ONE of my favorite things to do when I don my columnist?s hat is to make lists. The pound-for-pound list. List of achievements for a particular fighter.
List of buffet items consumed by James Toney as he ate his way out of the super middleweight division. Whatever, it doesn?t really matter.
An added motivation that really fuels me up is when my Last Rounders find my lists engaging and interesting. In like manner, I also love taking in lists made by other writers.
But in the world of pro-boxing, The Ring Magazine?s top 100 list is not just a list.
It?s The List.
PINOYS. In this recent installment ranking the best fighters in the world, for its January issue, two Pinoys made the top 10.
Manny Pacquiao is at No. 1 (of course) and surprise, surprise, Nonito Donaire Jr. comes in at No. 6. I?m surprised not because I do not consider Nonito to be worthy of the top 10. No sir. Instead, it?s a pleasant surprise to see him ranked so high.
Instead of the brotherly hug he usually dispenses when we meet, ?The Filipino Flash? would probably smack me with his patented left hook if he knew I had my doubts.
Only one other Pinoy made it to the list: Brian Viloria, who comes in at no. 40
FLAWS. But like any other list, it reflects the maker?s bias and preference for or against a particular fighter.
A case in point is the aging Roy Jones Jr. We know he is more used up than a spent bullet, but in 2009, he actually scored stoppage wins over Omar Sheika (KO5) and former super-middleweight champ Jeff Lacy (KO10) Though he lost to Joe Calzaghe in November 2008, he did smack Calzaghe?s pompous ass in the first round to score a knockdown. And remember that this list came out before Jones?s loss to Danny Green and most recently, to Bernard Hopkins.
How could they rank a guy like Cristobal Cruz higher (No. 80) than Jones (No. 83)? Cruz has 11 losses on his record and his ranking comes on the strength of decision wins over Orlando Salido, Cyril Thomas and Jorge Solis.
Or how about Joel Casamayor (ranked 67) who didn?t fight at all in 16 months after he got annihilated by Juan Manuel Marquez in 11 rounds?
But before you get all riled up, you have to read the disclaimer, which I find quite humorous: ?It goes without saying, that you?re not going to agree with all that unfolds on the following pages. Some will seem questionable, some highly dubious and some downright defensible. That?s fine. Send us an e-mail, write a letter, kick the dog, or whatever, get it out of your system and keep reading.?
COTTO. One nagging question percolating on everybody?s mind today is whether Miguel Cotto can find redemption at a higher weight or not.
Is there something left for Yuri Foreman to feast upon after this talented Puerto Rican was devoured by the Pacman?
At stake today will be Foreman?s junior middleweight crown. He is no big puncher, with only eight stoppages in 28 wins, but he is undefeated coming into this fight.
Before Cotto fought Pacquiao, I raised the possibility that Cotto may have been burned too much by that Margarito beatdown. The lingering effects of that awful night were clearly evident when Cotto fought Joshua Clottey. He shied away from the exchanges even when he had Clottey pinned against the ropes.
The Pacquiao fight also left more questions than answers. The burly Puerto Rican had the Pacman in some trouble in the first two rounds but faded badly after suffering knockdowns in the third and fourth.
The feather-fisted Foreman is probably a wise choice of opponent for Cotto, but he will be up against a daunting height and reach advantage presented by Foreman who stands nearly six feet tall.
My heart goes out to Cotto, but I think Foremen will outbox and will earn a unanimous decision.
LAST ROUND. It?s on Maristela Castellano who recently celebrated her birthday. Cheers!
