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ESPN POUND FOR POUND RANKINGS

by ESPN MAGAZINE

 

1. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

Junior middleweight and welterweight titlist Record: 43-0, 26 KOs Age: 35 Mayweather Hits: Whether it was by design (as Mayweather said it was) or because his legs are starting to betray him as he gets older (the likely reality), Mayweather gave fans their money's worth when he fought Miguel Cotto in a very exciting performance in a unanimous decision victory on May 5 in a fight that did a monstrous 1.5 million pay-per-view buys. The win netted Mayweather a second title at junior middleweight in only his second career fight in the weight division, giving him an eighth world title in five weight classes during his brilliant career. Misses: On Friday, Mayweather, arguably boxing's biggest star, is scheduled to report to jail to serve an 87-day sentence for a conviction on domestic abuse against his former girlfriend, the mother of three of his children. It's a shame that one of the few fighters with mainstream recognition put himself in the headlines for such an unfortunate reason rather than something that could lift the sport.

2. MANNY PACQUIAO

Welterweight titlist Record: 54-3-2, 38 KOs Age: 33 Pacquiao Hits: Although the fight everyone wants to see -- Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- once again was not made, and although Pacquiao also decided against a fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, he at least will take on an opponent with a legitimate chance to pull off the upset when he faces junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. on June 9. Credit to Pacquiao for accepting a fight against a young, fast opponent in his physical prime. Misses: Pacquiao certainly is entitled to his opinion, but he caused quite a stir when he recently expressed his strong opinions against gay marriage. Not sure why people care about a fighter's views -- or any professional athlete's views, for that matter -- on social issues anyway.

3. SERGIO MARTINEZ

Middleweight champion Record: 49-2-2, 28 KOs Age: 37 Martinez Hits: Martinez has emerged as one of the best finishers in boxing. Just look at what he has done in his past four fights: He knocked Paul Williams out cold in the second round; destroyed previously undefeated Sergiy Dzinziruk via five knockdowns and an eighth-round knockout (including three knockdowns in the eighth); scored a one-punch knockout of previously undefeated Darren Barker in the 11th round of a fight that Martinez struggled in early; and then scored another 11th-round knockout of Matthew Macklin on March 17 in a fight in which he survived a seventh-round knockdown but rallied to close the show with two knockdowns in the 11th round. Misses: Martinez only has eyes for paper titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., whom he continues to chase even though -- despite the rhetoric coming from Chavez and his promoter -- that fight remains quite unlikely for the fall.