My Top 10 P4P List

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1. Floyd Mayweather

Jr. Middleweight / Record: 43-0, 26 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

My take: Mayweather is the best fighter of his generation having won world titles in five different weight classes. In his last bout, Miguel Cotto gave him a good fight yet Mayweather clearly outpointed Cotto who was the best Jr. Middleweight in the world at the time. Mayweather won’t fight again until 2013, maybe by then he will have slowed down enough for a fight to be made with “Canelo” Alvarez at 154 pounds.

2. Juan Manuel Marquez

Welterweight / Record: 55-6-1, 40 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

My take: Marquez is the best combination and counter-puncher in boxing and proved it with the devastating knockout of Manny Pacquiao. He seems to have gotten better with age and at 39 shows no signs of slowing down. Marquez has plenty of options both at welterweight and junior welterweight for his following fight. Another fight with Pacquiao is always possible due to the amount of money that would be involved. However, after knocking out Pacquiao there is not much left for Marquez to prove. At this stage of his career Marquez needs to fight only to enhance his legacy and that means taking on the best, possibly Lucas Matthysse, Danny Garcia, or Robert Guerrero. Of course all three are with Golden Boy Promotions making Tim Bradley and Brandon Rios more likely candidates.

3. Andre Ward

Super Middleweight / Record: 26-0, 14 KOs / Next Opponent: February 23, 2013 vs. Kelly Pavlik (40-3, 34 KOs)

My take: Ward is a jack of all trades and a master of none. I’m not very impressed with his boxing maybe because I’m not a huge fan of his style but I can’t deny his talents and undefeated record against good opposition. No one in boxing has faced tougher competition in the past 2 years than Ward. Most recently, he embarrassed Chad Dawson, who I though very highly of, in route to a 10th round TKO win. A fight with former Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik is scheduled for early 2013 which I can go without seeing. I would love to see Ward vs. Martinez, possibly at a catch weight of 164.

4. Sergio Martinez

Middleweight / Record: 50-2-2, 28 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

My take: In his most recent outing, Martinez dominated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Since winning the middleweight crown in 2010, Martinez has won almost every round he has fought. Martinez has an exciting style that can give anyone problems in the ring but he is not a big draw which is why a lot of big name fighters do not want to fight him. He has called out everyone from Manny Pacquiao to Andre Ward. A rematch with Chavez Jr. is likely sometime in 2013 due to the PPV success of their first bout but I would much rather see Martinez vs. Ward, Mayweather, or even “Canelo” Alvarez.

5. Nonito Donaire

Jr. Featherweight / Record: 30-1, 19 KOs / Next Opponent: December 15, 2012 vs. Jorge Arce (61-6-2, 46 KOs)

My take: Going into his bout with WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Toshiaki Nishioka, I felt that Donaire would lose, I was dead wrong. Donaire outclassed Nishioka in route to a 9th round TKO victory. Only Andre Ward has beaten better opposition than Nonito in the past 2 years. A fight with Mexican veteran Jorge Arce is next which I expect Donaire to win easily. Hopefully after knocking out Arce, a fight with either Abner Mares or Guillermo Rigondeaux is next.

6. Wladimir Klitschko

Heavyweight / Record: 59-3, 50 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

My take: Wladimir is one of the most dominant, if not the most dominant fighter, in boxing today. No one has come close to beating him in the last 6 years and it looks like his championship reign will continue until he decides to retire. The biggest knock on Wladimir is a lack of quality opposition in this weak era of heavyweight boxing. Most recently, Wladimir dominated Mariusz Wach in route to a unanimous decision.

7. Abner Mares

Jr. Featherweight / Record: 24-0-1, 13 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

My take: Mares is an underrated superstar who has yet to taste defeat. Mares has taken on a string world class opposition and most recently outpointed highly regarded Anselmo Moreno. Mares has beaten everyone worth fighting from 118 to 122 pounds, except for Guillermo Rigdondeaux and Nonito Donaire.

8. Manny Pacquiao

Welterweight / Record: 54-5-2, 38 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

My take: Although he had nothing to show for it, Pacquiao was fighting a good fight and showed great form prior to being knocked out. We saw a fast, illusive, and explosive Manny, one we had not seen in several fights. Minutes after being brutally knocked out at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao vowed that he would return to the ring leaving the door open for a fifth fight with Marquez. Regardless of who he fights next, Pacquiao will be a serious threat.

9. Lucas Matthysse

Jr. Welterweight / Record: 32-2, 30 KOs / Next Opponent: January 19, 2012 vs. Hank Lundy (22-2-1, 11 KOs)

My take: Matthysee is a monster with tremendous punching power in both hands. He has two questionable losses on his record against top fighters Devon Alexander and Zab Judah which many people feel he won. Lucas has won 94% of his fights by way of knockout. Due to promoters, it is unlikely we will see Matthysse vs. Rios, if so then a fight with Jr. Welterweight kingpin Danny Garcia should be made.

10. Brian Viloria

Flyweight / Record: 32-3, 19 KOs / Next Opponent: TBA

After a sensational 10th round TKO victory over highly rated Hernan “Tyson” Marquez, Viloria became the WBA/WBO Flyweight Champion. Viloria is currently on a 6 fight winning streak which includes wins over Julio Cesar Miranda, Omar Nino Romero, and former Ring Magazine top 10 pound for pound fighter Giovani Segura. Viloria has been inconsistent throughout his career but has demonstrated the talent to be an elite fighter. A fight with undefeated WBA Jr. Flyweight Champion Roman Gonzalez could be next.

Added: At #10, Brian Viloria

Dropped: Formerly at #10, Yuriorkis Gamboa

Post your top 10.

 

Yea, good point...I did consider making the change.

 

Maybe I have him too high but the reason I have him there is because I honestly feel he can beat any jr. welterweight in the world. Wins over Soto and Olusegun are nothing to sneeze at, those are good solid wins all within the last year. I would not argue with him being replaced by Froch or Viloria.

 

I know he dominated Chavez Jr. (as he should have) but the fact that he came close to being knocked out is the reason why I don't rate him any higher.

 

He is technically "undefeated" but I just don't think he is very good. In my eyes he clearly lost to Pacquiao, won a sloppy fight against Alexander and outside of that has not really done much to impress me.