This Decade’s Top 5 Boxers

Posted on 06. Dec, 2009 by C.Scrumptious in Boxing, Sports

As we close out the first decade of the millennium, boxing enthusiasts will look back and feel it has been a decent decade for the sport. We have lost some fighters along the way (RIP Diego “Chico” Corrales, Arturo Gatti, Vernon Forrest, Alexis Arguello) and found new stars.

But who have been the best pugilists?

Previously the likes of Hearns, Hagler, Leonard, Duran, Whittaker, Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis and Jones Jr have lit up our screens with masterful displays but now I salute the new class, each deserving of their place in the top 5 fighters of the decade.

#1 Manny Pacquiao
Pound 4 Pound King,
Championship belts at 7 different weight classes

Simply amazing. The Pilipino fighter has transcended the sport of boxing and is truly now a superstar. In his 26 fights since 1999 he has failed to win just twice (One a loss to Erik Morales and a draw with Juan Manuel Marquez). Pacquiao was known as the ‘Mexicutioner’ because of how he has taken out Mexican heroes like Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Oscar De La Hoya (all deserving of a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame when they are eligible) but now it must be changed simply to the ‘Executioner, for how he indiscriminately takes out anybody put in front of him.

In 2008 he fought at super featherweight, lightweight and welterweight then jumped down to light welter weight in 2009 to destroy Ricky Hatton and moved back up to welterweight to vanquish Miguel Cotto If you fight anywhere between lightweight and junior middleweight, believe you are a target.

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#2 Bernard Hopkins
#1 ranked Light Heavyweight in the world
Most Middleweight title defences ever.

Could you imagine your father lacing up gloves and stepping into the ring to fight with elite level boxers? No? Well go have a look at Bernard Hopkins. Turning 45 in January, ‘B Hop’ has been in the form of his life and last October at the age of 43 rolled back the years with a total dismantling of current Middleweight king Kelly Pavlik who was 26 at the time.

Hopkins was expected to lose coming off a defeat to Joe Calzaghe but he battered Pavlik and if we were in the old days of 15 round fights could very well have stopped him. Yet this isn’t the only time Hopkins has upset the odds.

In 2001 he told the world he would dismantle the then Pound for Pound King Tito Trinidad and make his father climb into the ring and save him. In the 12th round of that proposed fight Felix Trinidad Sr had indeed seen enough and climbed into the ring to put a stop to the beating Hopkins was giving his son.

In 2006 after losing his Middleweight crown to Jermain Taylor he moved up in weight to take Antonio Tarver’s light heavyweight title, and then defended it against Winky Wright who he beat by UD. Hopkins has said he will be Heavyweight champion in 2010 and I wouldn’t bet against the wily veteran.

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#3 Floyd Mayweather
Former Pound for Pound King, Undefeated
6 championships in 5 different weight classes

Floyd Mayweather could have found himself in either 1st or 2nd but only he forced me into placing him at 3rd. One of the best natural boxers the world will ever see, Mayweather has the ability to adapt to any situation to earn a win. His defence is near impregnable, with slick speed and reflexes and contrary to belief when he hits, he hurts.

Just look at his fights with Diego Corrales whom he floored 5 times (he had never been floored before), Arturo Gatti who he beat like a punching bag or Ricky Hatton whom he knocked out spectacularly with a perfect left hook going backwards AND with 10 oz gloves.

His fight with Oscar De La Hoya broke all kinds of records, bought by 2.7 million households, it generated $120m in PPV revenue and earned Oscar $58m whilst Floyd made $25m. The only thing I can fault Pretty Boy Floyd for is his reluctance to lose his ‘0’. He has avoided and still avoids many fighters like Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, and Miguel Cotto etc in order to keep his perfect record; thus ability wise he is up there with the best but his legacy leaves quite a bit to be desired.

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#4 Juan Manuel Marquez
3 weight world champion
Current lightweight champion of the world

An excellent technician, Marquez was already a featherweight champion when he met Manny Pacquiao in what remains one of the most disputed fights in modern memory. Down 3 times in the first round and with a broken nose, many thought it would be a formality that Pacquiao beat the Mexican. But Marquez had different plans and fought back to capture a draw. You would think after such a poor start he would have been happy? Nope because many in fact thought that despite the 10-6 round, Marquez deserved the win.

Marquez moved up to super featherweight and captured a title at that weight with a victory over fellow Mexican, Marco Antonio Barrera. He then faced Pacquiao again and lost by the slightest margin with a knockdown in the 3rd round proving the decider as every following round was scored dead even. Marquez moved up to lightweight where he captured his 3rd title knocking out Cuban Joel Casamayor for the first time in his career. He then cemented his place at the top of the division in a potential fight of the year victory over Juan Diaz.

Starting the fight slowly, Marquez figured out Diaz in the middle rounds and went on to knock out the ‘Baby Bull’ in the 9th round.
His fight against Mayweather was not a true depiction of his talent and he looked slow and sluggish at the weight but his heart must be commended for taking the fight at a weight foreign to him. A 3rd and final bout with Pacquiao could be on the cards before either man retires.

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#5 Miguel Angel Cotto
2 weight 3 time world champion

Initially a light welterweight, Cotto would struggle to make the weight his own thus his fights often excited as it affected his punch resistance. His fight with Ricardo Torres was particularly exciting as they traded knock downs before Cotto stopped the Columbian. He also fought undefeated Paulie Malignaggi and took a victory after fracturing Malignaggi’s orbital socket.

It was his move up to welterweight that saw Cotto really rise to fame where he won his second world title with a 5th round kayo of Carlos Quintana. He would also stop Zab Judah in the 11th before facing his biggest challenge in legend Shane Mosley. Prior to this fight Cotto was deemed a puncher, but shocked the world when he punched AND boxed to take a UD victory over Mosley.

Cotto was cruising beating all who were placed in front of him and there were talks of mega fights with the sport’s best until he came up against Antonio Margarito. The Mexican was known as the most feared fighter in the sport so it was only natural Cotto faced him. He started off well but in the 7th round he began to slow down and Margarito took over eventually forcing Cotto to surrender in the 11th round.

At the end of the fight Cotto’s face was a mess with blood pouring from his mouth, nose and ears. Boxing fans were puzzled as Cotto had never looked so bad but got their answer in January when Margarito was caught with plaster of paris in his gloves in a fight with Shane Mosley. Cotto returned to capture a belt again, against England’s Michael Jennings and defended it with a hard fought victory over the tough Joshua Clottey. But it was more than obvious that the beating from Margarito had taken it out of him and despite flashes, Manny Pacquiao easily handled him to take his welterweight title.

This list is very disputable and of course is just my personal thoughts and feelings but I think many would agree with me. This decade is coming to an end, but the next will start with a bang as Manny Pacquiao takes on Floyd Mayweather in March. Hopkins will eventually retire, Cotto has said he will fight two more times before he hangs up his gloves and age/wear and tear will force Marquez out of the ring soon but there are a bright bunch ready to step up with JuanMa Lopez, Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz, Amir Khan, Saul Alvarez and Yuriorkis Gamboa all ready to step into the limelight. 10 years from now we can look back and see who has made the grade.

Tags: Highlight