MAYWEATHER REMAINS NO. 1, PACQUIAO NO. 2 POUND FOR POUND
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 28 Oct 2007
Pound for pound rating is oftentimes used by boxing analysts to compare the world?s top boxers based on their performance. They are evaluated according to their skills, the impact they have brought to the boxing fans, the quality of their opponents, and their being active as a professional fighter.
Sometimes his fights that hit on the box office, now being measured through pay per view sales, will play an important role in the selection of the best fighter. After all, popularity is one way letting the fans decide on the boxers? ability and marketability.
Pound for pound ratings gauge the ring warriors? talent regardless of the weight class they have fought in. Since boxing is a sport categorized by the individual weight of the fighters, the number one pound for pound is considered as the ?champion? of all weight divisions.
The Ring Magazine popularized the selection of the best fighter pound for pound. Considered as the boxing authority, The Ring?s editorial board formulate its own rankings to get rid of several champions in one weight division. The Ring champions are being considered as the People?s Champ for they reflect on the real essence of being a true champion not based on the self-interests of the growing number of boxing governing bodies.
In the process they select the ?best among the best? to come up with the most excellent boxer pound for pound, in their weekly ratings.
Manny Pacquiao remains as the number one contender in the junior lightweight (superfeatherweight) division in the authoritative rankings of The Ring Magazine.
For 122 weeks now he remains as the prestigious top contender with no declared champion in his category. The second ranked contender is Juan Manuel Marquez, the Mexican boxer wanted by many as the next Pacman opponent. Marquez has been in The Ring ratings for 31 weeks. Undefeated Joan Guzman is number 3. The Mexican has an immaculate record of 27-0 (17 KOs).
Another undefeated boxer in the rating is Venezuelan Edwin Valero who is ranked number 4. Valero is the WBA champion and has a clean record of 22-0 (22 KOs). Humberto Soto is ranked number 5. Rounding up the top ten are: 6. Jorge Barrios, 7. Alex Arthur, 8. Yodsanan Nanthachai, 9. Mzonke Fana, and 10. Cassius Baloyi.
The Ring superfeatherweight champion remains vacant. The editors of the magazine, considered as the Bible of Boxing, have not decided on the champion of the said category, probably waiting for the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch or who among the top five Pacquiao will clash next. Despite his win over Marco Antonio Barrera, Pacquiao is the No. 2 in the pound-for-pound category behind welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. who remains at no. 1.
The Ring Magazine latest pound for pound rankings:
1. Floyd Mayweather Jr., 38-0 (24 KOs), WBC Welterweight Champion, The Ring Welterweight Champion, 2. Manny Pacquiao, 45-3-2 (35 KOs), Super Featherweight, 3. Juan Manuel Marquez, 47-3-1 (35 KOs), WBC Super Featherweight Champion , 4. Bernard Hopkins, 48-4-1-1 (32 KOs), The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion, 5. Israel Vazquez, 42-4 (31 KOs), WBC Super Bantamweight Champion, 6. Ronald Wright, 51-4-1 (25 KOs), Middleweight, 7. Rafael Marquez 37-4 (33 KOs), Super Bantamweight, 8. Joe Calzaghe, 43-0 (32 KOs), WBO Super Middleweight Champion, The Ring Super Middleweight Champion, 9. Ricky Hatton, 43-0 (31 KOs), IBO Junior Welterweight Champion, The Ring Junior Welterweight Champion, and 10. Miguel Angel Cotto, 30-0 (25 KOs), WBA Welterweight Champion.
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