
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