Who will be the TOP WW by the end of the year?

I REALLY hope De La Hoya loses to Forbes. I like Oscar but I want Floyd to fight someone else. Never seen Forbes fight. Don't know if he could pull it off.

Floyd Mayweather would be removed from my WW top spot due to inactivity if he doesn't fight a top WW contender by the end of the year. I count Hatton as a solid WW title defense but Floyd seems to only want to fight DLH this year and I doubt DLH could make 147 to fight for Floyd's WW title. Even if DLH does fight for the WW title it's hard to count him as a top WW contender. Cotto would become the top WW if he beats Gomez, the winner of Margarito/Cintron and other top WW contenders. If Cotto loses, the whole WW division becomes a mess and almost unrankable.

I say Cotto will be, especially if he remains undefeated. Floyd beating Oscar, even if Oscar looks fantastic in his fight with Forbes and the rematch won't give him much of a boost. If Floyd fought Cotto, then Oscar again, there'd be no contest. I hope Floyd comes back to make history and goes down to either 140 or 135 like he said he could, can you imagine Floyd vs. Pacquiao at 135, especially if Pac beats JMM and then maybe wins a belt at Lightweight? The hype for that shit would be unbelieveable. Let's say for some strange reason ODLH loses in his tuneup fight. PPV sells will go down. PBF needs a back up plan... lol

Good points by everyone. No hate in this thread.

There's not a question that all real boxing fans will pick Cotto if he wins three fights. They'll know that PBF may still be favorite to win but you have to give the man who wins three fights in a year over the man(PBF) who takes one. If he only fights DLH this year he'll not have had a fight against a ranked Welterweight in 2 years! Cotto will have like 3 times that number. It's hard to believe PBF has the stones and audacity to try this.

PBF will still be....because he won't fight Cotto before years end.

If Cotto fights a top welter this year, he will be it.

if cotto fights and wins all his fights this year he should be the top welterweight

Floyd IMO will be number 1 again!!! Cotto needs to push the fact that he wants to fight floyd the same way ricky did!!! Hiding behind the line (ill fight whoever they put in front of me) isnt going to do it for him!!! He needs to pressure floyd into!!! Taunt him if need be!!! This fight needs to happen this year!!! Floyd will beat cotto!!!

YOU R RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH THAT POST thank you..... although silencer does support the other side pretty well also.

not to be redundant, but here it is anyway. when floyd fought baldy even though baldy got the wbc belt from zab, i certainly didn't think baldy was anywhere near being the best ww on the planet. i wonder how many others thought the same thing? the fact baldy lost to a jr welter (floyd) and the the jr welter (zab) he did beat lost to cotto, seems to really call into question any legitamate claim pbf has to the undisputed ww champ title. just my opinion... YOU R RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH THAT POST

i tend to agree, however, when pbf fought baldy, baldy was not the only ww holding a belt. and i'm not sure that pbf taking it from baldy ,who took it from zab, who took from spinks, who took it from laaalaaaalaaa had any more cred to it than the belt being held by AM, who took it from llaaalaaalaaa. at the time, had pbf taken it from AM, i would be the first to shut my mouth and agree whole heartedly.... With the sanctioning bodies nowadays, every division has at least 2 belt holders. At the time, I remember people saying Baldomir would beat Mayweather because of his size and his relentlessness, so whether people like it or not, Baldomir was the champion, Mayweather beat him to be champion and he'll stay that way until he retires or gets beaten. Again, Cotto will deserve it more by years' end if he fights the fights that's been laid out for him.

Be that as it may, he beat the man to be the man, and whoever wants to be the man at 147 has to beat him but as I said, Cotto will deserve it more than him. not to be redundant, but here it is anyway. when floyd fought baldy even though baldy got the wbc belt from zab, i certainly didn't think baldy was anywhere near being the best ww on the planet. i wonder how many others thought the same thing? the fact baldy lost to a jr welter (floyd) and the the jr welter (zab) he did beat lost to cotto, seems to really call into question any legitamate claim pbf has to the undisputed ww champ title. just my opinion...

Be that as it may, he beat the man to be the man, and whoever wants to be the man at 147 has to beat him but as I said, Cotto will deserve it more than him. i tend to agree, however, when pbf fought baldy, baldy was not the only ww holding a belt. and i'm not sure that pbf taking it from baldy ,who took it from zab, who took from spinks, who took it from laaalaaaalaaa had any more cred to it than the belt being held by AM, who took it from llaaalaaalaaa. at the time, had pbf taken it from AM, i would be the first to shut my mouth and agree whole heartedly....

not sure about that. most, including myself, think that floyd is the best pure boxer of this generation. but i think many would be surprised out how many people think floyd isn't recognized as the best ww. imo, until he does better than baldomir and judah he isn't even in the top 5 WW's... Be that as it may, he beat the man to be the man, and whoever wants to be the man at 147 has to beat him but as I said, Cotto will deserve it more than him.

PBF will still be number one because no one has beaten him but Cotto will deserve it. not sure about that. most, including myself, think that floyd is the best pure boxer of this generation. but i think many would be surprised out how many people think floyd isn't recognized as the best ww. imo, until he does better than baldomir and judah he isn't even in the top 5 WW's...

PBF will still be number one because no one has beaten him but Cotto will deserve it.

Interesting how you mention PBF loses to Mosley. Since he is fighting for the 2nd time the same guy tha Mosley beated twice. It doesn't make boxing sense, only money sense. Still due to age, in 2009, I give PBF the nod agaisnt Mosley. This year it will be a tough call. Anyway, IMO Cotto beats PBF and probably by KO. The surprise would be seeing Cotto winning by decision. regarding cotto/pbf. if pbf gets and stays on his bike (imo, his only chance and the most likely senario) cotto via decision. if PBF makes one too many mistakes (not likely to happen) he goes to sleep. i just don't see ANYWAY he stands there in front like he did with ODH, Hatton and Gatti and wins even brief trades.

Interesting how you mention PBF loses to Mosley. Since he is fighting for the 2nd time the same guy tha Mosley beated twice. It doesn't make boxing sense, only money sense. Still due to age, in 2009, I give PBF the nod agaisnt Mosley. This year it will be a tough call. Anyway, IMO Cotto beats PBF and probably by KO. The surprise would be seeing Cotto winning by decision. that is only because it is PPV, (big money for both) zab is man enough to take the fight ( he will lose anyway but might as well get the dough while you can) and IMO, no other top welter, besides cotto, will get in the ring with shane. look for shane to get to judah faster than cotto did, styles make fights and . judah doesn't have enought left in the tank now to keep shane off......

agreed, PBF is the best overall boxer in the game today but would have a very tough time against these 165lb + welters. I think he decisions Cintron, AM, Quintana and PW. I think he loses to Cotto and Shane... Interesting how you mention PBF loses to Mosley. Since he is fighting for the 2nd time the same guy tha Mosley beated twice. It doesn't make boxing sense, only money sense. Still due to age, in 2009, I give PBF the nod agaisnt Mosley. This year it will be a tough call. Anyway, IMO Cotto beats PBF and probably by KO. The surprise would be seeing Cotto winning by decision.