Top Pound For Pound

[swerb]

Here's what I got right now.

1. Floyd Mayweather - Next two fights will likely be DeLaHoya in the summer and hopefully Cotto early in '09. Two wins would cement him amongst the greatest fighters in the history of the sport.

2. Miguel Cotto - Been #2 on my list for a while. Best body puncher I've seen in many years. Tough minded and smart as well.

3. Joe Calzaghe - Gonna be very tough to beat this guy. I expect him to dodge Pavlik, beat Roy Jones, prolly one fight after that, then retire 47-0.

4. Manny Pacquiao - No longer the Tazmanian Devil in the ring, but clearly one of the sports top lb for lb fighters, evidenced by his rematch win over a very tough Juan Manuel Marquez.

5. Israel Vasquez - To me, the top 5 lb for lb fighters right now is indisputable, and closes with Israel Vasquez. The trilogy with Rafael Marquez is something I will remember the rest of my life, rivaled only by the Barrera/Morales trilogy.

6. Kelly Pavlik
7. Juan Manuel Marquez
8. Rafael Marquez
9. Antonio Margarito
10. Bernard Hopkins

11. Ricky Hatton
12. Oscar Delahoya
13. Wlad Klitschko
14. Mikkel Kessler
15. Winky Wright
16. Ivan Calderon
17. Cristian Mijares
18. Nate Campbell
19. Juan Diaz
20. Shane Mosely

[pup]

So Kelly would beat Calzaghe, in your opinion?

[Guest]

Any top 10 that has Hopkins in it is terrible.
He isn't very good and he's painful to watch.

[swerb]

So Kelly would beat Calzaghe, in your opinion?

It would be a tough fight for Pavlik. Its just gonna be real hard for anyone to beat Calzaghe.

That said, the fight will never happen. Calzaghe won't take a fight that tough. He has said a number of times that he wants to retire unbeaten. Expect a fight with some over the hill bum like Roy Jones next.

[swerb]

Any top 10 that has Hopkins in it is terrible.
He isn't very good and he's painful to watch.

I agree on Hopkins, but who deserves that spot more than him right now? Your boy Roy Jones? Fighting stiffs like Tito and dodging every big fight his whole career?

Gaping hole after the top 9.

Hopkins takes all the big fights, has won most of them, and is very hard to hit and beat. That's why Ring Magazine and almost every single reputable Top 10 Lb for Lb list has him in the top 5, if not the top 3.

I hate the asshole, but he deserves that spot more than a Hatton, Delahoya, or Klitcshko.

[Guest]

A lot of guys should be there before Hopkins to be honest.

Have you ever seen Ivan Calderon fight?
If he was 40 pounds heavier he would be a top 5 guy.
Just because a guy has taken big fights doesn't make him a top ten pound for pound fighter.

Klitschko is top 10, no doubt about it.
Mosley should be ahead of him also.

It's not a career top 10 so you're number 12 guy is funny also.

[Guest]

Hopkins has lost 3 out of his last 5 fights.
Oscar has also and hasn't won a big fight in 6 years or so.

On a side note, Ring Magazine is owned by Golden Boy.

[swerb]

On a side note, you still don't know how to have a conversation with someone on boxing without talking down to them. Great way to stir up discussion.

[Guest]

I'm giving you my opinion the only way I know how.
I see something I don't like and I tell you about it.
It's a message board right, not a conversation board.

[Guest]

Can you please tell me how you have De La Hoya at 12 Richard?