Adam Smith - Sky Sports Expert

The great P4P debate

With Mayweather gone, just who is boxing's new number one?

Posted: 26th June 2008 10:43

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Boxing P2P Fighters
Naseem Hamed - used to blowing his own trumpet for so long - recently told me that Floyd would be remembered as the finest fighter to ever lace on the gloves.

Adam Smith
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I for one, think it will be sadder for our sport if we no longer witness the dazzling skills of Floyd Mayweather Jr who, as all boxing fans know, has seemingly retired.

He's threatened this before, but maybe this time he means it. Still, never say never when money, ego and politics are involved.

I was interested in Glenn McCrory's blog last week. Yes, Mayweather didn't always please the fans, referring to multi-million-dollar deals as 'slave contracts' and often showcasing his ability on the back foot. But if you can make serious money, and you don't need to fight 'toe-to-toe,' then isn't that just fine?

Like Glenn, I am very much in the Floyd Mayweather appreciation club. I thought he was simply breathtaking, from the first moment I saw him live in the semi-finals of the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. He was robbed blind, and that was the last time he was ever defeated. For anyone who was there, it should not have happened.

I have never been as impressed with any fighter in training as I was with Mayweather, and I was fortunate enough to see many sessions. He always gave us non-stop shows where frenetically hard work was mixed with entertainment and light fun.

Floyd first jumped rope at the age of three and his routine of skipping tricks is utterly bewildering.

In the ring, he was one of the greatest world super-featherweight champions who ever lived, and then went on to dominate and win world titles at lightweight, light-welterweight, welterweight and light-middleweight. In my view, he will be sorely missed.

Greatest

Naseem Hamed - used to blowing his own trumpet for so long - recently told me that Floyd would be remembered as the finest fighter to ever lace on the gloves. There will always be arguments about statements like that, but safe to say, Mayweather was definitely one of the best, and certainly the greatest of this generation.

With the retirement of virtually everyone's top pound-for-pound fighter, it seemed the perfect time to assess the leading contenders and champions out there. I will be doing this in two parts over the next two weeks.

Pound-for-pound is the term used to describe a boxer's value in relation to boxers of different weight classes.

This debate is so subjective as you will see from the lists below. But it's a bit of fun, so please join in and enter your own to do battle with the Sky Sports boxing team.

These are the thoughts of my closest colleagues who, for season after season have been doing so many of the brilliant features on these fighters. Many have been here for years and their knowledge is excellent.

But the big question is - do you agree with them?

ED ROBINSONDECLAN JOHNSONCHARLES LAWRENCE
1Manny PacquiaoMiguel CottoManny Pacquiao
2Joe Calzaghe Manny PacquiaoMiguel Cotto
3Miguel CottoJoe CalzagheJoe Calzaghe
4Kelly PavlikJuan Manuel MarquezIsrael Vazquez
5Israel VazquezKelly PavlikKelly Pavlik
6Chris JohnIsrael VazquezPaul Williams
7Juan Manuel MarquezBernard HopkinsDavid Haye
8Ivan CalderonChris JohnJorge Linares
9David HayeCristian MijaresChad Dawson
10Rafael MarquezIvan CalderonIvan Calderon
BEN COMPTONJON BELOFFTIM HOBBS
1Manny PacquiaoManny PacquiaoManny Pacquiao
2Kelly Pavlik Miguel CottoJoe Calzaghe
3Joe CalzagheJoe CalzagheMiguel Cotto
4Miguel CottoJuan Manuel Marquez Kelly Pavlik
5Juan Manuel MarquezKelly Pavlik Juan Manuel Marquez
6David HayeBernard Hopkins Israel Vazquez
7Israel VazquezIsrael VazquezRafael Marquez
8Joan GuzmanRafael MarquezChris John
9Bernard HopkinsWinky WrightDavid Haye
10Ivan CalderonIvan CalderonWladimir Klitschko

These fighters all certainly have a case to be involved, and I think most (but maybe not all) of the serious candidates have been mentioned.

Please write in this week with YOUR Top 10's. I will have a good look at them and next week, make my attempt!

Whatever we all choose, I'll tell you something - if Mayweather returns, he is straight back to the top of the charts. In fact I think he's long been in a league of his own.

Good luck - it's not as easy as it looks!

Send us YOUR pound-for-pound Top 10's by filling in the feedback form below...

Comments

Scott Greaves says...

1.pac man 2. calzaghe 3.margarito 4.marquez 5.pavlik 6. hopkins 7.cotto 8. haye 9.dawson 10.hatton. Here it is.I've tried to be consistent with results.Haye is in there purely on his cruiserweight endeavours,because he is regarded as the linear champ in that division it warrants a place.Pacquaio just shades it for me over Calzaghe because of the calibre of opponents he has faced which has to be taken into account.

Posted 13:57 17th October 2008

Dave Ryan says...

First of all, before i get to my list, i've gotta say that Mark Newbridge is chatting bubbles, because Joe Calzaghe is a high contender for the number 1 spot, but not as high as Pacquiao, who not only has won world titles at 4 different weight classes, 2 more than Calzaghe, but has skipped through weights, as he is doing for this fight with Oscar De La Hoya, anyway, to my list: 1. Manny Pacquiao 2. Joe Calzaghe 3. Antonio Margarito 4. Juan Manuel Marquez 5. Miguel Cotto 6. Kelly Pavlik 7. Oscar De La Hoya 8. Ricky Hatton 9. Bernard Hopkins 10. Joan Guzman Quite a few missed out.. David Haye needs a good fight at Heavyweight, although i dont think Monte Barrett will give it to him, Roy Jones JR needs to bring back the kind of boxing that won him multiple world titles at multiple weights in recent years, and Ivan Calderon who would be in there if he won another weights world title. If Mayweather returns, he would return to the top as he is just stunning and the best boxer of the 21st century without doubt, 5 weight classes and all with World Titles? amazing. Others to watch out for: Breidis Prescott, needs another big name win and would be in line for World Title. Timothy Bradley, a unification fight with Clottey or Margarito or Williams would put him on track for my P4P top 10

Posted 23:04 29th September 2008

Larry De guzman says...

1. pacman 2. calzaghe 3. pavlik 4. roy jones jr. 5. jm marquez 6. hopkins 7. mosley 8. dela hoya 9. donaire 10. margarito

Posted 13:55 21st September 2008

Shakir Hussain says...

1. Pacman, 2. Pavlik, 3. Magarito, 4. Calzaghe, 5.Marquez, 6. Cotto, 7. Haye, 8. Hatton, 9. Hopkins, 10. De La Hoya. Hopefully, my favourite boxer Roy Jones Jr. can replace Calzaghe there at 4! Also, expecting Presscott's name up there in a year or 2 maybe 3! He looks Good!

Posted 18:00 15th September 2008

Mr. Gyllespie says...

Can someone please tell me why Pavlik is ranked so much higher than Wlad Klitschko?? Compare their resumes and boxing abilities and one can easily see that WK is better. Pavlik has beaten only ONE world champion (Taylor, a guy who can easily be considered overrated), and all of a sudden he's top ten?? Where's the logic in that?

Posted 10:36 12th September 2008

Charlie Bevan says...

1. Joe Calzaghe 2. Manny Pacquaio 3. Kelly Pavlik 4. Antonio Margarito 5. Miguel Cotto 6. Ricky Hatton 7. David Haye 8. Juan Manuel Marquez 9. Israel Vasquez I can not decide on 10th place. Its between Oscar De La Hoya, Arthur Abraham. Paul Williams or Mikkel Kessler

Posted 23:29 9th September 2008

Barry Brutus says...

Some of these Top 10s are nothing but jokes. How anyone cant have JMM and Pacquiao as one and two (in either order) is beyond me. Calzaghe is a bit of a joke, fighting an old washed up man (in Joes own words) instead of a live threat in Pavlik. He's 45-0 with a record stuffed full of at best decent fighters. Other than Kessler, he's beaten absolutely NO elite fighters in their prime. I had Cotto in 3rd, but after ther Margarito defeat its harder to say. He's certainly higher than Joe for the very reason that he actively seeks out the best, instead of actively avoiding them.

Posted 17:00 5th September 2008

Sam Moore says...

1. Manny Pacquino 2. Joe Calzaghe 3. Miguel Cotto 4. Kelly Pavlik 5. Antonio Margarito 6. Bernard Hopkins 7. Chris John 8. Israel Vaquez 9. David Haye 10. Ricky Hatton

Posted 13:50 13th August 2008

Paul Reid says...

1- manny pacquiao 2- joe calzaghe 3- kelly pavlik 4- antonio margarito 5- miguel cotto 6- ricky hatton 7- davie haye 8-arthur abraham 9- shane mosley 10- juan manuel marquez There is a few close calls incl.. vasquez, calderon, kahn, jones jnr, winky wright and guzman

Posted 16:16 12th August 2008

Sikander Khan says...

1. paquiao 2.Margarito 3.cotto 4.juan manuel marques 5.pavlik 6.calzaghe 7.Israel Vazquez 8.hatton 9.Rafael Marquez 10.Joan Guzman

Posted 14:54 12th August 2008

Jack Verwey says...

first- calzaghe second- de la hoya third - manny fourth- haye fifth- roy jones jr. sixth- cotto seventh- mayweather eighth- vazquez ninth- barerra tenth- hopkins

Posted 23:47 11th August 2008

Kip James says...

1.Calzaghe 2. Pavlik 3. Juan manuel Marquez 4. Margarito 5. Cotto 6. Judah 7. Hatton 8. Pacquaio 9. Kessler 10. Rafael Marquez. Based it on a compromise of who can box the cleverest (not let opponent get into rhythm,land most) and who could dish out the k.o worthy punishment and therefore would be most able of travelling up or down any weight as well as dominating their natural weight.

Posted 16:51 11th August 2008

Jason Snowden says...

1. Pac Man 2. Antonio Margarito 3. Oscar De La Hoya 4. Joe Calzaghe 5. Kelly Pavlik 6. Miguel Cotto 7. David Haye 8. Roy Jones Jr 9. Juan Manuel Marquez 10. Juan Manuel Lopez

Posted 09:38 11th August 2008

Andrew Gorringe says...

what constitutes as p4p the worlds no-1,well 1st of all i respect that every 1 has their own oppinion and thats good,as 4 the way i view my p4p no-1,well i look at a fighter who when not in his prime manages to win his fights,when in times of trouble manages to get himself out of it,whether by heart,instinct,a boxing brain,or pure luck,he comes out triumphant,and when a boxer is in his prime,he takes on the best his weight division has to offer be for moving up and down weights,and taking fights in this new thing we call catch weights[money related oscar delahoya style fights],and my number 1 for the reasons ive stated above,has to be joe calzaghe,he has ticked each box and still at the age of 36 hes still unbeaten and looking as good today as he did when he first became world champion

Posted 22:29 8th August 2008

Sam Smith says...

1. Eric 'Butterbean' Esch no i'm just kiddin here is my real list. 1. Pacquaio 2. Pavlik 3. Haye 4. Calzaghe 5. Vazquez 6. Maragito 7. Cotto 8. Hatton 9. Abraham 10. John But all could change by the end of the year, personally on another night perphaps cotto could have beaten Maragito, Hatton should stick to Light-welter until his confidence returns, Abraham needs a good fight, Pavlik? Haye could be by 2009 depending on his heavyweight endeavour and John he really just needs to leave Asia and go to the US and could be as successful as Pacman, who has defeats rather than being wrapped in cotton wool

Posted 20:37 8th August 2008

Riaz Uddin says...

P4P: 1.Margarito, 2.Cotto, 3.Pacquio, 4.Calzaghe, 5.Hatton, 6.Pavlik, 7.Juan Manuel Marquez, 8.Bernard Hopkins, 9.Rafael Marquez, 10.Guzman

Posted 14:01 7th August 2008

Rob Homer says...

1 manny pacquiao 2 antonio margarito 3 joe calzaghe 4 miguel cotto 5kelly Pavlik 6 juan m marquez 7 joel casamayor 8Ricky Hatton 9 Vic Darchinian 10 Israel Vasquez

Posted 00:32 7th August 2008

Mark Newbridge says...

Can anyone just let me know how Joe Calzaghe is not ranked number 1 by anybody??? Remember that ZERO defeats in 45 outings is an incredible feat. Pacman has lost and surely cannot be considered in the same league as JC. We all know how Calzaghe can raise his game against the best in the World - anyone remember the Lacy fight? Joe would demolish Pavlik and indeed WILL if the report on the WBO website is true. If Calzaghe was English instead of Welsh, he would be the best boxer of all time - OFFICIAL

Posted 13:04 5th August 2008

Phillip Keegan says...

1.Miguel Cotto 2.Oscar De La Hoya 3.Roy Jones Jnr 4.Joe Calzaghe 5.Manny Pacquiao 6.Bernard Hopkins 7.Kelly Pavlik 8.Ricky Hatton 9.Juan Marquez 10.Antonio Margarito

Posted 21:00 4th August 2008

Kane Brookes says...

1.Pacman 2.Cotto 3.Pavlik 4. Calzaghe 5. Joan Guzman 6. Paul Williams 7. Juan Manuel Marquez 8. Juan Diaz 9. David Haye 10. Antonio Margarito. Just missing out Joel Casamayor, Nate Campbell, Abraham.

Posted 20:55 4th August 2008

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