By Cliff Rold
There was a minority emerging as early as the first 2005 rematch win over Erik Morales saying it...it got bigger after the rubber match victory over the same. Since then, the pound-for-pound debate has revolved at some point around Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather or, recently, Pacquiao and Joe Calzaghe.
The debate, for now, is over. As 2008 turns to 09, Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world and it’s really not close. The race for fighter of the decade may not be all that close anymore either, not after Pacquiao, a former World Flyweight, Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight king, stopped former World Welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya.
Pacquiao cements his place. Others have made a recent case to join what will be the final list for this year. Vic Darchinyan upset previous number six Cristian Mijares at Jr. Bantamweight while Darchinyan’s sole career conqueror, Nonito Donaire, posted a solid top ten win at Flyweight over Moruti Mthalane. Mijares clearly drops out, but is he replaced by one of his lower scale brethren or someone larger with a big win of his own in the fall?
