Boxing: Pound For Pound Top 20...For Now

With so many important matches in the coming weeks, I thought it would be a good time to list the top 20 pound for pound fighters in the sport.

The question is: how much will this list have changed come summertime?

1. Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2)

The obvious choice for the number one spot, Manny is coming off arguably his biggest win over Miguel Cotto. Manny is scheduled for yet another tough match against Joshua Clottey on March 13. A win for Pacquiao would hold his place at the number one spot, but a loss would result in his ranking dropping a couple spots.

2. Floyd Mayweather (40-0)

An equally obvious choice for the number two spot, Floyd Mayweather is coming off a shut out win over the much smaller Juan Manuel Marquez. If Floyd wins his next fight against Shane Mosely, and Pacquiao loses to Clottey, Floyd would easily take over the number one spot. If both Floyd and Manny win, the top two spots will stay the same.

3. Bernard Hopkins (50-5-1)

Bernard's inactivity should have hurt his ranking, but there was nobody to overtake his number three spot. After his 2008 victory of middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, Hopkins took most of 2009 off before a December tune up against the smaller Enrique Ornelas. He is set to take on his old rival, Roy Jones Jr., on April 3.

It's hard to say what this fight does for his legacy since Jones is 5-5 in his last 10, and is coming off a first round TKO loss to Danny Green. A loss would be devastating for Bernard.

4. Paul Williams (38-1)

A close decision win over the impressive Sergio Martinez, coupled with a shut out win over an aging Winky Wright, sends Williams way up in the rankings. His next fight will be against Kermit Cintron at 154 pounds. It is a decent fight to keep Williams busy, but anything but an impressive win will invite the critics.

5. Shane Mosely (46-5)

It will have been 16 months since Mosely's destruction of Antonio Margarito when he enters the ring against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Shane has always fought the best throughout his career and he will do it once again on May 1. If Shane wins, he will take the number two spot. If Pacquiao loses and Shane wins, Mosely will no doubt be the top dog.

6. Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1)

Before challenging the much larger Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marquez had become the lightweight champion of the world by stopping both the lineal champ Joel Casamayor, and titlist Juan Diaz. The loss to Mayweather keeps him out of the top five, but he is expected to return this July.                                              

7. Chad Dawson (29-0)

After spending the last two years disposing of Glen Johnson (twice) and Antonio Tarver (twice), Dawson is set to challenge titlist Jean Pascal in August. I personally would love to see Lucian Bute move up to challenge Dawson.

8. Miguel Cotto (34-2)

Despite Cotto's recent loss to Pacquiao, he remains in the top ten mostly due to his 2007 victory over Shane Mosely and his 2009 victory over Joshua Clottey. Miguel is set to move up to 154 and challenge titlist Yuri Foreman at Yankee stadium. An impressive showing there would keep him in the top ten.

9. Israel Vasquez (44-4)

After a close decision win in the brutal rubber match with Rafael Marquez, Vasquez took a year and a half off before a tune up fight with Angel Priolo, which he won by TKO in the 9th round. Vasquez and Marquez are set for a fourth match on May 22.

The winner of that fight will get a small bump in their ranking.

10. Ivan Calderon (33-0-1)

Ivan hasn't fought since September when he barely escaped with a technical decision in his rematch against Rodel Mayol. Calderon will have to fight soon if he wants to remain in the top ten.

11. Juan Manuel Lopez (28-0)

In January, Lopez moved up to featherweight to challenge titlist Steven Luevano. Lopez looked impressive throughout, stopping Luevano in the seventh round. If he continues to win, Lopez will climb up the rankings very quickly. He will have another opportunity to shine on July 10th, when he faces Bernabe Concepcion.

12. Rafael Marquez (38-5)

After his two losses to Israel Vasquez, Marquez took a year off before facing Jose Fransisco Mendoza, winning by TKO in the 3rd round. He will have a chance for revenge against Vasquez on May 22.

13. Timothy Bradley (25-0)

Bradley looked spectacular in his recent defense against Lamont Peterson. There are plenty of interesting fights at 140 pounds, unfortanately none of the fighters are planning to fight Bradley. If he beats a top five fighter at 140, he will crack the top ten.

14. Chris John (43-0-2)

John took care of business again against Rocky Jaurez. Let's hope Juan Manuel Lopez or Yuriorkis Gamboa decide to fight him. A match with Steven Luevano would be suitable as well.

15. Arthur Abraham (31-0)

Abraham had a breakthrough victory in his first fight at 168 against Jermain Taylor. He should be the favorite in the Super Six tournament now, but don't count out Andre Dirrell against him later this month. A win against Dirrell should bump him up a spot.

16. Vic Darchinyan (34-2-1)

Vic Darchinyan was in the top ten last year after his wins against Dmitry Kirillov, Christian Mijares and Jorge Arce. But after his loss to Joseph Agbeko, Darchinyan has fought lesser competition in Tomas Rojas and Rodrigo Guerrero. If he could win a rematch with Nonito Donaire, he would be back in the top ten.

17. Nonito Donaire (23-1)

Donaire needs to fight Darchinyan again or move up in weight. The Darchinyan fight is really what the fans want.

18. Tomasz Adamek (40-1)

Former light heavyweight titlist and Former cruiserweight champion, Tomasz Adamek is now taking on the heavyweights. After knocking out the ancient Andrew Golota and a decision win against Jason Estrada, Adamek is set to take on Cris Arreola in what should be a very entertaining scrap.

I usually don't put heavyweights on the pound for pound list because the heavyweight champion is supposed to beat anyone already, but since Adamek is coming up two divisions, I keep him on here.

19. Kelly Pavlik (36-1)

Pavlik's career has been a constant dissapointment since winning the middleweight championship. After a fight with Paul Williams failed to happen (a million times), Pavlik faced Miguel Espino in December and won by TKO in the 5th round. He is now set to take on Sergio Martinez on April 17th. The winner of that will be in, or very near, the top ten.

20. Sergio Martinez (44-2-2)

In December, Martinez lost a very close decision to Paul Williams that most thought could have gone either way. None the less, he now gets a chance at the middleweight championship when he challenges Kelly Pavlik on April 17th. If Sergio wins, he will be in the top ten.