Floyd Mayweather
New York, NY– In consideration of all the great fights of late, I felt obligated to pay tribute to the sport and give my “two cents” on who I feel are the elite pugilists on the planet. Hence, here’s my opinion of the best boxers in the world within the most meaningful and interesting weight classes. Let’s start with what I believe is the strongest division and take it from there.
Note: This is NOT a top ten list of each division; it’s a list of notable competitors that are worth mentioning among their respective ranks and an opinion on the best possible match up in them, followed by an overall “pound for pound” ranking system. Enjoy and share your thoughts.
Jr. Middleweight (154)
Floyd Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs)
Miguel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs)
Saul Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KOs)
Austin Trout (25-0, 14 KOs)
Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KOs)
Vanes Martirosyan (32-0-1, 20 KOs)
Cornelius Bundrage (32-4, 19 KOs)
Keith Thurman (19-0, 18 KOs)
James Kirkland (31-1, 27 KOs)
Alfredo Angulo (21-2, 18 KOs)
Best possible match up: Cotto vs. Alvarez
Welterweight (147)
Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs)
Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs)
Robert Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs)
Tim Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs)
Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KOs)
Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs)
Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KOs)
Kell Brook (29-0, 19 KOs)
Marcos Maidana (32-3, 29 KOs)
Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KOs)
Victor Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 KOs)
Best possible match up: Pacquiao vs. Marquez
Jr. Welterweight (140)
Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs)
Brandon Rios (31-0-1, 23 KOs)
Mike Alvarado (33-1, 23 KOs)
Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KOs)
Lucas Matthysee (32-2, 30 KOs)
Lamont Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KOs)
Zab Judah (42-7, 29 KOs)
Serhiy Fedchenko (31-2, 14 KOs)
Karim Mayfield (17-0-1, 10 KOs)
Best possible match up: Garcia vs. Rios
Middleweight (160)
Sergio Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KOs)
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KOs)
Gennady Golovkin (24-0, 21 KOs)
Peter Quillin (28-0, 20 KOs)
Dmitry Pirog (20-0, 15 KOs)
Felix Strum (37-3-2, 16 KOs)
Best possible match up: Martinez vs. Golovkin
Featherweight (126)
Orlando Salido (39-11-2, 27 KOs)
Mikey Garcia (30-0, 26 KOs)
Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16 KOs)
Chris John (48-0-2, 22 KOs)
Daniel Ponce De Leon (44-4, 35 KOs)
Gary Russell Jr. (21-0, 13 KOs)
Juan Manuel Lopez (31-2, 28 KOs)
Best possible match up: Salido vs. Garcia
Jr. Featherweight (122)
Nonito Donaire (30-1, 19 KOs)
Guillermo Rigondeanx (11-0, 8 KOs)
Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs)
Jorge Arce (61-6-2, 46 KOs)
Vic Darchinyan (38-5-1, 27 KOs)
Best possible match up: Donaire vs. Rigondeanx
Super Middleweight (168)
Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KOs)
Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KOs)
Mikkel Kessler (45-2, 39 KOs)
Lucian Bute (31-1, 24 KOs)
Best possible match up: Froch vs. Kessler II
Heavyweight
Wladimir Klitschko (59-3, 50 KOs)
Vitali Klitschko (45-2, 41 KOs)
Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 KOs)
Jonathan Banks (29-1-1, 19 KOs)
David Price (14-0, 12 KOs)
David Haye (26-2, 24 KOs)
Tomasz Adamek (47-2, 29 KOs)
Tyson Fury (19-0, 14 KOs)
Seth Mitchell (25-1-1, 19 KOs)
Best possible match up: W. Klitschko vs. Banks
Flyweight (112)
Brian Viloria (32-3, 19 KOs)
Hernan Marquez (34-3, 25 KOs)
Best possible match up: Viloria vs. Marquez II
Light Heavyweight (175)
Chad Dawson (31-2, 17 KOs)
Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs)
Best possible match up: Dawson vs. Cloud
Lightweight (135)
Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KOs)
Best possible match up: *Broner moving up and challening any top 140 pounder
HAVING EQUATED ALL THAT, HERE ARE MY TOP DOZEN POUND FOR POUND PUGS
Floyd Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs)
Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KOs)
Sergio Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KOs)
Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs)
Miguel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs)
Wladimir Klitschko (59-3, 50 KOs)
Vitali Klitschko (45-2, 41 KOs)
Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs)
Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs)
Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KOs)
Nonito Donaire (30-1, 19 KOs)
Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KOs)
Possible best match up: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao
Evaluated by: John Signorella