Here are our latest results:
1. Floyd Mayweather (Tie)
After surviving a shaky second round in his showdown with future Hall of Famer Shane Mosley, a more offensive-minded Floyd Mayweather proceeded to dominate the remainder of that fight. Mayweather appeared to deflate the spirit of the usually feisty Mosley, beating the veteran to the punch repeatedly with his superior speed.
Unquestionably the best defensive fighter in the sport today, the logical next opponent for Mayweather would be Manny Pacquiao, assuming they can settle their drug-testing differences. Should that fight fall through, "Money May" will have plenty of other options, starting with Paul Williams and Andre Berto.
1. Manny Pacquiao (Tie)
In his last bout before 40,000 fans at Cowboys Stadium, Manny Pacquiao made tough Joshua Clottey look like a helpless schoolboy thanks to his relentless onslaught of lightning-quick punches.
Now with Pac Man a newly-elected politician in the Phillipines, his biggest obstacle to a Mayweather megafight may involve allocating the necessary training time around his busy schedule.
Although Pacquiao has improved his skills over the years under the guidance of trainer Freddie Roach, his formula for success essentially remains the same: blazing speed, superior conditioning, a never-say-die attitude, and lethal one-punch knockout power.
3. Paul Williams
Poor Paul Williams cannot catch a break. Ducked for years because of his tremendous hand speed, reach, and punch volume, Williams has been forced to campaign at three different weight classes just to find an opponent.
So after narrowly defeating Sergio Martinez and then having his bout with Kelly Pavlik cancelled, Williams stepped into the ring against Kermit Cintron needing an impressive win to catapult him into the Pacquiao-Mayweather sweepstakes.
Unfortunately, Cintron went flying out of the ring during the fourth round, leaving Williams with an unsatisfying victory. Still, this 6'2" southpaw remains a matchup nightmare for everyone in the welterweight division, Pacquiao and Mayweather included. Perhaps one day the running will cease, and Williams will get his big fight.
4. Sergio Martinez
Blessed with great athleticism, hand speed, and charm, Martinez is that rare late-blooming star who finds himself on top of his game at the relatively "old" age of 35. In the past year, Martinez has lost a close decision to Paul Williams in a thrilling brawl, only to then come back and soundly defeat an overmatched Kelly Pavlik with a classic display of boxing.
Timing is everything in life, and right now the flashy Martinez has several options available to him at 154, including Miguel Cotto, a Paul Williams rematch, and possibly even Floyd Mayweather.
5. Chad Dawson
Southpaw Chad Dawson is a highly skilled light heavyweight with a fast, crisp jab and picturesque combinations. Dawson convincingly defeated Glen Johnson in their recent rematch, and is scheduled to fight Jean Pascal on August 14 in Montreal.
The problem for Dawson is that there is no opponent in his division who is his equal. The primary "big name" fight for him would involve Bernard Hopkins, but B-Hop wants no part of him. Still, Dawson may eventually get his marquee fight down the line, as one of the many talented fighters at 168 could decide to move up in weight and take a shot at him.
6. Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir's recent knockout win over defensive counterpuncher "Fast" Eddie Chambers further illustrated that the massive Klitschko brothers are literally head and shoulders above everyone else in the heavyweight division.
Klitschko is a smart, well-conditioned boxer who knows what he does best and sticks to it: throw the jab from distance and follow up with straight right hands.
7. Andre Ward
Ward's rise has been so steady and gradual that sometimes you forget about him. But make no mistake, this slick boxer and former Olympic gold medalist is the real deal, as his speed, toughness, and smarts have carried him to an undefeated record.
After his impressive destruction of veteran Mikkel Kessler, Ward became the immediate favorite to win the ongoing Super Six Tournament. Ward soon will face Allan Green on June 19 in another Super Six bout.
8. Vitali Klitschko
Much like his brother Wladimir, Vitali Klitschko continues to outclass his smaller heavyweight opposition. Although older and more injury-prone than his brother, Vitali actually has more game.
Whereas Wladimir is a more robotic 1-2 puncher, the elder Klitschko displays good lateral movement, left and right hooks, and a willingness to rumble. Should he elect to fight contenders David Haye or Tomasz Adamek, some much-needed life would be injected into the heavyweight division.
9. Shane Mosley
In a glorious second round against Floyd Mayweather, "Sugar" Shane Mosley nearly pulled off the upset behind two titanic right hands to the head. The first caused Mayweather to desperately cling to Mosley's arm, while the second buckled Mayweather's knees and had him on rubbery legs for the next thirty seconds.
Unfortunately for Mosley, he lost the next 10 rounds of the fight, as he struggled to adapt to Mayweather's speed and failed to let his hands go. By Round 6, a gassed Mosley already was breathing through his mouth, his stamina gone.
Now Mosley's career is at yet another crossroads. Although still an elite fighter with speed, power, and heart, Mosley is currently only the fourth-best fighter in a loaded welterweight division. Taking on a Williams or a Pacquiao at 147 would give Shane immense problems due to length and speed issues, and a move to 154 might find Mosley once-again fighting battles against bigger foes. Retirement might not be too far away.
10. Juan Manuel Marquez
Although Marquez was trounced in his last fight by a faster and stronger Floyd Mayweather, he remains a master counterpuncher with at least one good fight or two left in him, provided he fights at the right weight.
While some might dispute his inclusion on this list given his age and reluctance to fight Amir Khan, he also should get some credit for bravely jumping up two divisions in order to fight Mayweather - a larger man who failed to make weight. Marquez is due to face "Baby Bull" Juan Diaz on July 31, in what should be an exciting rematch of their prior brawl.
Others Receiving Votes:
Timothy Bradley
Nonito Donaire
Bernard Hopkins
Tomasz Adamek
David Haye
Lucian Bute
By Mike Elliott
Staff Editor for TheDailySportsHerald.com
Pac Man & Mayweather needs to happen. No excuses!
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