Pound for Pound Is Relevant Again

February 14, 1951.  Sugar Ray Robinson painted his first of many masterpieces.  His canvas was the boxing ring in Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL.  His paint was Jake LaMotta’s blood. 

That day marked the 6^th meeting between the two boxing greats and Ray Leonard’s only win by stoppage – a bloody TKO13 stoppage.  The win was so dominant that the boxing scribes of the day dubbed it the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre to effectively relay the sadistic nature the beatdown LaMotta endured.  

At that point Sugar Ray Leonard’s amazing record stood at 124 professional fights with only 1 loss and it was quite apparent who the best fighter in the world was.  That’s 124-1, people!  Completely unheard of in this day and age. 

No knock on the heavyweight champ at the time, Ezzard Charles, who was a fine fighter himself.  He had deservedly assumed the heavyweight throne in 1949 after Joe Louis’ retirement when he clearly outpointed Jersey Joe Walcott, but anyone who knew boxing saw clearly that the real gem was 40 pounds south - at welterweight (147 lbs).  A man who possessed more boxing skill (assuming it was a measurable unit) per pound than anyone else. 

The term pound-for-pound was first used to describe the original Sugarman in the February 1951 edition of Ring Magazine and has since been attached to the most skillful and dominant fighter in the world at any given time, weight class be damned. 

But something went wrong.  We started needing to crown a pound-for-pound champion regardless of what the talent pool looked like in the sport. 

Fighters like Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins –all future hall of famers, so no disrespect here - have all laid claim to this imaginary, yet coveted title even though they were only marginally better than the other top fighters at the time.  Now, finally, things are beginning to change.  The chips have fallen in such a way that the top fighters might actually get to face each other and a true king will be crowned. 

The current Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list has Manny Pacquiao at number one and Juan Manuel Marquez at number two.  The former pound-for-pound king, “Money” Mayweather is coming out of retirement - a retirement no one actually believed - to fight Marquez in a mega-fight taking place this Saturday.  With Manny Pacquiao facing Miguel Cotto on the 14^th of November, a Pacquiao win sets up the perfect scenario to find out who the REAL #1 pound-for-pound boxer is. 

Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao have faced each other twice before with the first fight ending in a draw and the second in a disputed split decision win for the Pac-Man.  To me, this shows there is little to separate between the two.  A Marquez win this Saturday sets up a perfect Pacquiao rubber match to find out who really is better between the two, while a Mayweather win sets up a Pacquiao showdown the public will definitely clamor for. 

What if Miguel Cotto beats Manny Pacquiao later this year on the 14^th of November and throws a monkey wrench into these plans?  The Pacquiao fight is very winnable for Cotto (I think it’s an even fight), and a Cotto win would definitely complicate matters.  In fact, the only reasons Cotto is not actively in this debate are his loss to Antonio Margarito (before the plaster-of-Paris-in-the-wraps controversy) and how shaky he looked in his last fight against Joshua Clottey. 

Shane Mosley could also be considered based on his recent track record and demolition of Antonio Margarito in his last fight.

Ok boxing fans, let the debates begin.  How will the next undisputed #1 pound-for-pound boxer be crowned?  Should Shane Mosley, Nonito Donaire, Paul Williams or any other top fighter be considered?