BoxingScene’s Pound for
Pound Top Ten
By Cliff Rold
1) Andre Ward
(26-0, 14 KO)
Age: 28
Current Titles: WBA Super Middleweight
(2009-Present, 5 Defenses); Lineal World/WBC Super Middleweight
(2011-Present, 1 Defense)
Record in Title Fights: 6-0, 1 KO
Last Five Opponents: Chad Dawson
(TKO10), Carl Froch (UD12), Arthur Abraham (UD12), Sakio Bika (UD12), Allan
Green (UD12)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Still fairly early in his
career, Ward lags behind some of the men behind him in terms of career
accomplishments. After lopsided wins of increasing dominance over the
best Super Middleweight (Carl Froch) and Light Heavyweight (Chad Dawson) in
the game, he’s closing the gap as quickly as he can. Ward, since
breaking out with a master class against Mikkel Kessler, has completed the
development of an overall game as tough as any in boxing. He isn’t
always pretty, but he can do it all. He’s not a great puncher, but
he can hurt. He is a nasty beast on the inside. He can outbox just
about anyone at range. The intangible that puts him over the top and
into this top slot: prime. Ward is in his. Mayweather and
Marquez, while still obviously great fighters, are not anymore. Prime
counts and if everyone in boxing were the same size, the Ward we’re seeing
right now could beat anyone. Shoulder surgery will keep Ward on the
shelf and aborts a planned showdown with former Middleweight Champion Kelly
Pavlik. Does this all add up to heading straight for a rematch with
the winner of the Carl Froch-Mikkel Kessler rematch? Time will tell
but it’s unlikely Ward is going anywhere in 2013.
2) Floyd
Mayweather (43-0, 26 KO)
Age: 35
Current Title: Lineal World
Welterweight (2010-Present, 1 Defense); WBC Welterweight (2011-Present, 0
Defenses); WBA “Super” Light Middleweight (2012-Present, 0
Defenses)
Lineal World Championships: World Jr.
Lightweight (1998-2002, 8 Defenses); World Lightweight (2002-2004, 3
Defenses); World Welterweight (2006-08, 1 Defense)
Additional Titles: WBC Super Featherweight (1998-2002, 8 Defenses);
Ring/WBC Lightweight (2002-2004, 3 Defenses); WBC Super Lightweight (2005);
IBF Welterweight (2006); Ring/WBC Welterweight (2006-08, 1 Defense); WBC
Super Welterweight (2007)
Record in Title Fights: 21-0, 10 KO
(Overall); 18-0, 9 KO (Lineal Only)
Last Five Opponents: Miguel Cotto (UD12),
Victor Ortiz (KO4), Shane Mosley (UD12), Juan Manuel Marquez (UD12), Ricky
Hatton (TKO10)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: At 35, Mayweather
won his most exciting and competitive fight since Ricky Hatton and found far
harder work. Miguel Cotto came to win and Mayweather refused to allow
the possibility. It was splendid stuff. Golden Boy has secured
two dates for Mayweather in 2013. Chatter about Robert Guerrero and
Saul Alvarez, at Welterweight and then Jr. Middleweight respectively, begin
to make two appearances sound realistic for a fighter who hasn’t fought
twice in the same year since 2007. In the ring, Floyd doesn’t throw
as much as he did in prime and may be more hittable. It could mean
more fights like Cotto and more answers about his toughness for those who
still wonder (and they shouldn’t). After years of being near
untouchable, Mayweather is entering the danger zone where age becomes a
growing factor.
3) Juan Manuel
Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KO)
Age: 39
Current Title: WBO Jr. Welterweight
(2012-Present, 0 Defenses)
Lineal World Championships: World
Lightweight Champion (2008-12, 3 Defenses)
Additional Titles: IBF Featherweight
(2003-05, 4 Defenses); WBA Featherweight (2003-05, 3 Defenses); WBC Super
Featherweight (2007-08, 1 Defense); WBO/WBA Lightweight (2009-Present, 2
Defenses)
Record in Title Fights: 10-4-1, 4 KO
(13-4-1, 6 KO including interim title fights) (Overall); 4-1-1, 3 KO (Lineal
Only)
Last Five Opponents: Sergiy Fedchenko
(UD12), Manny Pacquiao (L12, KO6), Likar Ramos (KO1), Michael Katsidis
(TKO9), Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L12)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Sometimes, one
punch can define a lifetime in the ring. Marquez landed that punch
and, if he continues to fight, he’ll also be redefining his long-term
economic stability. In a magnificent fight, the fourth in a
magnificent series, Marquez rebounded from a knockdown in round five to
starch Manny Pacquiao with a single right hand, exorcising the demons of
three decisions that could have went his way and didn’t. Now we wait
to see if a fifth showdown is coming. A fighter who never lacked for
talent at Featherweight often lacked for the sort of wins that could elevate
him. Since leaving his prime weight class, Marquez has posted notable
wins from 130 to 147 lbs. and earned a place in the conversation with the
greatest Mexican fighters to ever live. Stopping Pacquiao may be the
single finest win for any Mexican fighter since Baby Arizmendi picked up two
wins over the great Henry Armstrong. He’s not as good as he once
was, but for a single December night he was as good as he’s ever been.
4) Sergio
Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KO)
Age: 37
Current Titles: Lineal World
Middleweight Champion (2010-Present, 5 Defenses); WBC Middleweight
(2012-Present, 0 Defenses)
Additional Titles: WBC Super
Welterweight (2009-10); WBC Middleweight (2010-11, 1 Defense); WBO
Middleweight (2010)
Record in Title Fights: 8-0-1, 6 KO
including interim title fights (Overall); 6-0, 4 KO (Lineal Only)
Last Five Opponents: Julio Cesar
Chavez Jr. (UD12), Matthew Macklin (RTD11), Darren Barker (KO11), Sergiy
Dzinziruk (TKO8), Kelly Pavlik (UD12)
Next Opponent: April 27, 2012 vs.
Marin Murray (25-0-1, 11 KO)
The Take: Talk about making it
interesting. Martinez was boxing the brakes off of Chavez for eleven
rounds before being forced to dance on the razor’s edge. Martinez
showed a champion’s will to survive and finish the round firing back.
Talk of a rematch means that a growing audience for the excellent
Middleweight champ can only get bigger. Middleweight is showing new
signs of life with Daniel Geale holding two belts and Gennady Golovkin
holding two bombs in his gloves. The latter is the biggest threat of
Martinez’s career and he’s likely to have to wait. There could be
some overrating of the Chavez win; the kid’s most credible win going in
was Marco Rubio after all. The body of work though has been strong and
Chavez didn’t take away from it. Murray is a solid top ten opponent
for Martinez’s Argentina homecoming in the spring, but the big question
right now is how long Martinez will avoid the most dangerous contender in
his class: Gennady Golovkin.
5) Nonito
Donaire (31-1, 20 KO)
Age: 30
Current Title: WBO Jr. Featherweight
(2012-Present, 3 Defenses); IBF Jr. Featherweight (2012); Lineal World Jr.
Featherweight (2012-Present, 1 Defense)
Additional Titles: IBF Flyweight
(2007-09, 3 Defenses); WBO Bantamweight (2011-Present, 1 Defense); WBC
Bantamweight (2011-12, 1 Defense)
Record in Title Fights: 10-0, 7 KO
(12-0, 8 KO including interim title fights)
Last Five Opponents: Jorge Arce (KO3),
Toshiaki Nishioka (TKO9), Jeffrey Mathebula (UD12) Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.
(SD12), Omar Narvaez (UD12)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Wins over Jeffrey
Mathebula and Toshiaki Nishioka gave Donaire the right to call himself the
clear king of the division. A year-ending knockout of Jorge Arce paid
well and, one would think, helped to expand the fan base for one of the
game’s most talented fighters. What lies ahead could be the most
intriguing stretch of Donaire’s career. Possible showdowns with WBA
titlist and Top Rank stablemate Guillermo Rigondeaux, and WBC titlist Abner
Mares in what would be an interpromotional showdown, make Jr. Featherweight
as hot as it has been since the Vazquez-Marquez wars. At 4-0 for the
year, Donaire appears on his way to near unanimous praise as the Fighter of
the Year. He has the chance at Jr. Featherweight to begin defining his
place as one of the best of his generation.
6)
Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO)
Age: 34
Current Title: None
Lineal World Championships: World
Flyweight (1998-99, 1 Defense); World Featherweight (2003-2005, 2 Defenses);
World Jr. Lightweight (2008); World Junior Welterweight (2009-10)
Additional Titles: WBC Flyweight
(1998-99, 1 Defense); IBF Jr. Featherweight (2001-03, 4 Defenses); WBC Super
Featherweight (2008); WBC Lightweight (2008); Ring Jr. Welterweight
(2009-10); WBO Welterweight (2009-12, 3 Defenses); WBC Super Welterweight
lbs. (2010-11)
Record in Title Fights: 16-2-2, 11 KO,
1 KOBY (Overall); 6-1-1, 5 KO, 1 KOBY (Lineal Only)
Last Five Opponents: Timothy Bradley
(L12), Juan Manuel Marquez (MD12, KO by 6), Shane Mosley (UD12),
Antonio Margarito (UD12), Joshua Clottey (UD12)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Despite suffering his
first knockdown since 2003 in the third round, Manny Pacquiao appeared to
have finally found some of the technical answers he needed to solve Juan
Manuel Marquez. His left was quick, his right was sudden, and both
were landing. Then Marquez put him to sleep. It was an epic
finish to an epic fight. Was it the beginning of the end of an epic
career? At 34, Pacquiao has a steep mountain to climb and plenty of
Internet memes to ignore. He could have fallen farther but earlier
this year, he appeared to do well more than enough to beat the undefeated
Timothy Bradley and eked one out in his third fight with Marquez before
that. Losing a classic only hurts so much in the grand scheme of
things. One of the most accomplished fighters of all time and a
whiskey spokesperson now needs only one thing: a fifth of Marquez.
7) Carl Froch
(30-2, 22 KO)
Age: 35
Current Titles: IBF Super Middleweight
(2012-Present, 1 Defense)
Additional Titles: WBC Super
Middleweight (2008-10, 2 Defenses; 10-11, 1 Defense)
Record in Title Fights: 7-2, 3 KO
Last Five Opponents: Yusaf Mack (KO3),
Lucian Bute (TKO5), Andre Ward (L12), Glen Johnson (MD12), Arthur Abraham
(UD12)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Even bad asses need a
breather. Reminiscent of when Erik Morales took a slower year in 2003
by taking on a fighter who once almost beat him (Guty Espadas), Froch has
chose a flawed but serious puncher in Yusaf Mack and walked through him.
It was almost as easy as the whipping he laid on the previously undefeated
Lucian Bute earlier in the year. Now all signs point to a rematch with
Mikkel Kessler. Their first fight was a war and this shouldn’t be
any different. Win, and Froch will have a mandate for a rematch with
Andre Ward if Ward decides to stick around the class that long. Froch
would be the underdog, but if anyone deserves a second crack at reversing a
rough loss it’s him. Froch is one of boxing’s gems, a genuine take
on all comers warrior. We’ll miss him when he’s gone.
8) Abner Mares
(25-0-1, 13 KO)
Age: 27
Current Titles: WBC Super Bantamweight
(2012-Present, 1 Defense)
Additional Titles: IBF Bantamweight
(2011-12, 1 Defense)
Record in Title Fights: 4-0
Last Five Opponents: Anselmo Moreno
(UD12), Eric Morel (UD12), Joseph Agbeko (UD12, UD12), Vic Darchinyan
(SD12), Yonnhy Perez (D12)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: Since getting his first
title crack against Yonnhy Perez, Mares has run neck and neck with Froch for
most willing fighter in he game and has yet to lose. Using ruthless
aggression to build an early lead and plenty of guile to hold off a second
half rally, Mares bested one of the game’s most skilled boxers in Moreno.
He’s shown he can handle any style and now is calling for someone who
presents him with tests in terms of speed and power that he hasn’t seen in
a single package yet. A showdown with Donaire seems like a must.
The chances for Mares, who borrows a little from the playbooks of men like
Fritzie Zivic in his willingness to bend the rules in pursuit of victory,
can’t be counted out.
9) Brian Viloria
(32-3, 19 KO)
Age: 32
Current Titles: WBO Flyweight
(2011-Present, 3 Defenses); WBC Flyweight (2012-Present, 0 Defenses)
Additional Titles: WBC Light Flyweight
(2005-06, 1 Defense); IBF Light Flyweight (2009-10, 1 Defense)
Record in Title Fights: 8-3, 5 KO, 1
KOBY, 1 No Contest
Last Five Opponents: Hernan Marquez
(TKO10), Omar Nino (TKO9), Giovanni Segura (TKO8), Julio Cesar Miranda
(UD12), Limpetch Sor Veerapol (TKO7)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: A stronger candidate for
Fighter of the Year in 2012 then he has received credit for, Viloria
continued one of the finest career resurrections in recent memory with two
strong knockouts this year. In the first, he avenged a loss and draw
(later made a No Contest) that stood as his first career blemishes versus
Omar Nino. In the latter, he won the first unification fight between
major alphabet titlists since the WBC and WBA split in 1965. His fight
with Hernan Marquez was a corker, Viloria winning almost every round but
battling back from being rocked hard to score three knockdowns. Like
Wladimir Klitschko, Viloria has rebounded from a knockout loss to a fighter
he should have defeated (and was defeating) in Carlos Tamara to find himself
as a fighter. That he done it against the rugged likes of former
lineal 108 lb. champion Giovanni Segura and the streaking, younger Marquez,
earns him a place in the conversation with the best in the game.
10) Wladimir
Klitschko (59-3, 51 KO)
Age: 36
Current Title: Lineal World
Heavyweight Champion (2009-Present, 6 Defenses)
Career Titles: WBO Heavyweight
(2000-02, 5 Defenses); IBF Heavyweight (2006-Present, 13 Defenses); WBO
Heavyweight (2008-Present, 9 Defenses); WBA “Super” (2011-Present, 3
Defenses)
Record in Title Fights: 20-2, 16 KO, 2
KOBY (Overall); 7-0, 5 KO (Lineal Only)
Last Five Opponents: Mariusz Wach
(UD12), Tony Thompson (TKO6), Jean Marc Mormeck (KO4), David Haye (UD12),
Samuel Peter (KO10)
Next Opponent: TBA
The Take: The most
dominant division ruler in the sport right now is lapping the
field. The Mormeck fight was a joke on paper and an even bigger one in
the ring, but he’s not the first champion to have to dig up a stiff.
Fresh out of appealing foes, he settled upon a mandatory with someone he
already beat with relative ease and did it again even easier. Tony
Thompson: the original was better than the sequel. Wach proved a gutsy
punching bag that even managed a brief rocking of Klitschko in the fifth.
This is the picture of dominance but it’s also a hindrance in comparison
to smaller men who fight in far more difficult weight classes right now.
The comparison gap could close in 2013 with a possible showdown against
Alexander Povetkin looming and quality rising contenders like Kubrat Pulev,
Tyson Fury, and David Price getting close to being ready to make a run at
the king. Heavyweight below the Klitschko’s is showing signs of
life. We’ll see if that makes for lively challengers because
they’ve been in short supply of late.
Five More Who Could Easily Be Here: Timothy
Bradley, Danny Garcia, Robert Guerrero, Vitali Klitschko, Anselmo Moreno
Five for the Future: Yuriorkis
Gamboa, Roman Gonzalez, Gennady Golovkin, Kazuto Ioka, Lucas Matthysse
As always, feel free to agree…and disagree. This list is for
entertainment purposes only and based purely on imagination, hypotheticals,
and conjecture just like every other pound for pound list ever written.
Neither it nor any other such list made up of such illusory ingredients
should be used to forward corporate agendas of any kind.
That doesn’t make it any less fun to argue about.
For the latest BoxingScene Divisional Ratings: http://www.boxingscene.com/
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Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the
Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, the Yahoo Pound for Pound voting panel,
and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com