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Tricky, down to Ricky

Adam Smith Posted 3rd July 2008 view comments

Thank you everybody for writing in to join in the big pound-for-pound debate. A fabulous response.

I don't think any one person saw things exactly the same. That shows how subjective this is and how much competition is out there at the moment.

Let's make this clear straight away; no-one is right, no-one is wrong (although putting Amir Khan as number one is surely more than just wishful thinking!)

Hatton: don't turn your back on him yet, folks!

Hatton: don't turn your back on him yet, folks!

I believe the pound-for-pound list should be filled with those boxers in the world who are the best, regardless of weight. It's about their brilliance, and if they all superficially fought at middleweight, who might come out on top.

It's largely about current form, but past achievements - including who these men have fought and beaten - should also be taken into account. It's so very tricky.

Not many of you go for Ricky Hatton. But remember the facts. The Hitman has never lost at his true weight of 10stone. Ever. Hatton's biggest win was over a top pound-for-pounder in Kostya Tszyu, and his only defeat was against one of the best fighters to ever lace the gloves.

Ricky Hatton
Quotes of the week

THE GREAT P4P DEBATE
Sky Sports' boxing team have picked their top 10's!
To read them and add your own
CLICK HERE

Take the leading lights: Manny Pacquiao is outstanding, plus he brings the drama. I do though think that Juan Manuel Marquez is a more rounded fighter than Pacquiao. But he has not achieved as much in the game, both in terms of titles and notoriety.

Meanwhile Miguel Cotto is so exciting and looks an even stronger welterweight than he did a light-welter. Ohio's emerging Kelly Pavlik might have had the best 12 months of all of them.

What of the British contenders?

Joe Calzaghe has the astonishingly long unbeaten record at world level. I think Calzaghe is the best fighter we have produced in Britain for many years. But is he good enough at this stage, and without having had many mega matches to take over the mantle? I think right now, with all taken into consideration, he is almost there.

Not many of you go for Ricky Hatton. But remember the facts. The Hitman has never lost at his true weight of 10stone. Ever. Hatton's biggest win was over a top pound-for-pounder in Kostya Tszyu, and his only defeat was against one of the best fighters to ever lace the gloves.

The fact they are talking up a Hatton-Pacquaio fight - which some believe Hatton will win - adds more fuel to the Hitman's inclusion. Most of us feel Pacquiao is the true and new number one, so maybe Hatton should squeeze into the Top 10. Hatton may not quite be the fighter he was, but he has just been watched live by a 58,000 crowd. No other boxer on earth generates that.

David Haye has the potential to become World Heavyweight Champion and might soon be right up in all of our lists. But he's only had two serious cruiserweight wins. Not time yet.

Neither for the other new forces like the dynamic Andre Berto, and the classy looking new Super-Bantamweight Champion Juan Manuel Lopez. Jorge Linares, undefeated in 25 also looks superb.

But it's probably too early for some of these. Many have great promise but they have not proved themselves in the elite just yet. Look out for these names to be real Pound for Pound candidates very soon.

We mustn't totally forget the older generation of multi-weight winners. I know Roy Jones and Marco Antonio Barrera can't really be thought of anymore and Erik Morales has retired. But I was very surprised to see Oscar De La Hoya on so few lists. A six-weight world champion who pushed Mayweather so close a year ago.

Winky Wright, Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins are still active too. If Calzaghe's near the top of lists, shouldn't Hopkins be somewhere in the top 10?

One shouldn't entirely forget fighter's appeal. Or lack of it. I wouldn't have Chris John in there because he's still largely unknown having based himself in Indonesia. On the flip side, I can't understand how anyone could put Amir Khan in - maybe that's popularity talking. Khan is a talent, no more at the moment.

Few mentioned the dominant Arthur Abraham, who's done almost as much as Pavlik or the KO king Edwin Valero. Chad Dawson too looks an excellent fighter but has he really proved his worth amongst the world's finest?

Excellent to see Ivan Calderon and Cristian Mijares get mentioned. The lighter weights often get forgotten. They are both super fighters hovering on the fringe of the top 10, especially Calderon who is a two-weight champion and unbeaten in 31.

The problems with Calderon are that he hasn't had defining nights against really good opposition, and he has a very low KO percentage. He's rather slipped under the radar, but there is a major case for him to be involved.

All in all its extremely tough, and my thoughts as of today - but maybe not tomorrow! - are:

1) Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao was quite sensational as he became master of four weight categories when he destroyed David Diaz. He's even jumped over and through weights! What is amazing is that his power has travelled right up from those light flyweight days to lightweight. The Filipino southpaw's an exceptional, fast, furious, enthralling campaigner who has beaten the great Mexicans in Barrera, Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. Manny has star appeal, and who would bet against him winning titles at 10stone and 10stone 7lbs?

2) Joe Calzaghe
It's still a close call between Pacquiao and Calzaghe for top spot. The world super-middleweight king for over a decade's unbeaten and quite brilliant. Terrific in his massive battles with Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler, Calzaghe moved up to light-heavyweight and still got the result against the outstanding Bernard Hopkins. Joe may be very near the end, and may not be every fan's favourite, but on pure boxing ability, I think he deserves this position for now.

3) Miguel Cotto
The supreme former world light-welterweight king is skilful, determined and an all-round powerhouse. He may be even better at 10stone 7lbs. Cotto's blend of come-forward pressure and underrated boxing skills make the Puerto Rican a potent force. A huge crowd-pleaser and he possesses star quality like Pacquiao. Would be number one if he beats Margarito and a returning Mayweather (although I don't think he would defuse the Pretty Boy).

4) Juan Manuel Marquez
Personally, one of my very favourite fighters. Not only is he extremely intelligent out of the ring, but he is so clever inside. I actually think he's a better boxer than Pacquiao, but he hasn't officially beaten him - or climbed the weights as much - so can't go above him. It's wonderful to watch his skills at work and I am relishing his tactical tussle with the talented Joel Casamayor.

5) Kelly Pavlik
What a year The Ghost has had! Better than most on this list. That stunning win against Edison Miranda and the double over Jermain Taylor prove Pavlik is the real deal. A throwback who is doing ever so well, and proved recently against Gary Lockett that he respects every fighter. He may not be the most talented technically but he possesses a major arsenal and is going to be hard to beat.

6) Israel Vazquez
What a great man he has proved himself to be with the astonishing 'Marquez trilogy'! He can box, he can fight, he has a huge heart, and what I love about Israel is his ability to come back in a fight, like he did to beat the very efficient Jhonny Gonzalez.

7) Rafael Marquez
Has to be in the list straight after Vazquez. Their names will be forever entwined in boxing like Bowe and Holyfield, Corrales and Castillo, Gatti and Ward and of course Ali and Frazier. Marquez has long been at the top of his divisions. The Mexican's a bigger puncher than his brother, and while not as pure a boxer can certainly read a fight beautifully when his power doesn't work.

8) Bernard Hopkins
Despite his rapidly advancing years, don't forget the Executioner! Many felt Hopkins lost the super-fight with Calzaghe rather than the Welshman winning it. The decision was razor-thin, and previously Hopkins had defended his world middleweight crown 20 times, including that stunning victory over De La Hoya. Then he leapt up to light-heavy to defeat Antonio Tarver(who is now a world champion again) and only last year, he outfoxed Winky Wright. A defensive genius, who most people love to hate. Ancient but awesome.

9) Oscar De La Hoya
How can you leave the Golden Boy out? An unprecedented six-weight world champion, De la Hoya will be remembered as one of the true greats. Unlike Roy Jones, Felix Trinidad and even Shane Mosley, who are still active, but way past their prime, last year De La Hoya still managed to push Mayweather to the wire. Yes he's virtually retired but he's still winning and he has to be in.

10) Ricky Hatton
In more than a decade of campaigning at light-welterweight, no-one has beaten the Hitman. Took the gamble of moving up and was dismantled by Mayweather, the former stand-out pound-for-pound king. Hatton's won since and just gets in. The fact that he is also the world's most popular fighter shouldn't really come into this, but there is still a reason why fans adore him. The top five pretty much wrote themselves but six to 10 are so subjective and tough to call. I wanted to find a place for Joan Guzman. He is an awesome technician, with power, who has also risen through the weights, and has never been beaten. Promotional problems and lack of star appeal has hindered him, but on pure ability, Guzman is one of the very very best.

I was also tempted with the two-weight world champion Fernando Montiel (who was barely mentioned but is a fabulous fighter), the sharp, unbeaten Ivan Calderon and one of the middleweight kings, Arthur Abraham.

At the moment I can also find no spot for David Haye. Or any of the really big boys. Wladimir Klitschko is still the man to beat at heavyweight, but the fact he can't get in most people's top 10's show the current state of the glamour division.

Other outsiders failed to make it in Winky Wright, Hozumi Hasegawa, Chris John and so on. Hardly anyone considered Antonio Margarito, but if he upsets Cotto, surely he's right up there. Paul Williams too is back under consideration after his revenge win over Carlos Quintana.

Jermain Taylor's losses to Kelly Pavlik topple him from the lists but his potential super-middleweight cracker with Carl Froch could lead one of those towards the fringes.

With the impending retirement of Hopkins, De La Hoya, Calzaghe and others, the lists will look very different in 12 months time. I think Guzman, Linares, Berto, and Haye may well be quickly filling the void.

So as the Pretty Boy calls time (for now), the sport looks pretty healthy. Certainly judging by how tough it is to pick just 10 top names! The fierce debate in the Sky Sports corridors and skysports.com will be going on for some time yet, I'm sure.

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