Pacman, Yahoo Sports Best Pound-for-Pound

Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, for the third straight month, is the clear choice as the world’s finest pound-for-pound boxer in the monthly Yahoo! Sports poll. His last fight was a TKO win in round 9 over David Diaz last June 28, 2008. But an old nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez, is now nipping at the Filipino’s heels and is following Pacman’s steps in the lightweight division. Pacquiao retained his top spot by garnering 18 of the 23 first-place votes cast from the blue-ribbon panel of boxing writers and broadcasters from around the world. He tallied 217 points to rank first among 10 fighters who are considered the finest in all weight categories these days.

Interestingly, Juan Manuel Marquez, who dropped a hotly-disputed decision to Pacquiao on March 15, 2008 in Las Vegas, gained in the standings and has leapfrogged Joe Calzaghe and moved into second place in the poll by a half-point, riding on the crest of his impressive win over Cuban legend Joel Casamayor. Marquez (187 points) got only one first-place vote, compared to four for Calzaghe (186.5 points), but he was more consistently voted in the top three than the Welsh fighter.  Pacquiao’s former sparmate Israel Vazquez (143 points) was fourth after keeping the WBC super bantamweight title last March 2008.

The new results, merely confirming what most boxing fans wanted, just fueled the calls for a three-peat or a Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 fight soon, maybe after Pacquiao vs De La Hoya match. Bring the fight on promoters.

Yahoo! Sports Pound4Pound list this month:

1. Manny Pacquiao
Points: 217 1/2 (18 of 23 first-place votes)
Record: 47-3-2 (36 KOs)
Title: WBC lightweight champion
Last outing: TKO9 over David Diaz on June 28
Previous ranking:: 1
Up next: Dec. 6 vs. Oscar De La Hoya
Analysis: Should be unanimous No. 1 if he overcomes size disadvantage against De La Hoya

2. Juan Manuel Marquez
Points: 187 (1 of 23 first-place votes)
Record: 49-4-1 (35 KOs)
Title: The Ring lightweight champion
Last outing: TKO11 over Joel Casamayor on Sept. 13
Previous ranking:: 3
Up next: Possibly Ricky Hatton or Juan Diaz
Analysis: Longs for third bout with Pacquiao

3. Joe Calzaghe
Points: 186 1/2 (4 of 23 first-place votes)
Record: 45-0 (32 KOs)
Title: WBA, WBO and The Ring super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion
Last outing: W12 over No. 9 Bernard Hopkins on April 19
Previous ranking:: 2
Up next: Nov. 8 in New York vs. Roy Jones Jr.
Analysis: Announced he’ll retire after Jones fight

4. Israel Vazquez
Points: 143
Record: 43-4 (31 KOs)
Title: WBC and The Ring super bantamweight champion
Last outing: W12 over No. 7 Rafael Marquez on March 1
Previous ranking:: 4
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Likely done for the year

5. Kelly Pavlik
Points: 135
Record: 34-0 (30 KOs)
Title: WBC, WBO and The Ring middleweight champion
Last outing: TKO3 over Gary Lockett on June 7
Previous ranking:: 5
Up next: Oct. 18 vs. No. 10 Bernard Hopkins in Atlantic City, N.J.
Analysis: High-quality fighter in a low-quality division

6. Antonio Margarito
Points: 115
Record: 37-5 (27 KOs)
Title: WBA welterweight champion
Last outing: TKO11 over No. 8 Miguel Cotto on July 26
Previous ranking:: 6
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Won’t fight again until early 2009

7. Rafael Marquez
Points: 80
Record: 37-5 (33 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing: L12 to No. 4 Israel Vazquez on March 1
Previous ranking:: 7
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Part of boxing’s finest brother tandem

8. Miguel Cotto
Points: 61
Record: 32-1 (26 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing: TKO by 11 to Antonio Margarito on July 26
Previous ranking:: 8
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Won’t fight again until early 2009

9. Ivan Calderon
Points: 30 1/2
Record: 32-0 (6 KOs)
Title: WBO light flyweight champion
Last outing: TD7 over Hugo Cazares on Aug. 30
Previous ranking:: 10
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: The game’s finest pure boxer

10. Bernard Hopkins
Points: 34
Record: 48-5 (32 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing: L12 to No. 3 Joe Calzaghe on April 19
Previous ranking:: 9
Up next: Oct. 18 vs. No. 5 Kelly Pavlik in Atlantic City, N.J.
Analysis: Will this be his last fight?