If you don’t like pound-for-pound lists, this column is not for you. If you can tolerate them, then proceed – with caution. Like almost everyone else that pens boxing articles, I do pound-for-pound lists, with mine being the ‘Bakers Dozen’, the top 13 boxers (in my opinion, anyway) in the sport today. And trust me, I don’t take them that seriously. These are done just for fun – and admittedly, when there isn’t much else to write about.
Now, there is a lot of talk that most of us that do these rankings have gotten away from the original definition of ‘pound-for-pound’ which was made up for the great Sugar Ray Robinson, as he was being overshadowed by the likes of one Joe Louis. The rationale was that if Robinson and any other fighter in the world could somehow fight at an equal weight, that he would come out victorious.
Well, here’s the thing – back then, a guy like Robinson basically fought everyone out there (save, maybe a Charlie Burley for whatever reason) and fought much more than just twice a year like most elite boxers in today?s contemporary game. Thus, there was much greater evidence across the board that Robinson could beat anybody under the pound-for-pound hypothesis.
And that’s the reason why, like many others, I do factor in level of competition (or lack thereof). Sorry, but I see certain fighters who get anointed to lofty statures because they are part of HBO – the hypothetical boxing organization. Get a big win or two, and then float on a network deal that doesn’t put the impetus for that particular fighter to engage in any more risky ventures in lieu of collecting exorbitant license fees from their pseudo promoters.
While certain entities tell us they have the world’s best fighters on their air – too bad it’s against a litany of no-hopers and mis-mandatories.
Today, it seems that it’s more important for fighters to be better managers than actual, well, fighters. More power to them, but don’t we, as observers and fans of the sport, want to see compelling fights?
Sometimes I wonder.
Yeah, I’ll readily admit it, I’ll give a guy credit for what he’s actually done in the ring, more than giving a guy plaudits for what everyone thinks he might do to a certain crop of prizefighters he’ll never face.
That’s the type of gall I possess. I can’t help it.
But anyway, here’s my newest ‘Bakers Dozen’….
13- Mikkel Kessler: A bit of an unknown, but this guy, who holds a major super middleweight title in Denmark, is a very strong boxer with a thunderous jab. He’s undefeated in 37 bouts and there are rumblings that he could be coming Stateside in due time.
I don’t know if he’ll ever get a crack at Joe Calzaghe, but fights against the other blue-chip 168-pounders like Markus Beyer (which is scheduled for mid-October), Jeff Lacy and Danny Green are possibilities.
Yes, there are guys out there with longer resumes than Kessler, but they seem to be a bit past their primes. I think this Dane is reaching his physical peak and could be in for some big things if his promoters roll the dice a bit.
He’s a bit of a wild-card, but hey, it’s my list, and I’ll take a few liberties if I want.
12- Antonio Margarito: C’mon, you just knew ‘the Tijuana Tornado’ was going to be on here, didn’t you? He could be here just on the fact that certain fighters have turned down career-high paydays to avoid him (but I won?t mention any names).
He’s had a steady, if unspectacular, run as a welterweight, but to get to that upper echelon of the sport, he’ll somehow, someway, need to get into the ring with the game?s blue-chippers and notch a win or two.
As of now, it’ll be up to Bob Arum to get him consistent work and make him into some sort of attraction that will make it worth the risk in the future to face him, something he hasn’t done in the past few years.
11- Jermain Taylor: Yeah, I’ve called him ‘Bad Decisions’ and I’ll stick by that. But there is something to be said about hanging in there versus the game?s best. I just wish other fighters would show his willingness to do so instead of engaging in fraudulent behavior.
He may have not defeated Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright (two future Hall-of-Famers) but he was game and pretty competitive throughout. There’s no shame in that. He still looks like a work in progress in many respects but in today?s marketplace, fighters are rushed before they are truly ready. There was a time when a guy like Taylor would be allowed to fully develop and be nurtured before taking the jump up to the championship level.
Considering the circumstances, he’s done OK. Unlike many others, I wouldn’t be critical of a bout versus Sergio Mora.
10- Shane Mosley: Here’s a guy that, despite his high-profile, is actually a bit underappreciated. While many other fighters would have never given guys like Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright opportunities to face them, Mosley did. It may make him a horribly managed fighter, but a fighter at heart.
He may not be what he was in 2000, but his needle isn’t on ‘E’ either, by any stretch. Perhaps a faded Fernando Vargas made him look better than he is last weekend, but it’s clear he still has a lot left. It’ll be interesting to see what he does in the future against livelier opposition and what he’ll do back down at welterweight.
He doesn’t put his punches together like he once did, but he still has very good hand-speed and athleticism. As long as he stays away from rangy, tall boxers, he gives anyone a tough day at the office.
9- Juan Manuel Marquez: Yeah, I know, it says he lost to Chris John in the books, but I saw that bout, and there’s no way he lost it. However, he should sue his own manager/trainer Nacho Beristain for malpractice for even putting him in the position of having to go to Indonesia for around 30 grand.
Marquez may have wasted his prime years, but he still has a very difficult style to decipher. There’s a reason why his Mexican cohorts, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, were never in a rush to face him.
He comes back on a Showtime-televised bout on August 5th. We’ll see if the future is behind or ahead of him.
8- Ricky Hatton: There seems to be a backlash against the hard-nosed Brit in the wake of his close decision victory over the solid Luis Collazo for the WBA welterweight title.
I don’t think it was a horrible outing given that this was his first real outing at welterweight and that Collazo has a tough style to contend with. But it’s clear that his crowding, mauling style, which is dependent on over-powering his foes, seems to be much more effective at 140-pounds.
He looks very beatable, but then, there’s a reason why nobody?s been able to do it yet.
7- Diego Corrales: For my money, the purest warrior in the game. And just look at who he’s faced in recent years, Joel Casamayor (twice), Acelino Freitas (handing him his first loss) and his epic series with Jose Luis Castillo. Now, he faces Casamayor in an October rubbermatch.
And speaking of pound-for-pound, he showed against Castillo last October that he’s willing to fight under almost any circumstance. As for their aborted third bout that never took place – I said ‘almost’.
The question is, just how much does he have under his legs and will the wear and tear begin to show? But as long as his tall, lean frame is willing, he’ll always be one of the game?s most dangerous punchers.
His heart and courage are undoubtedly the sport?s most outstanding.
6- Jose Luis Castillo: Yeah, yeah, I know, some of you will be outraged to see this chap in my ratings, but hey, I’m not the Nevada State Athletic Commission, I don’t have him under any ‘Bakers Dozen’ suspensions. There’s no doubt that in light of the June snafu that he deserves a severe reprimand and suspension, but that doesn’t take away from what he’s accomplished and what he can still do.
But just go through his resume in recent years – he’s basically one spit out mouthpiece away from a winning streak that includes Juan Lazcano, Joel Casamayor, Julio Diaz, and Diego Corrales. In additon to his battles with Stevie Johnston and Floyd Mayweather in the past.
If they only had moved him up to junior welterweight when they should have.
5-Rafael Marquez: For a long time he was ‘the other’ Marquez, but as of now, he is the premier sibling in what is perhaps the best brother duo in the history of boxing.
Rafa may not be quite as technically sound as his brother, or have the chin (having been stopped a few times), but he does have the proverbial eraser in both hands and is a much more crowd pleasing fighter. While Juan Manuel is a counter-puncher, he’s a pure puncher deluxe.
But beware, it says here he will have all he can handle in his rematch against Silence Mabuza on August 5th.
4- Joe Calzaghe: Here’s a guy whose bandwagon I was on about five years ago, then I jumped off in frustration not too long ago and now I’m firmly back on. Joe, I was with you all the way. Sorta.
His whitewash over Jeff Lacy opened up a lot of eyes, but in many respects, the reason why Calzaghe is on most of these lists is due to his overall consistency in the super middleweight division. What still irks many observers is that you get the sense he may have squandered his best years for one reason or another.
But the guy has a very sound all-around skillset, he’s fast, goes in-and-out real well with his feet, has a sharp jab and puts together nice combos. His one albatross has been a brittle set of mitts.
3- Marco Antonio Barrera: He showed some signs of slippage against Rocky Juarez in May but many felt it was a close bout that he was able to pull out by a point or two (especially after the scorecards were already tabulated).
I admit, in many respects he’s here almost as a force of habit for me and perhaps a tad high. I’m simply not used to doing this list without the native of Mexico City being included. In certain respects he’s the last of a dying breed of prizefighters. Think about it, he’s a veteran of 66 pro bouts, and while not exactly Archie Moore, there won?t be many more world-class guys like him that fight that much anymore.
And after taking a bit of a siesta in 2005, he took on Juarez (in place of the tough Jesus Chavez) and is giving Juarez a rematch when he didn’t have to.
While he may not be the all-out brawler he was in the late 90’s, he’s turned into a more fuel-efficient vehicle, one that can box and brawl in alternate settings, when need be.
2- Manny Pacquiao: I’ll make the argument and reasoning short and simple as to why ‘the Pac Man’ is here.
In four bouts against the Mexican Musketeers (Marquez, Barrera and Erik Morales), he’s 2-1-1 (and could easily have been 3-1) and has scored 7 knockdowns and two knockouts.
All this from a guy who started out as a flyweight.
‘Nuff said.
1- Winky Wright: I know there’s going to be a lot of debate on this, but while Winky is not the most exciting fighter in the game (to say the least), he is the sport?s soundest fighter and his track record is long and illustrious.
Wright is the perfect example of a guy fighting up ? or down – to his level of opposition. And when he’s primed and focused in on a fight, he’s the toughest guy to beat in the sport today.
BAKERS EMERITUS
Bernard Hopkins and James Toney are not on my list for a couple of reasons. Hopkins, because he is retired. But if he wasn’t, he’d be in my top three or four. Toney is omitted because I don’t include heavyweights on my list.
ALSO RECIEVING VOTES
Joel Casamayor, Somsak Chitchatchawal, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Tomasz Adamek, Erik Morales, Juan Diaz, Miguel Cotto, Nobou Nashiro, Martin Castillo, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Zsolt Erdei, O’Neil Bell and Floyd Mayweather.
MAIN EVENTS
It’s been a rough stretch for Main Events. In back-to-back weeks they have suffered some huge losses. First, Fernando Vargas was soundly defeated by Shane Mosley, and then this past weekend, another one of their franchise fighters, Arturo Gatti, was stopped by Carlos Baldomir.
Both fighters are at the end (or close to it) of their storied careers.
Also, WBA lightweight champion Juan Diaz, whom Main Events developed, is a promotional free agent. And now, Mike Marley of FightNightNews.com is reporting that their heavyweight contender Calvin Brock will soon be out in the open market.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
I’ve been told that contrary to whatever?s been written and said about the third bout between Pacquiao and Morales, all systems are go for November 18th.
Pacquiao is expected to be in the States soon to sign his name on the dotted line and make it official.
A few weeks later, Showtime’s December edition of ‘Championship Boxing’ very well could be a doubleheader featuring Top Rank stalwarts Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.
PRETTY GOOD JOKE
Gotcha.
I was just kidding around about my placement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. I wouldn’t argue with anyone that has him anywhere in the top three, no matter what anyone says, the guy has skills. I just figured, the less written about him, the better.
But I could just imagine the e-mails I was going to receive (or will still get) from his pack of fans. They’re a peculiar lot, I must say – loyal to a fault, but highly irrational and sycophants of the worst kind. The e-mails I can decipher – the ones not written in some colloquial street-lingo that are usually incomprehensible and a poor attempt at the English dialect wrapped in thug rhetoric – are quite amusing, as they seem to take their cue from the ?Pretty Boy’ himself.
First, their rationale is that Margarito brings nothing to the table (except of course about eight million bucks) and that everyone would do the same thing with Oscar De La Hoya in the offing. Which is true to a large extent, granted. But suddenly, when ‘The Golden Boy’ blows off the rest of 2006, the statement made en masse is: what has Margarito done to deserve a shot at our fearless leader?
Well, probably not as much as Henry Bruseles and he certainly didn’t lose his last bout like Zab Judah did. So I can see how Margarito doesn’t rate any consideration in this instance.
Then you have Floyd’s on-line financial advisors, who parroted his line that this was business and that he’d take the best deal out there. Well, last I checked, no other deal would bring him the guaranteed money Arum is offering. Which then has them questioning Margarito’s achievements.
Fair enough. But then, isn’t that what every fighter wants? A huge payday against a boxer with questionable credentials? That’s the very essence of good managing.
It’ll be quite interesting to see how his minions justify a bout with Baldomir. Of course the party line will be that it’ll be for the recognized welterweight title. Which of course it is, but then why did he face the guy he beat for this distinction back in April instead of Baldomir himself?
It reminds of that classic line in ‘North Dallas Forty’ delivered by John Matuszak: “Every time I say it’s a game, you say it’s a business. Everytime I say its business, you say it’s a game.”
A certain segment of Floyd’s fans remind me of guys with unnatural and unhealthy loyalties to certain rappers and somehow live vicariously through them. They talk as if they ride-and-die with them, thump their chests over their successes and take any criticisms of them waaaay too personally.
Uh, fellas, when these guys are sippin’ Cristal with four honeys on their laps, celebrating their latest platinum albums with huge fat blunts and riding around in their newest Escalade, the last thing they’re thinking about is you.
Ya heard?
FINAL FLURRIES
I’ve been told that Bobby Pacquiao will not be facing Humberto Soto on August 12th, but will instead opt to face Robbie Peden at a later date. Ivan Valle will face Soto instead…..Robert Ferguson has been enlisted by manager Ivaylo Gotzev to get Samuel Peter in tip-top shape for his September 2nd showdown with James Toney….Speaking of Calzaghe, there is a chance that HBO may not have enough available dates to get him on their airwaves this year…..I think the possible match-up between Jeff Lacy and Allan Green is a dangerous fight – for both fighters. Which is why I’m so intrigued by it…..I read the comments from Antonio Tarver that he’s a ‘movie star’. OK, but does being in one movie (one that I heard is awful) make you a ‘movie star’? Pauly Shore’s been in a bunch of movies and I don’t think anyone considers him anything close to that…..
