Manny Pacquiao and The Top 25 Pound-For-Pound Fighters In Boxing

It has been an eventful November for boxing and should continue that way, with five exciting bouts taking place this Thanksgiving weekend, all on Saturday, Nov. 27.

- Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Michael Katsidis
- Andre Ward vs. Sakio Bika (Showtime Super Six Tournament)
- Carl Froch vs. Arthur Abraham (Showtime Super Six Tournament)
- Andre Berto vs. Freddy Hernandez
- Giovani Segura vs. Manuel Vargas

Among the positive news for boxing fans is that none of these fights are on pay-per-view.  Like last week's Sergio Martinez vs. Paul Williams match, these fights can all be watched with a regular subscription to either HBO, Showtime or cable television.

This weekend's matches could cause some shakeups in the pound for pound rankings, but we've already seen plenty of those, with Ring Magazine top 10 P4P fighters Manny Pacquiao, Sergio Martinez, and Paul Williams having all fought during the past two weeks. 

The top 25 pound for pound fighters in the world today.

Before moving on to the main list, I'd like to list some honorable mentions and picks 50-26. 

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order): Alexander Povetkin, Andreas Kotelnik, Marco Antonio Barrera, Sergei Dzindziruk, Miguel Acosta, Jorge Linares, Evander Holyfield, Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, Ricky Burns, Nikolay Valuev, Humberto Soto, Joshua Clottey, Kermit Cintron, Alfredo Angulo, Sebastian Zbik, Marco Huck, Beibut Shumenov, Ruslan Chagaev, Victor Ortiz, Brandon Rios, Arthur Abraham and Sakio Bika

Record (W-L-D): 25-1-0, 23 KOs

Age: 30

Country: United Kingdom

Division: Heavyweight (200+ lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (TKO3) vs. Audley Harrison, Nov. 13, 2010
W (TKO9) vs. John Ruiz, Apr. 3, 2010
W (MD) vs. Nikolay Valuev, Nov. 17, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments:  Blessed with exceptional hand speed, good power, and the gift of gab, David Haye had a much-publicized entry into the heavyweight division, and paid dividends quickly when he toppled 7'0" Nikolay Valuev en route to a majority decision victory and the WBA title.  

After his slaying of Goliath, Haye was quickly anointed the savior of the flagging heavyweight division and challenged Vitali Klitschko. 

However, the fairytale ends there.

Haye has been ducking Klitschko ever since, and followed a drubbing of an aging John Ruiz with the stupidest fight in recent boxing history. 

Instead of Klitschko or Adamek, Haye faced Audley Harrison, who landed ONE punch in eight minutes before being knocked out.  Brings new meaning to the term "one-hit wonder."

Record (W-L-D): 19-0-0

Age: 28

Country: Cuba

Division: Featherweight (126 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Orlando Salido, Sep. 11, 2010
W (UD) vs. Jonathan Victor Barros, Mar. 27, 2010
W (TKO2) vs. Rogers Mtagwa, Jan. 23, 2010
W (TKO4) vs. Whyber Garcia, Oct. 10, 2009
W (TKO10) vs. Jose Rojas, Apr. 17, 2009
W (KO1) vs. Walter Estrada, Feb. 20, 2009
W (TKO10) vs. Roger Gonzalez, Jan. 9, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments: With seven fights in the past two years, Yuriorkis Gamboa is one of the two most active fighters on this list.  However, don't mistake quantity with lack of quality. 

Five of these bouts have been for world titles, and he has defeated such impressive names as Orlando Salido, Rogers Mtagwa and Whyber Garcia along the way.

Born in Guantanamo, Cuba but now fighting out of Miami, Gamboa is an extraordinary puncher, and a thrilling talent. With a few more big fights, could find his way into the pound for pound top 10 within a year or two.

Record (W-L-D): 39-6-0, 35 KOs

Age: 35

Country: Mexico

Division: Featherweight (126 lbs)

Recent Activity:

L (RTD8) vs. Juan Manuel Lopez, Nov. 6, 2010
W (KO3) vs. Israel Vazquez, May 22, 2010
W (TKO3) vs. Jose Francisco Mendoza, May 23, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments: The younger brother of Juan Manuel Marquez has an exceptional career in his own right.  Two of his first three fights with Israel Vazquez won Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year, and fans were expecting something similar in their fourth.

Unfortunately, Vazquez has declined considerably and Marquez won by an early knockout.  However, he is once again in the running for a fight of the year after his eight-round slugfest with rising star Juan Manuel Lopez. 

Record (W-L-D): 27-0-0, 23 KOs

Age: 23

Country: Nicaragua

Division: Light Flyweight (108 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (KO2) vs. Francisco Rosas, Oct. 24, 2010
W (TKO2) vs. Jesus Limones, Sep. 3, 2010
W (TKO4) vs. Ivan Meneses, Jan. 30, 2010
W (UD) vs. Katsunari Takayama, Jul. 14, 2009
W (MD) vs. Francisco Rosas, Feb. 28, 2009
W (TKO3) vs. Miguel Tellez, Dec. 13, 2008

Next Fight: TBA

Comments: He's the youngest, lightest, shortest and least famous person on this list, but with a nickname like "El Chocolatito," you can probably guess that he is an excellent practitioner of the sweet science.  

He has a very impressive 85 percent knockout rate, and hasn't lost a single scorecard in his career.  He has already won titles in two weight divisions, and if he can get some attention in such a small division, expect him to make the most of it.  A true talent.

Record (W-L-D): 42-1-0, 27 KOs

Age: 33

Country: Poland

Division: Heavyweight

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Michael Grant, Aug. 21, 2010
W (MD) vs. Chris Arreola, Apr. 24, 2010
W (UD) vs. Jason Estrada, Feb. 6, 2010
W (TKO5) vs. Andrew Golota, Oct. 24, 2009
W (RTD4) vs. Bobby Gunn, Jul. 11, 2009
W (TKO8) vs. Johnathon Banks, Feb. 27, 2009
W (SD) vs. Steve Cunningham, Dec. 11, 2008

Next Fight: Dec. 9, 2010 vs. Vinny Maddalone

Comments: Kathy Duva of Main Events has become my favorite boxing promoter because of the active schedule she books for her fighters, such as Adamek and Zab Judah.  

A former light heavyweight and cruiserweight, Adamek is one of the purest boxers in recent heavyweight history, and his strong chin has allowed him to make the move to heavyweight more effectively than anyone predicted.  

If you get a chance to watch Adamek fight, do it.  You won't regret it.

Record (W-L-D): 51-5-1, 32 KOs

Age: 45

Country: United States

Division: Light Heavyweight (175 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Roy Jones Jr., Apr. 3, 2010
W (UD) vs. Enrique Ornelas, Dec. 2, 2010

Next Fight: Dec. 18, 2010 vs. Jean Pascal, Quebec City, Quebec

Comments: If it seems like Hopkins has been around forever, it's because he has.  After some early career losses to Clinton Mitchell and Roy Jones Jr., Hopkins had a 10-year undefeated reign as middleweight champion.  

At age 40, he was written off after two losses to Jermain Taylor, but has done an incredible job extending his career with wins over Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright, Kelly Pavlik, Enrique Ornelas and (at long last), a victory over Roy Jones Jr.  His only loss in the past five years was a split decision to undefeated Joe Calzaghe.  

He seemed to show signs of his age against Jones, but can he turn back the clock one more time against Pascal?

Record (W-L-D): 26-0-0, 20 KOs

Age: 27

Country: United States

Division: Welterweight (147 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (TKO8) vs. Carlos Quintana, Apr. 10, 2010
W (UD) vs. Juan Urango, May 30, 2009
W (UD) vs. Luis Collazo, Jan 17, 2009

Next Fight:  Nov. 27, 2010 vs. Freddy Hernandez, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV

Comments: Andre Berto is one of the most heralded talents in the sport today, and if he gets through Hernandez and makes good business decisions, he could be on the verge of stardom.

Berto was scheduled to fight Shane Mosley this past January, but cancelled the fight after the deaths of several of his family members in the Haiti earthquake.

That was an unfortunate occurrence and an understandable situation, but it has been compounded by some questionable promotional decisions that have prevented Berto's career from taking off like people expected it to.  At 27, though, he has time to turn that around.

Record (W-L-D): 25-1-1, 21 KOs

Age: 28

Country: Mexico

Division: Light Flyweight (108 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (KO8) vs. Ivan Calderon, Aug. 28, 2010
W (RTD) vs. Ronald Ramos, Mar. 27, 2010
W (TKO3) vs. Walter Tello, Feb. 20, 2010
W (KO1) vs. Sonny Boy Jaro, Nov. 21, 2009
W (TKO6) vs. Juanito Rubillar, Jul. 25, 2009
W (TKO4) vs. Cesar Canchila, Mar. 14, 2009

Next Fight: Nov. 27 vs. Manuel Vargas in Tijuana, Mexico

Comments: Giovani Segura's dominance in an exciting matchup with light flyweight king Ivan Calderon earns him a spot in the pound-for-pound top 20.  

He has an enviable combination of power and speed, along with a good chin and a fighter's mentality.  If he can find enough high-profile competition in his division, he will move up the pound-for-pound rankings quickly.

Record (W-L-D): 26-1-0, 26 KOs

Age: 28

Country: Haiti/Canada

Division: Light Heavyweight (175 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (TD11) vs. Chad Dawson, Aug. 14, 2010
W (UD) vs. Adrian Diaconu, Dec. 11, 2009
W (TKO10) vs. Silvio Branco, Sep. 25, 2009
W (UD) vs. Adrian Diaconu, Jun. 19, 2009
W (KO5) vs. Pablo Daniel Zamora Nievas, Apr. 4, 2009
L (UD) vs. Carl Froch, Dec. 6, 2008

Next Fight: Dec. 18, 2010 vs. Bernard Hopkins, Showtime PPV

Comments: Pascal was a clear underdog against Chad Dawson, but outpointed him by at least three rounds on all of the judges' scorecards prior to the fight's stoppage.  

Pascal is also the person responsible for giving Adrian Diaconu the first two losses of his career.  

He steps into the ring on Dec. 18 against Bernard Hopkins.  A win over Hopkins coupled with his win over Dawson could make Pascal a dark horse candidate for fighter of the year.

Record (W-L-D): 46-6-1, 39 KOs

Age: 39

Country: United States

Division: Light Middleweight (154 lbs)

Recent Activity:

D (SD) vs. Sergio Mora, Sept. 18, 2010
L (UD) vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., May 1, 2010
W (TKO9) vs. Antonio Margarito, Jan. 24, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments: One of the nicest guys in boxing, Mosley has shown impressive longevity for a smaller fighter, though he has shown signs of his age.  Rumors are being circulated about a potential Pacquiao matchup.

One last big money fight might be a good way for one of boxing's all-time class acts to head off into the sunset.

Record (W-L-D): 35-2-0, 28 KOs

Age: 30

Country: Puerto Rico

Division: Light Middleweight (154 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (TKO9) vs. Yuri Foreman, Jun. 5, 2010
L (TKO12) vs. Manny Pacquiao, Nov. 14, 2009
W (SD) vs. Joshua Clottey, Jun. 13, 2009
W (TKO5) vs. Michael Jennings, Feb. 21, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments: People lately have been quick to discount Cotto, but a look at his record reveals he is still a very formidable fighter on the world stage.  He was probably Pacquiao's best opponent since Marquez, and he looked very impressive in his victory over Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium.

Other than the Pacquiao fight, his only other loss is against Antonio Margarito, in a fight that Cotto was winning until he started taking unusually high amounts of damage from Margarito's punches.  Cotto's team insists that Margarito was using illegal handwraps in that fight.

He takes on major fighters consistently.  Cotto's resume contains wins over Clottey, Judah, Mosley, Carlos Quintana, a prime Demarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, Paulie Malignaggi, Lovemore N'Dou and Carlos Maussa. 

Wanting to keep his career rolling, he's holding out until a big money fight comes along.  For our sake, let's hope that happens soon.

Record (W-L-D): 22-0-0, 13 KOs

Age: 26

Country: United States

Division: Super Middleweight (168 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Allan Green, Jun. 19, 2010
W (TD11) vs. Mikkel Kessler, Nov. 21, 2009
W (KO3) vs. Shelby Pudwill, Sep. 12, 2009
W (UD) vs. Edison Miranda, May 16, 2009
W (UD) vs. Henry Buchanan, Feb 6, 2009
W (TKO3) vs. Esteban Camou, Dec. 13, 2008

Next Fight: November 27, 2010 vs. Sakio Bika

Comments: Thus far, Ward has been the breakout star of Showtime's Super Six Super Middleweight tournament.  He is the only fighter in the tournament who is still undefeated.  

His nickname "S.O.G." (for "Son of God") is a bit overreaching, but he is an immaculate talent and possibly the next great star of American boxing.  

We'll get to see more of him as he steps into the ring with Sakio Bika on Nov. 27.

Record (W-L-D): 41-2-0, 38 KOs

Age: 39

Country: Ukraine

Division: Heavyweight (200+ lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Shannon Briggs, Oct. 16, 2010
W (KO10) vs. Albert Sosnowski, May 29, 2010
W (UD) vs. Kevin Johnson, Dec. 12, 2009
W (RTD10) vs. Chris Arreola, Sep. 26, 2009
W (TKO9) vs. Juan Carlos Gomez, Mar. 21, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments:  One of the two dominant forces in the heavyweight division, the elder Klitschko holds the all-time record for KO percentage, with almost 93 percent of his wins coming by knockout, including KOs in his first 27 fights.

Klitschko, who is also the only heavyweight champion ever to have a Ph.D., has been contemplating retirement lately, but has also been pressing a reluctant David Haye to step into the ring.  So far, Haye has ducked in every way possible.

Record (W-L-D): 30-0-0, 27 KO

Age: 27

Country: Puerto Rico

Division: Featherweight (126 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (RTD8) vs. Rafael Marquez, Nov 6, 2010
W (TKO2) vs. Bernabe Concepcion, Jul. 10, 2010
W (TKO7) vs. Steven Luevano,  Jan. 23, 2010
W (RTD9) vs. Olivier Lontchi, Jun. 27, 2009
W (RTD10) vs. Gerry Penalosa, Apr. 25, 2009
W (TKO1) vs. Sergio Manuel Medina, Dec. 6, 2008

Next Fight: March 19, 2011 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, vs. TBA

Comments: As I discussed in a recent article, Juan Manuel Lopez is one of the most exciting and promising boxers in the world today.  He has won 90 percent of his fights by knockout, but his sometimes-shaky defense creates more than enough drama for this young Puerto Rican superstar affectionately known as "Juanma."

There's a lot to like about Lopez.  Not only has he been very active recently, but diehard fight fans may notice that aside from Medina, those are all world-class opponents.  The 33-1 Medina could have been one too, but Juanma's power caused him to give up in the first round, showcasing Lopez's skill to the world on the undercard of Pacquiao-De La Hoya.

There's always a chance that the next time Lopez gets knocked down could be more serious, but until then, he's one of the hottest stars in boxing.

Record (W-L-D): 27-0-0, 22 KOs

Age: 30

Country: Romania/Canada

Division: Super Middleweight (168 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (KO9) vs. Jesse Brinkley, Oct. 15, 2010
W (TKO3) vs. Edison Miranda, Apr. 17, 2010
W (KO4) vs. Librado Andrade, Nov. 18, 2009
W (TKO4) vs. Fulgencio Zuniga, Mar. 13, 2009

Next Fight: March 12, 2011 vs. TBA, at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec

Comments: The super middleweight division has had a huge spike in popularity due to Showtime's Super Six tournament.  However, there's a looming specter over the division that awaits the tournament winner. 

Despite not participating in the Super Six, Lucian Bute is the top super middleweight in the world, and his recent results show why.  He is undefeated, fights quality opposition, and has won over 80 percent of his fights by knockout.

At 6'2", he is a big fighter, and he backs it up with extraordinary power and boxing ability.  Though he was the beneficiary of a controversial 12th round non-stoppage in his first fight against Librado Andrade, he has otherwise proven very durable.

If he keeps dominating his opponents like he has been, Bute will be one of the biggest stars in boxing.

Record (W-L-D): 26-0-0, 11 KOs

Age: 27

Country: United States

Division: Light Welterweight (140 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Luis Carlos Abregu, Jul. 17, 2010
W (UD) vs. Lamont Peterson, Dec. 12, 2009
NC vs. Nate Campbell, Aug. 1, 2009
W (UD) vs. Kendall Holt, Apr. 4, 2009

Next Fight: January 29, 2011 vs. Devon Alexander

Comments: What makes Timothy Bradley so special? One thing: he always finds ways to win. Other than that, it's hard to point to a single exceptional characteristic he possesses. 

At 5'6", he is somewhat short for his division.  He has good, but not outstanding, speed and power.  He isn't the greatest counterpuncher in boxing, and the full extent of his toughness is yet to be seen.

However, he has stepped into the ring with (and beaten) some of the sport's best fighters on a consistent basis.  His last two victims were undefeated fighters.  He was ahead 3-0 on all scorecards before his Campbell fight was stopped due to cuts from an accidental headbutt. 

He and Devon Alexander are the two fighters recognized as the top light welterweights in the world, and possibly the future of American boxing.  They will step into the ring on January 29, in the first major fight of 2011.  It will be Bradley's biggest fight, but perhaps not his biggest test. 

At 24, an unknown Bradley fought reigning champ Junior Witter in his home country of England, and won his first title on a split decision victory.  By the end of the night, the British fans were booing Witter and cheering for Bradley.

Record (W-L-D): 55-3-0, 49 KOs

Age: 34

Country: Ukraine

Division: Heavyweight (200+)

Recent Activity:

W (KO10) vs. Samuel Peter, Sep. 11, 2010
W (KO12) vs. Eddie Chambers, Mar. 20, 2010
W (RTD 9) vs. Ruslan Chagaev, Jun. 20, 2009
W (TKO7) vs. Hasim Rahman, Dec. 13, 2008

Next Fight: Dec. 11, 2010 vs. Dereck Chisora

Comments: Pound for pound lists are designed to eliminate the role of weight class on a fighter's ranking, but there's something to be said for the fighter who could probably beat anyone on Earth in a boxing ring. 

Even if not, Wladimir's dominant position in the division certainly earns him a place on the pound-for-pound top 10 list. 

He is sometimes pegged as a boring fighter, which is an unfair label. A huge 89 percent of his wins have come by knockout, which would be a heavyweight record if not for his brother's 93-percent mark.  The only thing boring about Wladimir Klitschko is knowing that there's a 90 percent chance that he will win a bout by knockout. 

Yes, his opponents are often subpar, but that can't be blamed on him either.  Top heavyweights frequently duck fights with him, and it's no wonder: with his combination of ring generalship, technical skill, and knockout power, he is the greatest heavyweight of the past decade.

Record (W-L-D): 39-2-0, 27 KOs

Age: 29

Country: United States

Division: Middleweight (160 lbs)

Recent Activity:

L (KO2) vs. Sergio Martinez, Nov. 20, 2010
W (TD4) vs. Kermit Cintron, May 8, 2010
W (MD) vs. Sergio Martinez, Dec. 5, 2009
W (UD) vs. Ronald "Winky" Wright, Apr. 11, 2009
W (TKO8) vs. Verno Phillips, Nov 29, 2009

Next Fight: TBA (Potential Opponents: Kelly Pavlik, Kermit Cintron, Floyd Mayweather)

Comments: Paul Williams is, in more ways than one, a great conundrum in boxing.  Listed at 6'1", which is already tall for a middleweight, many say he is closer to 6'2" or even 6'3".  However, he doesn't fight like a tall fighter.  Instead, he has an extremely high workrate and a strong chin.

His career is also somewhat of a conundrum.  For years, he has been billed as "the most avoided fighter in boxing," but that could change after his recent knockout loss to Sergio Martinez. 

Having now been beaten twice, Williams is at risk of being "exposed," and it will be interesting to see what direction his career takes after his biggest loss.  A comeback fight against Kelly Pavlik might not be a bad idea.

Record (W-L-D): 43-2-2, 33 KOs

Age: 31

Country: Mexico

Division: Bantamweight (118 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (KO3) vs. Rafael Concepcion, Jul. 17, 2010
W (TKO4) vs. Hozumi Hasegawa, Apr. 30, 2010
W (TKO1) vs. Ciso Morales, Feb. 13, 2010
D (TD) vs. Alejandro Valdez, Sep. 12, 2009
W (KO3) vs. Diego Oscar Silva, Mar. 28, 2009

Next Fight: TBA. (Potential Opponent: Nonito Donaire)

Comments: Fernando "Cochulito" Montiel is an offense-first fighter with a high activity rate and a crowd-pleasing style.  His knockout of Hozumi Hasegawa was one of only two times this year that a fighter defeated the top-ranked Ring Magazine fighter in his division (Jean Pascal's win over Chad Dawson was the other).

He was scheduled to fight in a smaller-scale fight in Mexico in December before he injured himself in a dirt bike accident, which would have made him the most active of 2010's "Fighter of the Year" candidates.

Now, it remains to be seen whether he will take on another mid-range opponent, or wait until early December to confirm a mega-fight with Nonito Donaire that has been years in the making.

Record (W-L-D): 77-3-1, 41 KOs

Age: 33

Country: Thailand

Division: Flyweight (112 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Suriyan Por Chokchai, Oct. 8, 2010
W (KO1) vs. Rey Migrino, Jul. 2, 2010
W (MD) vs. Koki Kameda, Mar. 27, 2010
W (TKO6) vs. Rodel Tejares, Dec. 2, 2009
W (TKO6) vs. Takahisa Masuda, Aug. 28, 2009
W (UD) vs. Julio Cesar Miranda, Apr. 24, 2009
W (KO2) vs. Shahram Toradide, Jan. 30, 2009

Next Fight: TBA

Comments: Pongsaklek has long been recognized as one of the greatest fighters in the world, but is unlikely to ever gain much of a following in the United States because he fights as a flyweight, a division dominated by Asian and Hispanic fighters, which relies more on speed and skill than knockout power. 

That said, Pongsaklek has both, and it is always a treat to watch him during the rare times we U.S. fight fans get to see him compete.

Two of his losses came in his first 5 fights, so he is actually 74-1-1 since 1996. The loss and draw came in 2007 and 2008 against Daisuke Naito, the only world-class fighter Pongsaklek hasn't bested.

His biggest recent wins were against Kameda (who had beaten Daisuke for the WBC flyweight title) and Julio Cesar Miranda.  A third fight against 36-year-old Daisuke could end up being an all-time classic.

Record (W-L-D): 24-1-0, 16 KOs

Age: 28

Country: Philippines/United States

Division: Super Flyweight (115 lbs)/Bantamweight (118 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (TKO8) vs. Hernan Marquez, Jul. 10, 2010
W (KO3) vs. Manuel Vargas, Feb. 13, 2010
W (UD) vs. Rafael Concepcion, Aug. 15, 2009
W (TKO4) vs. Raul Martinez, Apr. 19, 2009

Next Fight: December 4, 2010 at the Honda Center in Anaheim vs. Volodymyr Sydorenko

Comments: "The Filipino Flash" burst onto the scene in 2007 with an outstanding 5th round knockout against undefeated flyweight king Vic Darchinyan.  Since then, he has continued to compile strong victories, but not against the top-level opposition befitting of a top pound for pound fighter.

He faces his toughest opponent since Darchinyan in 27-2 Volodymyr Sydorenko, who has defeated Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym, and whose only two losses came at the hands of Anselmo Moreno. 

If Donaire wins on Dec. 4, all signs point to a marquee fight against top 10 pound for pound Mexican warrior Fernando Montiel. 

His only loss was in his second career fight at age 19.  He has been a fixture on the pound for pound lists for several years, and it's hard to believe he only turned 28 last week.  He has a very legitimate chance of becoming a pound for pound No. 1 in the coming years.

Record (W-L-D): 51-5-1, 37 KOs

Age: 37

Country: Mexico

Division: Lightweight (135 lb)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Juan Diaz, Jul. 31, 2010
L (UD) vs. Floyd Mayweather, Sep. 19, 2009
W (TKO9) vs. Juan Diaz, Feb. 28, 2009

Next Fight: Saturday, November 27, 2010 vs. Michael Katsidis

Comments: It's hard not to like Juan Manuel Marquez.  A tough, skilled, no-nonsense boxer who spent many years in the shadow of his countrymen Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, he has proven himself very worthy of carrying on the proud tradition of top Mexican boxers. 

Under the guidance of legendary Mexican trainer Nacho Beristain, Marquez is always in excellent shape and, like many of Beristain's fighters, has held up very well as he has advanced in years.  His first win over Juan Diaz was 2009's Fight of the Year, and he won even more convincingly in their second bout.

To say he was outfought by Mayweather is an understatement, but there was a substantial weight disparity: Marquez was moving up two weight divisions and Mayweather was coming down just one, and still ended up two pounds heavier than the weight limit at the official weigh-in. 

That said, the last two true challenges Manny Pacquiao faced were both at the hands of the grizzled Mexican warrior, who fought to a draw and then a split decision loss.  Some contend that Marquez could have won both fights.  We'll see how he performs on Saturday against rugged Australian Michael Katsidis.

Record (W-L-D): 46-2-2, 25 KOs

Age: 35

Country: Argentina

Division: Middleweight (160 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (KO2) vs. Paul Williams, Nov. 20, 2010
W (UD) vs. Kelly Pavlik, Apr. 17, 2010
L (MD) vs. Paul Williams, Dec. 5, 2009
D (MD) vs. Kermit Cintron, Feb. 14, 2009

Next Fight: TBA. (Potential Opponents: Felix Sturm, Paul Williams, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, or a top Super Middleweight)

Comments: Martinez pulled off the biggest win of his career last week in a shocking second-round knockout of Paul Williams in their highly-anticipated rematch of one of the best fights from 2009.  No one, least of all Williams, saw that coming. 

A speedy, sometimes-powerful southpaw with exceptional defense and ring generalship, Martinez (who only began boxing at age 20, after stints as a soccer player and professional bicyclist) has come on strong in his mid 30's, and his last two performances will likely garner him "fighter of the year" honors.

Prior to that, he was on the wrong side of two controversial decisions, particularly the Cintron fight, which he clearly won.

He is one boxer who deserves all the attention he is getting.

Record (W-L-D): 41-0-0, 25 KOs

Age: 33

Country: United States

Division: Welterweight (147 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Shane Mosley, May 1, 2010
W (UD) vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, September 19, 2009

Next Fight: TBA. (Potential Opponents: Manny Pacquiao, Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams, Andre Berto)

Comments: The great debate continues.  Mayweather has been positively dominant the last 3 or 4 times we saw him.  His win over Marquez was far more emphatic than either of Pacquiao's performances against the Mexican fighter, and he looked very good against Shane Mosley in May. 

He is the most technically gifted fighter on this list, and possesses that rare combination of speed, toughness, power, and technique perhaps more than anyone else in the sport.  Every time we watch Mayweather, he exceeds our expectations and looks like the best fighter in the sport. 

The problem: we don't see Mayweather enough.  He has only fought twice in the past 35 months, and neither of those fights have been the one boxing fans wanted to see.

Record (W-L-D): 52-3-2, 38 KOs

Age: 31

Country: Philippines

Division: Welterweight (147 lbs)

Recent Activity:

W (UD) vs. Antonio Margarito, Nov 13, 2010
W (UD) vs. Joshua Clottey, Mar 13, 2010
W (TKO 12) vs. Miguel Cotto, Nov 11, 2009
W (KO 2) vs. Ricky Hatton, May 2, 2009
W (RTD 8) vs. Oscar De La Hoya, Dec 6, 2008

Next Fight: TBA. (Potential Opponents: Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Shane Mosley, Andre Berto, or Juan Manuel Marquez)

Comments: Pacquiao looked impressive at in his dominant victory over a sluggish-looking Antonio Margarito earlier this month, en route to winning a world title in his eight weight class.  His speed and power were still very much intact, but he had trouble making the higher weight. 

People are tossing around the idea of a fight with Sergio Martinez at a 156-pound catchweight for Martinez's middleweight title, but it's looking far more likely that Pacquiao will move back to welterweight.

A recent announcement that he will probably fight for another three years boosted excitement among boxing fans.