Our First Pound-For-Pound Top 20 List Of 2009

By Tim Starks

As usual, my criteria includes, in approximate order of importance: recent activity, career achievement and overall ability.

1. Manny Pacquiao (junior welterweight): Some might make an argument for Pacquiao’s rival Juan Manuel Marquez to take the spot, and I wouldn’t put up too much of a fight, but it’s not the argument I’d make. It’s my personal opinion that Pacquiao and Marquez should be 1-1 against each other right now, but the record says Pacquiao’s 1-0-1 against Marquez. And as good as Marquez was this weekend, Pacquiao still has an overall better career resume. Only losing to Ricky Hatton in May can drop him from the #1 spot, really, and winning would put more distance between #1 and #2. Manny’s the best. He’s likely going to stay that way at least until he fights Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Marquez again or Shane Mosley, and even then he could just as easily sweep that fearsome foursome. Which is not the same as saying it would be easy. read more

Filed under: Bernard Hopkins, Israel Vazquez, Jermain Taylor, Juan Manuel Marquez, Kelly Pavlik, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Nate Campbell, Rafael Marquez, Ricky Hatton, shane mosley, Vic Darchinyan

ATE: Hand-Wrap-Riddle, Barrera-Khan, Mosley-Hatton-Pacquiao, Williams-Wright, Jermain’s Mouth, Calzaghe Retires and More

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In today’s edition of Ask The Editor (ATE), we take an in-depth look at the Antonio Margarito hand wrap scandal, question what might happen if Amir Khan does beat Marco Antonio Barrera and consider if the winner of Ricky Hatton vs. Manny Pacquiao would be the right fight for Shane Mosley. We look at Paul Williams vs. Winky Wright for the first time, critique what Jermain Taylor is saying about Carl Froch, continue to analyse Joe Calzaghe’s retirement and close Michael Norby’s backyard window. read more

Filed under: Amir Khan, Jermain Taylor, Joe Calzaghe, Kelly Pavlik, Manny Pacquiao, pacman, pacmonster, Paul Williams, Ricky Hatton, Winky Wright