Breaking News: Mayweather and Pacquiao Camps Reviewing an Agreement for Drug Testing

ESPN reported today (via Dan Rafael chat session) that there is an agreement on drug testing which is being reviewed by the Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao camps at the moment. Stay tuned as this could finally get us close to completing the fight. Don't hold your breath though as anything can come up at any time. Remember we all thought the fight was originally done at the start of December but then the drug testing issue came up. Nonetheless, this would get us over the hump on the highly contentious drug testing issue even though the defamation lawsuit from Pacquiao against the Mayweather camp will likely not be retracted.

Mayweather and Pacquiao Camps Continue to throw Jabs

There were no major updates today, although a few sites are reporting that the fight is dead and Bob Arum is looking to finalize another fight. It's hard to believe we won't see any common ground established to make this mega fight. Fighting each other in the middle of the ring really is the next logical step for both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. Only thing is that Pacquiao is a warrior and he will fight anyone so it's not out of the question that another fight be made for Pacman. However, it's impossible for me to imagine Mayweather wanting to fight anyone else - he basically came back for Pacquiao. Ultimately, Bob Arum probably has the biggest leverage and should win out in the negotiation. If not, he'll take another fight and wait until later in the year to make the Floyd fight. I'm sure both Arum and Manny have no problem with that. The problem for Floyd is that I don't see him wanting to wait - he needs this fight now. If the fight doesn't happen, Floyd has a lot more to lose. Ultimately, that fact should be the boiling point in the negotiation. Whatever the case, lets hope something gives.

Arum Willing to Speak to Pacquiao about Blood Testing Timeline

Bob Arum said he will speak to Manny Pacquiao about the blood testing timeline and whether they could do it later than 30 days before the fight. It turns out that HBO's "24/7" footage of the Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight showed Pacquiao taking a medical blood test 24 days before the fight (HBO reported it originally as 14 days but were proven inaccurate). Given that he has already done tests at 24 days prior to a fight, Arum might be able to tighten the timeline.

As for whether or not Manny will accept the day of the fight or within a few days of the fight is another story. I don't think that should make a difference. Whether Pacquiao does the blood test right after or right before the fight doesn't really make any difference. Either way, the test will take at least several days to conduct before a result is known. Given that, even if Pacquiao or Mayweather test positive the fight will have to be conducted whether or not blood is drawn right before or right after the fight. Hopefully, the fighters can agree now - especially if Pacquiao is willing to be blood tested a couple of weeks before the fight.

Arum makes Final Offer to Mayweather Camp

According to SI.com, Bob Arum has made his final offer to the Mayweather camp to save the Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather super showdown. Arum proposed unlimited urine tests and a blood test in January and two more no later than 30 days before the fight. Arum also stipulated that there be a hearing on Jan. 19th to decide whether blood tests are even needed. He has always said his experts have told him that blood tests are "ridiculous". Regardless, it looks like Arum is ready to make the Paulie Malignaggi fight in the event the Mayweather fight doesn't happen on March 13th. He said the Paulie deal would take about an hour to make - no kidding!

In addition, SI.com reported that Arum gave them a deadline until this morning to accept his final offer. Wonder if there was any action this morning on it or not. Stay tuned ... this negotiation just seems to get more and more interesting.

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Fight Still on the Ropes

The more discussion there is about Paulie Malignaggi against Manny Pacquiao the more I am starting to believe that fight might actually happen instead of the Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather fight. There isn't much time left until the Pacquiao vs Floyd fight scheduled for March 13th so if they don't work something out quickly the fight could very possibly be canned. Until, of course, they start up negotiations again after Pacquiao smokes Malignaggi. Let's hope we don't have to wait for that to happen. Problem is that the drug testing issue could result in a lot of discussion if Bob Arum is correct in saying he now wants to let the Nevada State Athletic commission handle the testing. There is no way they can do blood in time for March 13th so this could be a huge road block.

The Golden Boy and Mayweather camp will have to make a reasonable offer for blood testing such that it makes them comfortable about Pacquiao's conditioning but also doesn't bring Manny's demons about having blood drawn out in the light. I think Manny, being the warrior that he is, will accept such an offer. The only issue for Pacquiao is that he feels he will be at a disadvantage if he has to give blood right before the fight. Mentally he might feel more tentative in the ring if he thinks he's less able to take a punch, for example. That would make for a terrible situation - most especially for the fans.

Mayweather Camp Backs off From Initial Demands

Although the fight is still in danger of not happening as scheduled on March 13th, the Mayweather camp camp has backed off a bit by saying that they will accept anyone doing the testing and not necessarily the USADA (Olympic testing in the US). The problem still is that they want random testing and the negotiation now is down to time frame. The Pacquiao camp are still upset that they have to go through with this additional level of testing despite always abiding to the boxing commission testing standards. Mayweather wants blood testing and wants it to be random the Nevada state athletic commission does only urine testing and claim that is enough. All in all, the camps are still far apart and both sides are upset by allegations whether it be performance enhancing drugs or wanting to get out of the fight.

Pacquiao will be more motivated than ever to obliterate Mayweather based on his recent strong comments which are very unlike him. He has basically called out Floyd as a coward and told him things will be settled in the ring. That is very uncharacteristic of Manny but you have to imagine he will be hungry to lay a beating on Floyd based on these comments. Floyd loves to manipulate but this time it might backfire on him.

Manny Pacquiao suing Floyd Mayweather and his Team

Manny Pacquiao has decided to sue Floyd Mayweather and his team for defamation. The Mayweather camp has recently alleged that Pacquiao may have taken performance enhancing drugs despite have no evidence other than his great performance in the ring. Pacquiao has passed every drug test he has taken and denied taking anything abnormal let alone steroids. Pacquiao says that Mayweather's ludicrous claims have started to propagate into his fan base as many are asking him questions about drug use. He believes that his reputation is being unjustly tarnished.

The primary issue in making the fight has been the drug testing approach. Pacquiao is not comfortable giving blood close to the fight while he is okay doing urine tests at any time and giving blood immediately after the fight or any time in advance of the days leading up to the fight. Mayweather wants Olympic style blood testing which means they can take a blood sample right before the fight. Olympic style blood testing has had it's issues with some athletes being disturbed minutes before their event to give blood which can certainly put them at a disadvantage (mentally if nothing else).

Pacquiao has said he doesn't want to play mind games before the fight but let his fists do the talking for him. He even called Mayweather a coward who is scared to fight him in the ring but rather make up lies outside of it.

If nothing else, all of this generates more interest in the fight which, although at risk, is very likely to get made for next year. Bob Arum is saying that Pacquiao may fight Paulie Malignaggi to keep his March 13th fight date if the Mayweather mess doesn't get sorted out in time. Hopefully, that doesn't happen as the Paulie fight would do nothing for Pacquiao other than give him an easy filler fight until the Mayweather fight happens.

2009 Year End Boxing Pound for Pound List

Here's my pound for pound list for 2009:

1. Manny Pacquiao

Manny further solidified his legendary status in the sport by dismantling Miguel Cotto with a 12th round TKO. There really is no one else left for Pacquiao to fight other than a mega blockbuster fight with our number 2 which looks like it will happen March 13th (pending the drug testing issue).

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

After a perfect shutout against the smaller Juan Manuel Marquez, there are still lingering unanswered questions about Mayweather's desire to fight a truly legitimate challenger. That's not to say Marquez wasn't legitimate. It's just that Marquez was much smaller. Now is the time for Floyd to step up and fight Manny Pacquiao which is what he seems to be doing (despite the drug testing distraction).

3. Bernard Hopkins

Bernard's most recent win showed that he still has a lot left. He dismantled solid journeyman Enrique Ornelas after a long lay of since his wipe out of Kelly Pavlik. However, an expected showdown with Roy Jones Jr. will not happen since Jones was KO'd in the first round by Danny Green. Hopkins options now are Lucien Bute, Danny Green and Tomasz Adamek. All are decent fights so lets hope one of them gets made.

4. Juan Manuel Marquez

Marquez doesn't lose much after a tough loss to Floyd Mayweather in a fight way beyond his weight class against a fighter who came in two pounds over the agreed upon limit. Not to mention - his opponent was the former pound for pound king and current number 2. Marquez will now need to stay busy and take an easier fight. Ricky Hatton looms but he will need time to get back into shape.

5. Paul Williams

Despite his close fight with Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams is still underrated. Although that is slowly changing with his victories over Winky Wright, Antonio Margarito, Verno Phillips and Martinez along with his versatility across weight divisions. Williams' biggest challenge is to attract fights with top opposition given his lack of drawing power and the risk he poses in the ring. Kelly Pavlik is a great example of the difficulty Williams faces in getting top fighters in the ring. Pavlik has been seemingly ducking Williams for most of 2009.

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Disagree on Drug Testing Approach

Floyd Mayweather and his camp have recently demanded Olympic level drug testing before the fight with Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao is okay with drug testing but doesn't want testing on the day of the fight he is okay with it at any other point or after the fight at any time. However, Olympic drug testing policies require random tests at any time. This has created problems for Olympic athletes who have been forced to take drug tests the day of their events. Such last minute random testing can seriously throw off an athlete mentally on the day of the event. Manny Pacquiao wants to avoid that altogether. Floyd and his camp are claiming this is the highest standard so they should be willing to abide by it but at the same time Pacquiao has a good reason to be against that exact approach. The bottom line is that both fighters are okay with drug testing but there is a disagreement over the approach. There are rumors flying that Mayweather doesn't want the fight or Pacquiao is ducking more stringent testing. Anything is possible but at the end of the day the fight has to be made. Earlier today Bob Arum countered with the drug testing approach of the NBA and NFL which is different from the Olympic approach. Only time will tell who will back down first to allow this fight to happen on time.

Scott Smith Upsets Cung Le

Cung Le smashed Scott Smith for almost 15 minutes before getting caught by a sneaky left hook that wobbled him. Smith jumped on Le and made sure to end the fight. Le looked great until that point of the fight - he was battering Smith with kicks and punches the entire fight. Le's defense was also very strong. He dodged almost everything Smith had to throw at him. The fight was all but wrapped up when Le got a little careless with his defense and even wasted a ton of energy picking up and slamming Smith for no reason. He paid dearly in the end by taking his first defeat. In other action, Jacare took out Matt Lindland in a great display of submission mastery. King Mo Lawal also won his fight and established himself as a top challenger in the light heavyweight and maybe even heavyweight division. All in all, things look great for Strikeforce as they have also recently announced signings of Dan Henderson and Bobby Lashley who are sure to make a big impact in the sport for the promotion.

Cung Le Returns Tonight

Cung Le will take on Scott Smith tonight on CBS as part of the Strikeforce Evolution card. Smith could be the stiffest challenge the popular Le has ever faced. Both are strikers so expect this to be an explosive and exciting fight while it lasts.

The best part is that it is free on television! Expect better than expected numbers for this fight simply due to the fact that it is Cung Le and free.

Scott Smith has solid power and can test Le's chin with one punch. Le will need a more consistent effort and good defense to win this fight.

In boxing action, the disappearing Kelly Pavlik takes on an unknown fighter (Miguel Espino) tonight. Instead of fighting Paul Williams, Pavlik has elected to take an easier fight and duck Williams. Hopefully, the fight happens at some point but that depends entirely on Pavlik's desire to take on Williams.

Amir Khan may get Paulie Malignaggi in New York City

Amir Khan's first fight in the US may come against Paulie Malignaggi in New York city. However, before that can happen HBO plans to have a double header with Khan and Devon Alexander fighting on the same day on March 6th 2010. Khan will likely be fighting in England against someone yet to be named.

In other news, it looks like Juan Manuel Marquez will be fighting Ricky Hatton next. Unless Hatton can convince Oscar De La Hoya to come out of retirement expect Marquez vs Hatton to happen before mid next year. Hatton is currently huge and way overweight. He'll need time to get back into shape. Marquez is still hunting after Manny Pacquiao but will certainly take a big fight with Hatton while Pacquiao settles the pound for pound score with Floyd Mayweather.

Vitali Klitschko beats unheralded American

Heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko defeated American Kevin Johnson yesterday. The Klitschko brothers are lacking a serious challenge and no one expected Johnson to pose a threat at all. David Haye chimed in quickly indicating that Vitali had yet to build a legacy in the boxing having only a loss to Lennox Lewis as a legacy building fight.

Haye will be fighting John Ruiz next year and then look for a fight with one of the Klitschko brothers. The goal being to beat both Klitschkos and be recognized as the undisputed heavyweight champion. For now, the Klitschkos sit atop the heavyweight division until someone can knock them off.

In other action, junior welterweight king Timothy Bradley won a big fight against Lamont Peterson. With Manny Pacquiao out of the division Bradley has to look no further than Amir Khan or Juan Manuel Marquez for potential challengers. His brand value is low so it will be interesting to see where he lands up next.

BJ Penn Dominates Diego Sanchez

BJ Penn proved once again that he was in a different league from his competition. Penn destroyed Diego Sanchez in a fifth round stoppage (due to a severe cut from punishment). Sanchez was not in Penn's league and couldn't do anything to even challenge Penn. Penn's stand up was far superior and Sanchez wasn't anywhere near able to take Penn down. The trouble now is that there is no competition left in the UFC at lightweight for Penn. There is a real challenger outside of the UFC in Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki but it's not clear what would have to happen for those two to get in the ring together. Nonetheless, this was the prodigy's night as he showed his place in MMA history is solid.

In other action, Frank Mir quickly chocked out Cheick Kongo after landing a blistering right hand to put Kongo on the floor. Mir is looking for a rematch with Lesnar and seems to be better than ever after this victory. Kenny Florian also took out Clay Guida in a superb performance earlier in the night.

BJ Penn Gets His Biggest Test at Lightweight against Diego Sanchez Tonight

Diego Sanchez is undefeated at lightweight. BJ Penn is the ruler of the lightweight division and hasn't lost at lightweight for an eternity. Both are very talented. Penn is considered the prodigy of MMA. The fight has the making to be an instant classic. Expect Penn to control the fight but Sanchez will make it interesting. Penn is now focused where he should be - at lightweight. BJ has moved up and down in weight even challenging Lyoto Machida at light heavyweight at one point in his career (and losing a close decision). He seems to be content at ruling the lightweight division for now. Diego Sanchez should provide enough of the challenge needed to keep Penn focused and interested. Don't miss this one.

Dan Henderson signs with Strikeforce

Middleweight MMA star Dan Henderson has finally signed on with Strikeforce after several months of negotiations with both UFC and Strikeforce. It was thought he would re-sign with the UFC where he had been most of his recent career but instead he will now be at Strikeforce and looms large as solid competition for Gegard Moussasi (light heavyweight) and Jake Sheilds (middleweight). Henderson even said he would challenge Fedor Emelianenko at heavyweight. The Strikeforce lineup has now become even stronger. Henderson will get a lot of television exposure as well on CBS. It will definitely be interesting to see a Henderson - Shields or Henderson - Moussasi fight. Both would be amazingly interesting fights at either middleweight or light heavyweight. Henderson said Moussasi is a guy you could be pegged to beat Anderson Silva. Moussasi is widely considered the future star of MMA.

Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather is on for March 13th 2010

It seems from recent news reports that both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have accepted a proposal to fight on March 13th, 2010 at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs. Mayweather had accepted initially and Pacquiao accepted later after a few tweaks according to Bob Arum. I would have thought that Pacquiao aim to have the fight weight limit set at 145 lbs or thereof instead of the full limit given his size disadvantage. Nevertheless, this is a great fight between two of the best fighters in boxing, in fact, the top two pound for pound fighters in the sport today.

The terms of the agreement have not been shared yet and very few details are available. The fight will be contested using 8 oz. gloves which should favor the smaller more powerful Pacquiao and somewhat counteract the weight limit being more favorable to the bigger Mayweather. Pacquiao is running for office in his homeland and will focus on that after the fight which has been said to be the reason for the quick turnaround on the fight. Hopefully, Pacman isn't too distracted with other things while he prepares for Mayweather and recovers from a tough Cotto fight. He'll need to be at 100% to dethrone the undefeated Floyd. This fight is expected to be the richest ever in boxing but without a doubt will be huge. I certainly can't wait.

Khan get first round TKO; Williams wins tight decision

Amir Khan demonstrated blistering speed and power against an outclassed Dimitry Salita. Khan knocked Salita down with a vicious left-right combo at the ten second mark of the fight and never looked back getting a first round TKO. Khan's speed was way too much for Salita and, although, this was an expected end result no one expected it to be this quick. Khan should be a handful for anyone at junior welterweight as he now moves on to spar with Manny Pacquiao to prepare Pacman for his upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather.

Paul Williams also won his fight against Sergio Martinez earlier today in what was an extremely close fight. Martinez elevated his stock despite losing. The good thing for Williams is that this might entice Kelly Pavlik who has dropped out of scheduled fights with Williams this year.

Amir Khan vs Dmitry Salita Tonight

Amir Khan will defend his junior welterweight title tonight against Dmitry Salita in England. Khan is expected to win easily against a largely untested Salita. Of course, Khan is not taking this tune up lightly with Salita being undefeated. Also on the under card is Breidis Prescott who is taking on an up and coming British lightweight. This looks like a very entertaining card overall so check it out if you can.

Roy Jones KO'd and Hopkins wins easy

Bernard Hopkins beat Enrique Ornelas tonight in a tune up fight. Hopkins easily outpointed the journeyman in a virtual shutout and looked great in the process. Roy Jones, unfortunately, did not have the same result. Jones was knocked out in one round against Danny Green in Australia earlier in the day. It is now very unlikely that Hopkins and Jones will have their rematch early next year. For Hopkins, a change in direction might now be needed. The only obvious fights are against Tomasz Adamek or Chad Dawson. There is also David Haye but he has two committed fights for next year. Certainly, a heavyweight clash with David Haye would be the biggest fight out there. Adamek is probably the safest fight and Dawson is the obvious light heavyweight fight. It's really up to Hopkins on what he decides to do at this point in his career. He's almost 45 years old. Dawson would be the most competitive fight but isn't necessarily the biggest fight for Hopkins.

As for Jones, this was another tough knock out for him. Unfortunately, he couldn't get it done against Green in Australia (which was Green's home country). Not sure Jones wants to continue fighting but I suppose a fight with Hopkins is always possible and would still be a decent draw if he wants it.

Bernard Hopkins wants to fight David Haye for the Heavyweight Title

Once he's done with his tune up fight this week and Roy Jones early next year, Bernard Hopkins said he wants to challenge for the heavyweight title of the world. His best opportunity to get there is a former cruiserweight who is making waves at heavyweight. David Haye has just taken one of the heavyweight alphabet titles by beating Nikolai Valuev in their recent title fight. Haye is a smaller heavyweight when compared with the champion Klitschko brothers. Hopkins is always looking for new challenges and at 45 next year he will likely be a bit older than George Foreman was when he won the heavyweight title. That would remarkably make Hopkins the oldest heavyweight title holder ever further cementing his legacy as an all time great. Bernard doesn't seem to slow down with age as he has produced some of his greatest fights after he turned 40. This will also be great for boxing as it will definitely be a huge fight if Hopkins ever takes on Haye in the heavyweight division. Of course, he's got two fights he needs to win before any realistic discussions about a mega fight with Haye. Of course, Haye would have to beat John Ruiz and whoever he fights after that as well. Keep an eye out to see how this one evolves.

Super Middleweight Clash Between Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade

It's not part of the super six tournament, but the both Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade could have been part of the tournament given their ranking in the division. Instead, they will be fighting each other tonight for the IBF super middleweight title. The two may be developing towards an Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward-esque trilogy with an action packed fight already completed. This fight should be no different so check it out if you can. It's just too bad they won't be able to challenge any of the super six fighters until that tournament is complete.

Breidis Prescott on Khan Salita Undercard

Amir Khan will be taking on Dmitriy Salita on December 5th to defend his junior welterweight belt. On the undercard will be a familiar foe in Breidis Prescott as he takes on Kevin Mitchell. Khan is expected to take out Salita fairly easily but it will be interesting to see if Prescott can come back from a loss to beat the undefeated Mitchell. Mitchell is lightly challenged in this past and is stepping up to take on Prescott. Expect Prescott to test his chin and defense in what should be an interesting fight that has gone unnoticed. The interesting thing is whether a Prescott win means he'll get a shot at Khan. It will be great for Khan to put those cob webs to bed once and for all but other than revenge Prescott offers little value given there is no lack of star power at junior welterweight level. Regardless, the Dec. 5th card should be very entertaining.

MMA Pound for Pound List for November

The top five pound for pound MMA fighters for the month of November are:

1. Anderson Silva

Silva has dominated the middleweight division in recent years to a phenomenal degree and destroying Forrest Griffin at light heavyweight definitely edges out Fedor for number one. Let's hope someone good steps up to challenge him and make it interesting at middleweight. I'm not really interested in seeing him fight at light heavyweight.

2. Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor is close to Silva after recently putting on an amazingly exciting fight against the solid Brett Rogers. He'll have a few more solid challengers in Strikeforce that should help him remain the most dominant heavyweight in the world.

3. Georges St. Pierre

St. Pierre has become the premier welterweight in the world after some solid recent victories. Although his dominance hasn't been as solid and indisputable as Silva or Fedor he is still young and now showing that he will stay dominant for a while.

4. BJ Penn

Truly a pound for pound star. The prodigy has fought at several weight divisions throughout his career including light heavyweight despite being a natural lightweight. His dominance at lightweight is unquestionable and his record outside of lightweight is solid as well.

5. Lyoto Machida

Barely hanging on after what should have been a loss to Mauricio Rua. There are a lot of solid light heavyweights that could eventually take this spot.

Pacquiao Sells 1.25M PPV Buys and Gets Accused of Taking Steroids

The Miguel Cotto - Manny Pacquiao fight generated a massive 1.25M PPV buys. Most expected the fight to be huge and the numbers have now reinforced that. Floyd Mayweather recently did 1M buys against Juan Manuel Marquez and now looks primed for a shot at the pound for pound king. The fight between the two should be huge at the box office.

Mayweather's father recently said he suspected Pacquiao of taking steroids. Of course, with no evidence to back up such a claim and the fact that Manny is constantly tested and hesitant to even take vitamins it's probably all just chatter to help start the hype for the mega fight.

Pacquio seems to be much better at his more natural weight of just under welterweight. His power hasn't diminished significantly although it has a bit in my opinion and he is just as ferociously determined to attack for a knockout. Anyways, let the hype, trash talk and all the rest that makes for a good promotion begin!

Super Six Continues Tonight

Andre Ward will take on Mikkel Kessler in the final first round match of the super six tournament for super middleweights. Expect this to be the ultimate test for Ward who has tread carefully in his career. Kessler is considered to be the top super middleweight in the world and a co-favorite in this tournament (alongside Arthur Abraham who just moved up a division). This fight should be very telling and set the tone for the tournament. So far, things have played out as expected for the most part with Carl Froch and Abraham winning the other first round fights.

Tito Ortiz versus Forrest Griffin Tonight

Tito Ortiz makes his comeback to the UFC tonight as he takes on Forrest Griffin in a much anticipated rematch. The original fight was extremely competitive and expect this one to be the same. If Ortiz can come back in great shape expect him to do some damage on the ground. Regardless, the fight will be interesting especially if Ortiz can get himself back in the mix after making a living out of tormenting Ken Shamrock for several years. Check it out if you can.

November Boxing Pound for Pound List

Here's the boxing pound for pound list for November:

1. Manny Pacquiao

Manny further solidified his legendary status in the sport by dismantling Miguel Cotto with a 12th round TKO. There really is no one else left outside of a mega blockbuster fight with our number 2.

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

After a perfect shutout against the smaller Juan Manuel Marquez, there are still lingering unanswered questions about Mayweather's desire to fight a truly risky opponent. Now is the time for him to step up and fight Manny Pacquiao.

3. Bernard Hopkins

Bernard's most recent fight was a wipe out of Kelly Pavlik but that was over a year ago. Bernard will now return for a tune up bout before a rematch with Roy Jones Jr next year.

4. Paul Williams

Still underrated but clearly one of the top fighters in boxing. His victories over Winky Wright, Antonio Margarito, Verno Phillips and Carlos Quintana along with his versatility across weight divisions plant him solidly in the top 5. Williams' biggest challenge is to attract fights with top opposition given his lack of drawing power and the risk he poses in the ring.

5. Juan Manuel Marquez

Marquez doesn't lose much after a tough loss to Floyd Mayweather in a fight way beyond his weight class against a fighter who came in two pounds over the agreed upon limit. Not to mention - his opponent was the former pound for pound king and current number 2.

Pacquiao enhances his brilliant resume against Cotto

Last night Manny Pacquiao dissected Miguel Cotto in a display of precision aggression. Manny's speed and accuracy were too much for Cotto's size and power. Similar to Oscar De La Hoya, Cotto lost due to an accumulation of shots when the referee stopped the fight in the 12th round. The only difference was that Cotto landed more clean, crisp shots than Oscar did when he fought Pacquiao. Manny showed us something new - that he could take a punch at 145. In fact, his chin held up amazingly well against Cotto's hard shots. Manny is on the top of the boxing world even more solidly placed as the pound for pound king.

Next up for Manny certainly has to be former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather who, unlike Manny, prefers to fight smaller versus bigger top notch fighters. Well, Manny's a great smaller fighter so it really just boils down to money and how they split the purse. At this point, you have to think 50-50 is more than fair for Floyd if not too much.

Expect the Cotto fight to be far bigger for Pacquiao than the Marquez fight was for Mayweather when it comes to economics and sales numbers. The fight last night should easily surpass a million pay per view buys. Both Pacquiao and Mayweather should earn more than they have for any fight in the past as a match up between the two will be huge and the biggest in recent years if not ever.

Ultimately when Floyd and Manny square off in the ring, I think the weight of the fight will be the largest factor in who ultimately wins. Mayweather's defense is the best in the business while Pacquiao's attack is the best in boxing. Such a contrast always makes for a great promotional storyline as if the potential blockbuster needed more promotional advantages.

Manny Pacquiao versus Miguel Cotto Tonight

The biggest fight of the year is almost here. The excitement leading up to this fight has been huge. Manny Pacquiao is the pound for pound king of the sport and he once again attempts to defy the odds by taking on a bigger top flight fighter in Miguel Cotto. Cotto is strong and is considered one of the top 2 or 3 welterweights in the world.

Manny has had distractions in his training camp leading up to this fight but all will be told tonight as to whether or not those distractions had an impact. This fight has explosive action written all over it and should be every boxing fan's dream to witness.

Manny Pacquiao takes his shot at history against Miguel Cotto

Manny Pacquiao's biggest challenge is now directly in front of him. He takes on a solid welterweight in Miguel Cotto tonight. Pacquiao said he "really needs this fight" recently on ESPN and I couldn't agree more. This is the fight that could truly set him up for legendary status. It won't make him a legend but it will set up big fights that will (assuming he wins them).

The fight with Cotto presents the biggest challenge for Pacquiao because Cotto is a prime true welterweight. Oscar De La Hoya was a great welterweight but not in his prime when Manny dismantled him. Cotto has recent victories against prime welterweights including Joshua Clottey and Shane Mosley. The fight should be a huge draw on PPV and extremely exiting to watch as well given the styles of the two fighters. Pacquiao has always been an entertaining fighter to watch with his aggressive attacking style. Don't miss this one whatever you do ...

Brett Rogers Proves He's The Real Deal

On Saturday night, Brett Rogers took on the best in the world and showed the world that he was right there in the same league as Fedor Emelianenko. He had Fedor in trouble at one point but couldn't close out the supremely talented Russian. Dana White recently stated that Rogers would easily lose to Brock Lesnar or Cain Velasquez. Of course, that's total BS, in my opinion Rogers is probably a top three heavyweight based on that showing. Fedor hadn't been to round two in over 2 years and Rogers performance was likely better than any UFC fighter has done against Fedor. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Rogers KOs both Lesnar and Cain (if they ever fight). Only time will tell how truly good Rogers is ...

As for the UFC, their next PPV card is pretty weak with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez headlining. They're doing a free television card with Couture coming up and it will be interesting to see how much that draws. I think any future work between CBS and Strikeforce will do very well especially as they get more and more exposure.

Fedor Still The Best - KOs Rogers

Fedor Emelianenko took an uncharacteristic beating in his second round TKO of Brett Rogers last night. Rogers proved he's the real deal when he went toe to toe with the best fighter in the world. Rogers' striking ability was clearly impressive and his size on the ground made it more challenging for Fedor than anticipated. In the end, however, Fedor's accurate punching eventually caught up to Rogers when Fedor landed a solid straight right hand that flattened the big Rogers. Rogers was out; Fedor jumped on top of him and the referee quickly stopped the fight. The main event was exciting and the entire card was quite good. Definitely will be a huge success for Strikeforce and CBS. In other fights, Jake Shields won the middleweight title via decision and Gegard Mousasi showed once again that he is the future of the sport by winning his light heavyweight tilt in style. In the opening bout, Fabricio Werdum took out Antonio Silva in a clash of heavyweight ju-jitsu warriors.

Next up for Fedor could be a few options. There's the possibility of a rematch with Rogers given how exciting the fight was I'm sure the fans wouldn't mind seeing that again. There's also Werdum and awol heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. Both would make for exciting fights. I think Rogers needs another easier fight before stepping back in the ring with Fedor. The next crack at Fedor should go to Overeem or Werdum as both would be interesting and should draw well especially after the success of last night.

Fedor Emelianenko versus Brett Rogers Tonight

One of the most intriguing fights ever at heavyweight will happen tonight when the experienced world best Fedor Emelianenko takes on newcomer and knockout artist Brett Rogers. Rogers has little experience with only ten fights (all knockouts) but has dominated and demonstrated tremendous striking power and accuracy. Fedor's ground game should be far too strong for Rogers so it is really a matter of Fedor getting in and taking down Rogers. In theory, that should not be hard for the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world. Rogers, however, always has a puncher's chance and that is what will make this fight so interesting while it lasts. The fight is being televised by Strikeforce on CBS tonight which adds another interesting dimension. I expect a lot of fans to tune in and get their first real taste of Fedor. For Rogers it could be a huge opportunity to catapult himself on the world stage. Expect a big audience and an exciting card. Don't miss it.

Shogun Rua Robbed of Title

In last week's Mauricio Rua vs Lyoto Machida light heavyweight title match Rua clearly won the fight even though it wasn't a complete wipeout. Bottom line is that it was a clear victory. The UFC is obviously banking on Machida as an undefeated star who is willing to call out Brock Lesnar (a super heavyweight). Rua spoiled the party last week when he applied his game plan perfectly and dissected Machida not allowing him to mount any sort of attack. Rua should have the title regardless of whether there is a rematch which there most certainly will be. Machida may end up keeping the title after the rematch but his fight with Rua will always be a blip against his star power moving forward.

UFC 104: Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua Tonight

Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida is undefeated and has quietly worked his way up the ranks of light heavyweight. Now that he has reached the pinnacle, Machida is well known in MMA circles and beyond as a top 5 pound for pound fighter. Mauricio Rua will try to dethrone him tonight at UFC 104 in what should be an interesting fight. I expect Machida to ultimately take the fight because I think the style of this fight will slightly favor him.

Both of these guys are good strikers and good on the ground. Machida is probably better overall though and that will make a difference. Of course, we'll have to see the fight play out because Shogun will probably have some tricks up his sleeve that will make this one even more interesting than it already is.

Carl Froch Beats Andre Dirrell in Super Six Tournament

Carl Froch won a close split decision against Andre Dirrell last night in England marking the second fight of the Super Six Boxing Tournament. Dirrell fought lead with defence and Froch lead with offence. Ultimately, the two were virtually even with Froch getting the nod. Dirrell will learn from this experience and grow as the tournament moves on.

In other Super Six news, Jermain Taylor is in bad condition and checked into a German hospital after being knocked out by Arthur Abraham. He may have to drop out of the tournament and be replaced. If he does drop out, the possible replacement could be the winner between Allan Green and Edison Miranda. They'd have to set that fight up if Taylor elects to drop out.

The tournament is getting interesting now with two fights completed. Next up is Mikkel Kessler against Andre Ward next month.

Arthur Abraham KOs Jermaine Taylor

Arthur Abraham finished off Jermaine Taylor in the later rounds of their super six tournament fight via a vicious straight right hand KO. Taylor hardly moved as he lay stretched out on the canvas as the referee got to 7 and 8 in the count before realizing Taylor wasn't going any where and stopping the fight.

Many expected Abraham to take control in the later rounds when Taylor usually fades. Taylor didn't fade as much in this fight but just got caught by a wicked punch. Although he wasn't as faded as before, Taylor was stronger in the early rounds than he was in the later rounds.

Abraham takes a strong position now in the super six super middleweight tournament with him and Mikkel Kessler still as the favorites.

Super Six Tournament Set to Take Off

This weekend the super six tournament will begin to determine the best super middleweight in the world. It kicks off with Arthur Abraham taking on Jermaine Taylor and Carl Froch going up against Andre Dirrell. On Nov 21st Mikkel Kessler takes on Andre Ward to close out the first set of fights. The tournament should be really interesting and guarantees some exciting fights that should make fans pretty happy. The winner will be the undisputed super middleweight king. At the moment, Abraham and Kessler are favored with Taylor lagging the field but realistically all of these guys have a decent shot because of the high level of competition and parity between the combatants.

Make sure to keep tabs on this tournament because it will shape the future of boxing for a good while to come.

WWE / WWF stars moving into MMA

It seems that there is a fair bit of cross over appeal between WWE and MMA which is quite interesting. Outside of Ken Shamrock we have rising stars Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar who were both stars in the WWE. Amateur wrestlers who had little other option have in the past decided to make their way into "scripted" wrestling because there were no other options available. Those guys with true talent are now finding there way into the world of MMA - Lashley and Lesnar are two really good examples. In the future, you may see amateur wrestlers more readily opt for MMA as they look to become paid professionals and less of the moving between WWE type wrestling and MMA. The sport of MMA is still evolving so expect to see changes in where the athletes come from. Eventually there will be guys who trained their entire lives for MMA in the sport and little else. For now, it makes for great entertainment to see Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar fight for real in the MMA world as top flight stars.

Amir Khan will fight Dmitriy Salita in December

Amir Khan will take on Dmitriy Salita on December 5th in Newcastle, England. Salita is undefeated but largely untested and should be a fairly soft fight for Khan who is coming of a championship victory against Andreas Kotelnik.

The winner of this fight would have a mandatory challenge against hard hitting Marcos Maidana. If Khan were to win that would be a huge fight although I would expect Khan to build up to a fight like that by taking a few safer experience building fights first.

Regardless of Salita's record, the fight will be a must see as Khan will have a year under Freddie Roach and should have grown quite a bit by December 5th.

Bernard Hopkins vs Roy Jones Jr is Official

Finally, after so many years we will get to see the rematch between Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins. They have both signed an agreement to fight in 2010 at light heavyweight. They both recently appeared on a radio talk show and they seemed just as far apart from doing a deal as ever. With Roy's recent wins over Omar Sheika and Jeff Lacy the fight seems a bit more palatable then before. Bernard is still a top 3 pound for pound fighter whereas Jones had slipped significantly in recent years. The fight will be interesting no doubt as these are two of the biggest names ever in the sport. Although Roy won the first fight it was almost 2 decades ago and both fighters have evolved significantly since then. The deal for next year stipulates that they share the purse 50-50 unless there is a KO in which case the winner takes the lion's share of a 60-40 split.

It seems that Bernard has bent on his most recent stance that he get 60-40 regardless given his current level in the sport. Roy was willing to take 60-40 to the winner. Let's hope the fight does indeed happen as planned since it will still cause a stir for the sport and it's better late than never.

Kimbo Slice Loses to Roy Nelson

On the televised Ultimate Fighter 10 episode last Wednesday Kimbo Slice lost to Roy Nelson in a hard fought battle. Slice had nothing on the ground and eventually got taken down and TKO'd. Kimbo's stand up seemed to be better than Roy's but the focus for Nelson was getting Slice down and taking him out with the ground and pound. Slice never seemed hurt as he was taken down in the first and survived the ground and pound with time running out. The problem was that Slice couldn't fight back even though Nelson wasn't hurting him so the referee had to stop the fight. Nelson's harmless love taps kept slapping Slice on the top of his head and he couldn't escape. Slice's lack of ability on the ground was evident in this fight even though Nelson couldn't really hurt him - he was able to cause a stoppage because slice didn't have the defensive ground skills to get away.

Slice was good on his feet and hurt Nelson a couple of times. He also demonstrated decent take down defence against Nelson but not good enough to keep him on his feet enough to win the fight.

Not sure how much Slice can improve from here given that he is now 35 but there is no doubt he is a great student of the game and should improve.

Kimbo Slice vs Roy "Big Country" Nelson

Tonight we will see one of the biggest fights ever on UFC. It will be televised and it is Kimbo Slice vs Roy Nelson. Kimbo's drawing power is huge and tonight we will find out if he will survive in the UFC as he takes on the most experienced fighter in the ultimate fighter (maybe any ultimate fighter ever). It will almost definitely be one of the biggest shows ever on Spike television. Kimbo's ground game will probably be tested but he needs to do serious damage in his striking to win this fight. Spoilers on the web indicate that he won but we'll need to watch tonight to know for sure.

Floyd Mayweather vs Juan Manuel Marquez Generates One Million PPV Buys

The pay per view numbers are in for Floyd Mayweather vs Juan Manuel Marquez and it was a huge success by all accounts. The pay per view sold one million buys making it one of the top five all time boxing events based on PPV numbers. For Mayweather, this makes for almost a perfect comeback as he pitched a shutout in the fight itself as well.

It's also great news for boxing which is still thriving post Oscar De La Hoya and is poised for another big night when Manny Pacquiao takes on Miguel Cotto. It will be interesting to see if that fight can generate similar PPV numbers. There are still a lot of big fights that can be made after Cotto-Pacquiao is done so we should see some big numbers next year as well.

Vitali Klitschko Dissects Cris Arreola

It wasn't to be for Cristobal Arreola as he was thoroughly dominated by Vitali Klitschko in their heavyweight tilt. Klitschko followed his game plan masterfully and stayed out of Arreola's range while using his jab and straight right hand effectively to continually pummel Cris. Cris' trainer ended the fight after the tenth since it was proving very hard for Arreola to get inside against Vitali and he was just taking a lot of punishment.

It's hard to say where Vitali goes from here but he can keep making good money in the business and he seems to be in top form. There aren't too many serious challengers out there for the Klitschko brothers at the moment. David Haye seems to be the biggest box office fight but he needs to establish himself in the division as a legitimate challenger first. Eventually, someone will come along to challenge the Klitschko rule at the top of the division but for now we'll have to be content with Wladimir and Vitali's domination of the division.

Cristobal Arreola versus Vitali Klitschko

Tonight Cris Arreola will try to pull off the upset of Vitali Klitschko in a heavyweight tilt. It may be a bit early for Cris but he needs to step up as there is little other competition in the heavyweight division at the moment for the Klitschkos. Arreola will try to use his savvy boxing skills to land bombs on Vitali and get inside in the process. Klitschko will try to stay on the outside and use his monstrous jab to wear down Arreola. Klitshcko is 6-7 and weighed in at 252 pounds for the weigh in while Arreola is 6-4 and weighed in at 251 pounds. If Arreola is in good shape and has the energy to keep pushing Klitshcko he may be able to make a fight of it. Although Klitshcko has demonstrated a decent chin in the past, Arreola clearly has knockout power at the heavyweight level and I think he has enough to surprise Klitschko if the giant Ukranian is not careful. The fight should be more interesting than last weeks Floyd Mayweather Juan Manuel Marquez tilt which was completely one sided. Both fighters in this one will have their moments and it just depends on who can stick to their game plan and succeed the best.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Retires

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has retired from MMA and left the UFC to pursue an acting career according to his website. It seems he had issues with Dana White apparently putting his acting career at risk by disclosing his earnings. Jackson is under contract with the UFC but certainly was not disallowed to engage in other activities. He's going to be starring in the upcoming A-Team movie and is in the process of shooting the film. He was also to be scheduled to fight with Rashad Evans post their appearance on the Ultimate Fighter season 10.

Rampage is a fairly big star in the sport and it is odd that he is willing to put that aside for acting. You have to think that is partly due to the earning potential he has in UFC versus other opportunities available to him. It's a unique problem as this likely wouldn't have been an issue in boxing where everyone effectively runs their own career and negotiate directly with their counterparts. In the UFC you have to grow within the promotion and follow Dana White. In boxing terms, both Rashad and Quinton would have worked around his acting engagement and scheduled the fight since they weren't tied down by a league or promotion (assuming Jackson actually wants to fight).

I'm sure Jackson will be back once the situation calms a bit as there is no guarantee that he will have acting jobs in the future and his brand in MMA is strong enough that he can still earn well.

Vitor Belfort Smokes Rich Franklin at UFC 103

It didn't even seem close as Vitor Belfort's superior striking finished off Rich Franklin quickly and efficiently at UFC 103 last night. Franklin seemed uneasy while Belfort was comfortable and confident in the ring. At one point Franklin yelled to his corner that he couldn't hear them. It was definitely loud in the arena.

This sets up the interesting possibility of a Belfort / Anderson Silva tussle that would certainly generate a lot of interest. Vitor is good friends with Silva but said business is business and if the promotion wants them to fight he'll have no issue with that. It was originally thought that Nate Marquardt might take on Silva next in a rematch after his big win against Damian Maia. However, the fans aren't interested in seeing Silva fight someone he already dismantled so Belfort has probably arrived just in time. Given his recent form, Belfort should definitely give Anderson more of a challenge than he has gotten in recent years. Lets hope Dana White and the UFC brass make it happen.

Floyd Mayweather Shuts Down Juan Manuel Marquez

It was a pretty easy return to the ring for Floyd Mayweather as he dismantled the smaller Juan Manuel Marquez in a virtual shut out unanimous decision victory. Marquez couldn't mount an attack of any sort and seemed to be out of his element having to be the aggressor against Mayweather. Marquez' power didn't seem to translate well to welterweight as he couldn't hurt Mayweather in the limited instances when he was able to connect. Mayweather's defence was stellar as always and his offence did enough damage to convincingly beat Marquez.

This seemed to be a case of Marquez biting off more than he could chew by moving two weight classes above his highest previous fighting weight and taking on arguably the best welterweight in the world.

For Mayweather, this was a well crafted victory as many believed that Marquez had a decent shot despite Floyd being the heavy favorite. The reality was that Marquez would have to pull of an upset of all time proportions to win a fight like this. The promotions did a great job building up Marquez' chances beyond what could have been realistically expected of him. Nonetheless, Mayweather took care of business and dismantled Marquez in brilliant fashion for which he deserves full credit.

Next up for Mayweather could be Shane Mosley or Manny Pacquiao. Either would be interesting fights assuming Pacquiao takes out Miguel Cotto in November. Shane is considered the best welterweight in the world and Manny has generally been considered the top pound for pound fighter in the world while Mayweather has been away.

Floyd Mayweather vs Juan Manuel Marquez

Tonight is one of the biggest and most intriguing fights of the year. Un-retiring former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather takes on current pound for pound number two Juan Manuel Marquez. The two weighed in last night at 146 pounds for Mayweather and 142 pounds for Marquez. The contractual limit for the fight was 144 pounds so Mayweather had to pay a two pound penalty of $600K. Mayweather will almost definitely be bigger tonight and is considered the faster fighter as well making it a huge uphill climb for Marquez. Most have Mayweather as a huge favorite with Marquez needing a monumental upset to win this fight. The only thing going for Juan Manuel Marquez (outside of his own tremendous heart and talent!) is the fact that Floyd has been out of the game for over two years and may be a little rusty. I expect the rust to wear off very soon, though, and for Floyd to take control of the fight and win a closer than expected decision against Marquez. Marquez has a huge heart and should be able to stay in the fight but will struggle a bit against Floyd's speed and power (which he has at this weight). The only way I see Marquez getting KO'd is if he is taking too much punishment and his corner stops the fight. To have any sort of chance at winning, Marquez will have to match Floyd's speed and display his tremendous heart by constantly staying on the attack. Lets see if he can do it!

Fedor Emelianenko VS Brett Rogers on CBS Television

The Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers fight will take place on Nov. 7th on CBS television. The 29 year old Rogers is one of the top heavyweights in the world and will provide a great challenge for Fedor who is considered the best heavyweight in the world. The fact that Strikeforce is putting this on television is a great move. The exposure they will get for this fight and the immense potential in building Fedor's brand is huge. Television will do wonders for MMA since it is impossible to match the audience that television can give you with what you get on pay per view. I can't wait to watch this fight as I am now even more excited about it since it will be televised. Don't miss it!

Kimbo Slice on Ultimate Fighter tonight

What can we expect from Kimbo Slice as he makes his UFC television debut tonight (taped)? Will he be comfortable on a UFC television screen around several other heavyweight challengers? It will be interesting to see as Slice is one of the more experienced fighters in the group. Roy Nelson is the most experienced fighter who has been in the ring with the likes of Frank Mir and Andrei Arlovski. But it will be Slice who will attract the attention of fans and likely set a record television rating for the UFC. Can he win the entire thing? Will he make a decent enough showing to garner a spot in the UFC? I think the latter is more realistically his target. But you never know what can happen in the octagon.

Kimbo Slice in the UFC

Kimbo Slice is set to make his UFC television debut as he has entered the Ultimate Fighter 10 which will be airing this season. It will be interesting to see how he does against a group of decent heavyweights all vying to get into the UFC.

Slice isn't young at 35 but can probably produce a couple of good years if he is able to stay in shape and stay motivated (which shouldn't be a problem given his work ethic). The biggest challenge will be learning the art and refining his talent enough to become a true contender at heavyweight. I don't know if he has the confidence to do that but we will find out soon during the Ultimate Fighter.

Assuming Slice wins the Ultimate Fighter his popularity would provide a huge boost to the UFC. He is still probably the biggest draw in MMA.

MMA September Pound for Pound List

Here's the inaugural MMA pound for pound list on premier boxing:

1. Anderson Silva

Silva has dominated the middleweight division in recent years to a phenomenal degree and definitely deserves this top spot over number two. He's also dominated a couple of solid light heavyweights while waiting for Dana White to give him a challenger at middleweight.

2. Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor is close to Silva after having dominated the heavyweight division for several years. He'll have a few solid challengers in Strikeforce that should help him remain the most dominant heavyweight in the world.

3. Georges St. Pierre

St. Pierre has become the premier welterweight in the world after some solid recent victories. Although his dominance hasn't been as solid and indisputable as Silva or Fedor he is still young and now showing that he will stay undefeated for a while.

4. BJ Penn

Truly a pound for pound star. Penn has fought at several weight divisions throughout his career including light heavyweight despite being a natural lightweight. His dominance at lightweight is unquestionable and his record outside of lightweight is solid as well.

5. Lyoto Machida

Machida is a solid light heavyweight with a great record. He'll need to stay champion by winning some more championship fights like the others on the list have done in order to have a chance at moving up.

Randy Couture vs Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira UFC 102 Preview

The fight between Randy Couture and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira seems to be a filler for the UFC until they can get a card with one of their main draws together (ie. Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Georges St. Pierre or Brock Lesnar). However, both of these guys are popular fighters so will do fine headlining this card. The problem really is that the UFC has a limited group of fighters at their disposal so they need to have less relevant fights like this one occasionally headline a card (and it's great if they can draw good box office). This is not a bad thing - the UFC has the best stable of fighters in MMA. It's just a sign that the sport is still maturing. Both Couture and Nogueira are past their prime and are coming off losses. Who ever wins tonight, though, would almost certainly be back in contention for a shot at Lesnar. As a side story, it will be amazing to see how far Couture can go given that he is 46 at the moment. The guy simply shows no signs of slowing down.

September Boxing Pound for Pound List

Note that we are excited to announce that Premier Boxing will be starting an MMA monthly pound for pound list very shortly. Stay tuned.

Here's the boxing pound for pound list for September:

1. Manny Pacquiao

Manny erased any doubt about who is the best in the sport by knocking out Ricky Hatton brutally within 2 rounds back in May. He owns significant victories from 112 lbs all the way to 147 lbs. Those types of stats are almost unheard of in this day and age.

Manny will try to extend his legacy by taking out Miguel Cotto on November 14th.

2. Juan Manuel Marquez

Two incredibly close fights with Manny Pacquiao, a solid victory over Joel Casamayor and an entertaining TKO of Juan Diaz. Marquez has hardly made any mistakes but Manny's destruction of Hatton creates a nice cushion between them unless of course, Juan Manuel Marquez can defeat Floyd Mayweather Jr in September. If he manages to defeat Mayweather it's almost certain that most boxing writers will put Marquez first on their pound for pound lists.

3. Bernard Hopkins

Bernard's most recent wipe out of Kelly Pavlik is almost a year old and it seems he will be returning in January of next year. However, there is no certainty on the opponent with the current front runner being Tomasz Adamek. B-Hop has a resume full of fights against future hall of famers and still hungers to fight the best at age 45.


4. Paul Williams

Still underrated but clearly one of the top fighters in boxing. His victories over Winky Wright, Antonio Margarito, Verno Phillips and Carlos Quintana along with his versatility across weight divisions plant him solidly in the top 5. Williams' biggest challenge is to attract fights with top opposition given his lack of drawing power and the risk he poses in the ring.

5. Shane Mosley

His close fight with Miguel Cotto and destruction of Antonio Margarito make him 5th on our list. It's clear now that he will not soon be able to settle the score with Cotto or land a big fight with Pacquiao or Mayweather. Berto is a pretty good next option given the circumstances.