“THE PINOY” LAYS OUT THE TEN BEST FIGHTING TODAY!
By Jason Aniel- With Winky Wright’s perfect fight against Felix Trinidad a thing of the past, the boxing world will flat line until World jr. welterweight champion Koysta Tsyzu tangles with British superstar Ricky Hatton. Therefore today we’ve decided to provide its family of readers a list of the ten best fighters in the world today. Out of the thousands of fighters, contenders, and champions, only 10 separate themselves from the massive heap.
1. Bernard Hopkins, Middleweight, Undisputed Champion of the World, 46-2-1 (32 KO’s). Undefeated for the last twelve years, Bernard Hopkins continues to show no signs of slowing down or getting old. The 40 year-old veteran has cleaned out a division, unified and maintained all major belts, and defeated two future Hall of Fame boxers. Consistency best describes Hopkins during his reign of 20 defenses; other fighters, claiming to be number one, have fallen. Not this man as he’ll try to re-write history once again, facing the top prospect in the world, Jermain Taylor, July 16, 2005.
2. Winky Wright, Middleweight, Number One Contender, 49-3 (25 KO’s). There is a reason why the top fighters avoided this southpaw for as long as they have, he’s no easy fight. Truly a world class fighter to the word because he’s fought in places like England, France, South Africa, and Argentina in his fifteen year career. Fighting in opponents’ backyards, earning the titles he’s won, Wright finally got the chance of a life-time, facing a superstar in Shane Mosley. During both encounters, he boxed and frustrated Mosley, winning two fights against the ex-lightweight great. Rising to boxing supremeacy in May, Wright ran Tito Trinidad out of the ring, dominating the fight from round one to twelve.
3. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Jr. Welterweight, WBC Number One Contender, 33-0 (22 KO’s). The boy wonder of boxing, Mayweather has won titles in two divisions and is one of the last top undefeated boxers in the game. Fighting the best oppostion avilable, “Pretty Boy” defeated both fight of the year boxers, Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo. Stepping up to jr. welterweight, he’ll take on his next big challende, Arturo Gatti, arguably boxing’s poster boy for guts and heart on June 25, 2005. Mayweather, who mixes speed, power, and accuracy, holds the future of boxing in his hands.
4. Koysta Tszyu, Jr. Welterweight, RING World Champion, 31-1-1NC (25 KO’s). One of the classiest boxers today, Tszyu has fought and defeated many top boxers and other than an upset loss, maintained his greatness throughout his career. Falling out of most experts pound for pound lists, Koysta came back with vengance over arch-rival Sharmba Mitchell, destorying his foe in just three rounds. Tsyzu is the number one fighter in a deep division and hopes to finish his glorious career on top, first taking on Ricky Hatton, June 4th, 2005.
5. Marco Antonio Barrera, Jr. Lightweight, WBC World Champion, 60-4-1NC (42 KOs). Beginning his career in 1989, Barrera has achieved greatness, winning three world titles in three weight divsions. He’s also thrilled and shown no fear, fighting some of the biggest names in his divisions. The only man to defeat Erik Morales, he and Morales are the “national tresures” of Mexico. Coming off a huge comback win against Morales and blowing out Mzonke Fana, Barrera regained his position as the king of the little men.
6. Erik Morales, Jr, Lightweight, Number One Contender, 47-2 (34 KOs). If there is ever a fighter who has proven the masses wrong, it’s El Terrible. After losing a war to Marco Antonio Barrera last November, he was the underdog against Barrera conquerer, Manny Pacquiao. Taking the fight only 3 1/2 months after losing to Barrera, Morales proved that he can still hang and beat the top opposition and the Pacquiao victory dismissed our doubts he’s over the hill. Wars seem to come easy for the son of Tijuana, Mexico. He’s currently contemplating making a move to the lightweight division to achieve Mexican boxing immortality, winning a forth title in as many weight divisions.
7. Manny Pacquiao, Jr. Lightweight, RING Featherweight World Champion, 39-3-2 (31 KO’s). Always in a good fight, never boring, Manny Pacquiao’s agressive style and supreme punching power, has won over many die-hard fans. A superstar beyond reason in his homeland of the Philippines, Pacquiao has faced the three top featherweights in the past 10 years, in less than two years. Going 1-1-1 against Juan Manuel Marquez, Barrera, and Morales is a worthy achievement for the 26-year-old bomber. Chosing to fight Marquez when no one else would, Pacquiao, who began his career at 108, has risen from a wild bull with limited skills, to a fast fearless puncher, who has given every opponent he’s fought hell.
8. Diego Corrales, Lightweight, RING World Champion, 40-2 (33 KOs). In a list of the 10 best fighters, the number 10 has been Corrales’ savor and shame. Losing to Mayweather in the 10th round, Corrales became irrate of his team and eventually went to prision. However, coming back and defeating Acelino Freitas in the 10th, Corrales endured an unimaginable toe-to-toe slugfest against frizzle vetern Jose Luis Castillo. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, Corrales, who was dropped twice prior, knocked Castillo out on his feet in the 10th, thrilling fans for years to come. He may go down, but this fighter will never surrender, defeating Casamayor, Freitas, and Castillo in succession.
9. Juan Manuel Marquez, Featherweight, IBF WBA World Champion, 44-2-1 (33 KO’s). Dubbed as the “Avioded One”, Marquez, similar to Winky Wright, before Tito, has yet to display to thte boxing world his pure skills and talent in a mega fight. His comeback against Pacquiao proved that he belongs in the upper-echelon of boxing. If given an opportunity to fight Barrera or Morales, Marquez may show once and for all, he’s the number one boxer in Mexico.
10. Zab Judah, Welterweight, Undisputed Champion of the World, 34-2 (25 KOs). After a crushing and embarrassing defeat to Kostya Tsyzu and a disappointing loss to Corey Spinks, Judah finally controlled and and morphed his great talen, becoming a dominate fighter at Welterweight. With blazing hand speed and good power, this southpaw ran Spinks out of his hometown last February with a TKO stoppage, winning the undisputed Welterweight championship. Mega0fights with Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, or Antonio Margarito can make the former bad boy into the top of boxing’s elite.
QUICK JABS In the openind round, Attorney Sydney Hall, who filed a lawsuit against fired-promoter Murad Muhammad, Rod Nazario, and Boying Nazario, received his check of $6,860.00 from fellow barrister Lamont Jones, Attorney of the Nazarios and Muhammad, who was ordered to pay Hall for delaying tactics during the case that it is all about Manny Pacquiao…It’s a shame that after boxing was at an all high time, James Toney’s positive test for performance enhancers messed it all up… After a couple of months of reflecting on how Morales derailed the “Pacman Express,” I’ve come to the conclusion that Manny took Morales too lightly, which we all did. When Manny fights him in the re-match, he can’t get cute and try to aviod Morales’ shots by running backwards as much as he did; the judges won’t buy it. For Pacquiao to defeat Morales, he will have to dig down deeper than ever, risking getting knocked out himself for venegance…Coming soon, an exclusive with IBF 130 lb. Champion Robbie “Bomber” Peden and how he feels about possibly taking on the Pacman.
