The Yahoo! Sports boxing Top 10 poll underwent very few changes this month, as the top nine spots remained unchanged.
But with the rubber match approaching March 1 between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, voters are apparently beginning to look more closely at those two.
Vazquez remained No. 7 in the poll, but Marquez joined the poll at No. 10, replacing Winky Wright. Wright hasn’t fought since losing to Bernard Hopkins last year and has no fight on the horizon.
Pollsters, whose names and affiliations can be found here, apparently tired of waiting for him and dropped him from the Top 10.
For what it’s worth, my votes this month were as follows: 1, Floyd Mayweather Jr.; 2, Miguel Cotto; 3, Joe Calzaghe; 4, Manny Pacquiao; 5, Juan Manuel Marquez; 6, Juan Diaz; 7, Bernard Hopkins; 8, Kelly Pavlik; 9, Winky Wright; 10, Israel Vazquez.
Before I get to the results of our February poll, I’d like to announce I’m going to start a periodic all-time Top 10 in various divisions. I get a huge number of requests for this, so we’ll start with the most popular division ever.
I want to come up with a Yahoo! Sports readers’ all-time heavyweight Top 10 list. Either reply at the end of the column with your list or email me directly at [email protected]. I will only include votes from those who include their full name, email address and hometown.
Please get your votes to me by March 15 and I’ll post the results sometime the following week.
With that, it’s on to our newest pound-for-pound poll, topped once again by the inimitable Mayweather Jr.:
(Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images) Mayweather (L) vs. Hatton.1. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Points: 198 (18 of 20 first-place votes) Record: 39-0 (25 KOs) World title: WBC and The Ring welterweight champion Last outing: TKO 10 over Ricky Hatton on Dec. 8 Previous ranking: 1 Up next: Rematch in September vs. Oscar De La Hoya Analysis: The game’s most complete fighter
(Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Pacquiao (R) vs. Barrera.2. Manny Pacquiao Points: 173 (1 of 20 first-place votes) Record: 45-3-2 (35 KOs) World title: None Last outing: W12 over Marco Antonio Barrera on Oct. 6 Previous ranking: 2 Up next: March 15 in Las Vegas vs. No. 5 Juan Manuel Marquez Analysis: May siphon some first-place votes from Mayweather with excellent performance against Marquez
(John Gichigi/Getty Images) Calzaghe (R) vs. Kessler.3. Joe Calzaghe Points: 152 (1 of 20 first-place votes) Record: 44-0 (32 KOs) World title: WBA, WBC, WBO and The Ring super middleweight champion Last outing: W12 over Mikkel Kessler on Nov. 3 Previous ranking: 3 Up next: April 19 in Las Vegas vs. No. 6 Bernard Hopkins Analysis: As complete a fighter as there is in boxing
(Al Bello/Getty Images) Cotto (R) vs. Mosley.4. Miguel Cotto Points: 132 Record: 31-0 (25 KOs) World title: WBA welterweight champion Last outing: W12 over Shane Mosley on Nov. 10 Previous ranking: 4 Up next: April 12 in Atlantic City, N.J., vs. Alfonso S. Gomez Analysis: The most devastating body puncher in boxing
(Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) Marquez (R) vs. Orlando Salido.5. Juan Manuel Marquez Points: 104 Record: 48-3-1 (35 KOs) World title: WBC super featherweight champion Last outing: W12 over Rocky Juarez on Nov. 3 Previous ranking: 5 Up next: March 15 in Las Vegas vs. No. 2 Manny Pacquiao Analysis: Rematch with Pacquiao is most important bout of his career
(Al Bello/Getty Images) Hopkins (L) vs. Wright.6. Bernard Hopkins Points: 80 Record: 48-4 (32 KOs) World title: The Ring light heavyweight champion Last outing: W12 over Winky Wright on July 21 Previous ranking: 6 Up next: April 19 in Las Vegas vs. No. 3 Joe Calzaghe Analysis: Calzaghe may be his toughest test to date
(Jeff Chiu/AP Photo) Vazquez (R) vs. Jhonny Gonzalez.7. Israel Vazquez Points: 79 Record: 42-4 (31 KOs) World title: WBC and The Ring super bantamweight champion Last outing: TKO6 over Rafael Marquez on Aug. 5 Previous ranking: 7 Up next: March 1 in Carson, Calif., vs. Rafael Marquez Analysis: Tenacious inside fighter thriving under new trainer Rudy Perez
(Isaac Brekken, AP Photo) Pavlik (L) vs. Taylor.8. Kelly Pavlik Points: 66 1/2 Record: 33-0 (29 KOs) World title: WBC, WBO and The Ring middleweight champion Last outing: W12 over Jermain Taylor on Feb. 16 Previous ranking: 8 Up next: June 14 in New York vs. either John Duddy or Felix Trinidad Analysis: Showed improved defense in rematch win over Taylor
(Nam Y. Huh, AP Photo) Juan Diaz (L) vs. Julio Diaz.9. Juan Diaz Points: 39 Record: 33-0 (17 KOs) World title: IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight champion Last outing: TKO9 over Julio Diaz on Oct. 13 Previous ranking: 9 Up next: March 8 in Cancun, Mexico, vs. Nate Campbell Analysis:Volume puncher is boxing’s best-kept secret, despite his ranking.
(Al Bello/Getty Images) Marquez (R) vs. Pastrana.10. Rafael Marquez Points: 22 Record: 37-4 (33 KOs) World title: None Last outing: TKOBY6 to No. 7 Israel Vazquez on Aug. 5 Previous ranking: NR Up next: March 1 in Carson, Calif., vs. No. 7 Israel Vazquez. Analysis: Classy boxer determined to regain super bantamweight glory.
