Before we begin proceedings this month I would like to offer a humble and sincere apology to the people of the Philippines.
For the past year or so literally hundreds of our south-east Asian brethren have emailed in chastising, mocking and in some cases berating me with a few well-chosen expletives to the body for continually rating Juan Manuel Marquez higher than Manny Pacquiao.
All have demanded satisfaction and today, at last, redemption is yours.
Despite the fact that I will go to my grave believing that Marquez beat Pacquiao when the pair met in Las Vegas back in 2004, I must admit that there is no way even someone as bloody minded as my good self can deny the Pac Man a move up the rankings.
Since said meeting, Marquez has beaten two obscure contenders before inexplicably losing to solid but unspectacular featherweight Chris John.
Pacquiao meanwhile has enjoyed three stoppage wins in four fights, and last time out destroyed one of the greatest Mexican little men of recent times in Erik Morales.
Pacquiao also holds a win over fellow ‘pound-for-pound’ star Marco Antonio Barrera, and so as things stand it is only fair that his achievements are (belatedly) recognised by a move up.
Elsewhere on the list Joe Calzaghe jumps no less than four places into fifth spot after issuing a boxing clinic to Jeff Lacy.
Calzaghe’s win was so emphatic he went from gifted yet protected long-reigning world champion with brittle hands to one of the best world champions of recent times (with brittle hands) overnight.
There has been enough hyperbole written about the Welshman’s fantastic win over Lacy and no doubt the victory will have done much for his bank balance and boxing legacy.
To move up a few notches of such a fabled ‘P-4-P’ list will surely serve as icing on the cake for the big man.
Yet for every winner there, of course, must be a loser, and Lacy’s game but ultimately flawed display sees him career off the ‘pound-for-pound’ stratosphere for the time being.
It was no easy decision to find a new entrant, but in the end Antonio Margarito is the man who gets the gig.
His recent one-round blow-out of the always-dangerous Manuel Gomez was absolutely incredible, and at last it looks as though boxing’s most avoided warrior will now feature in some marquee fights this year.
Floyd Mayweather, who boxes Zab Judah on April 8, has indicated he will meet Margarito later on this year all being well, and if that fight does come off it looks must-see material.
Looking ahead Winky Wright has agreed to a middleweight showdown with Jermain Taylor in June, and that fight should tell us plenty about the ‘pound-for-pound’ authenticity of both.
Yet this month belongs to Pacquiao and the people of the Philippines.
I’m sorry I took so long to concur with your view, but I am sure you will agree that truth, rather like beauty and contact lenses, really is in the eye of the beholder.
Sportinglife.com Pound-for-Pound World Top 10:
1 – Floyd Mayweather
2 – Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright
3 – Manny Pacquiao
4 – Marco Antonio Barrera
5 – Joe Calzaghe
6 – Jermain Taylor
7 – Ricky Hatton
8 – James Toney
9 – Miguel Cotto
10 – Antonio Margarito
Honourable mentions: Juan Manuel Marquez, Rafael Marquez, Antonio Tarver, Diego Corrales, Bernard Hopkins, Jose Luis Castillo and Lorenzo Parra.
