After Floyd Mayweather’s win against Juan Manuel Marquez, the pound-for-pound debate had grown more intense. Pound for pound rankings became a common sight in various boxing websites (RingTV.com, About.com, SecondsOut.com, BBC.co.uk, ProBoxingFans.com, BoxingScene.com). While the vast majority of these sites chose Manny Pacquiao as their Numero Uno, a few like Yahoo! Sports picked Floyd.
Triggered by curiosity as to who really is the best boxer in the planet pound-for-pound between Manny and Floyd; I sent some emails to the connoisseurs of boxing to get their opinion. Here is what they said:
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David Tyler
“Manny Pacquiao is the best P4P until someone beats him.”
(Manny – 1; Floyd – 0)
Mark Whicker (OC Register)
“I think he's (Floyd) better defensively and just a better craftsman. (It) doesn't mean he'll necessarily beat Pac-Man.”
(Manny – 1; Floyd – 1)
Bart Barry (Member - BWAA)
“Pound for pound best: Manny or Floyd, why? Manny. There are two ways of looking at any hypothetical boxing question like pound-for-pound; there's a question of what one could do and a question of what one has done. Those who would choose Floyd could only base their choice on the conditional idea of what he could do, not on what he has done. Since 2005, Manny has knocked-out Erik Morales twice, decisioned Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez and brutally stopped David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, while fighting in progressively higher weight classes. Floyd, meanwhile, beat down Arturo Gatti, decisioned Zab Judah (coming off a loss), ran from Carlos Baldomir, squeaked by De La Hoya, beat up Hatton (after making Hatton fight out of his weight class) and decisioned Marquez (after making Marquez fight two weight classes too high). Floyd's arguments have all come out of the ring; Manny's arguments have all come in the ring. I would favor Floyd in an actual fight with Manny, but I give him no credit for fights he has not made.”
(Manny – 2; Floyd – 1)
Lyle Fitzsimmons (Member - BWAA)
“I believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now. He's been the best in five weight divisions and returned after 21 months with a shutout of a man many considered the second-best in the world. And he's (not only) never lost, he's never really come close to losing. I think that puts him a step ahead of Pacquiao, who, while obviously great, has lost several fights and been taken to the extreme twice by Juan Manuel Marquez. Also, I believe Pacquiao, though he's collected some belts, has not necessarily beaten champions at each of his weight classes. I look forward to seeing the two of them fight next year. Clearly, that will answer a lot of questions.”
(Manny – 2; Floyd – 2)
Graham Houston (Member - BWAA)
“Mayweather (is the) No 1 pound for pound, for a number of reasons: his defence is superb (the other man finds it so hard to hit him cleanly), he can box, punch, fight inside or out and he can adapt to any situation in the ring.”
(Manny – 2; Floyd – 3)
Frank Gonzalez Jr.
“Best pound for pound is a fake category in my view. It hurts the sport because it is not based on anything realistic. Example, Floyd fights a washed up DLH and faded Hatton and then runs away for two years to avoid dealing with Paul Williams, Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto and then comes back and fights a man two weight classes below him and is hailed as the best in boxing? I don't get that. If Floyd fought the top guys in his own weight class and beat them all, then we might have a basis for discussing how great he is. Everything else is just a marketing scam to sell Pay-Per-Views.”
(Manny – 2; Floyd – 3)
Carlos Arias (OC Register)
“Pound-for-pound: Now that Floyd is active again, it has to be "Money" Mayweather. He is the most talented fighter of this generation. . He is one of the best defensive fighters of all-time. His speed, quickness and reflexes make him nearly impossible to hit. I don't think anyone will come close to giving him a challenge until he's 37 at the very least. And that's if he is still fighting. It's the same as Roy Jones and Sugar Ray Robinson. It wasn't until their speed and reflexes started to fade that fighters were able to give them a real go.”
(Manny – 2; Floyd – 4)
Stanley Hochman (Member - BWAA)
“Pound for pound best all-time, Sugar Ray Robinson... currently, Floyd over Manny because when fighters move up in the lighter weights they find themselves overpowered by the "natural" welterweight or middleweight...so, if Manny finds a way to beat Floyd, which I doubt, then Manny inherits the pound-for-pound title.”
(Manny – 2; Floyd – 5)
Frank Lotierzo (Member - BWAA)
“I'd rate Pacquiao over Mayweather as the best pound-for-pound today based on their level of opposition. Manny can get KO'd by Cotto in the first round and his legacy is sealed. Nothing can change that, he can only add to it. Mayweather has picked his spots and is one bad decision away from having his legacy diminished.”
(Manny – 3; Floyd – 5)
Bill Dwyre (LA Times)
“Pacquiao, merely because he is a bit more of an offensive fighter than Mayweather.”
(Manny – 4; Floyd – 5)
Tom Donelson (Member - BWAA)
“It is tough question, who is the best pound for pound but I will go with Manny, simply because he has fought the better fighters. I can't think of any fighter over the last decade who have fought as many hall of fame fighters as Manny and beaten them all. Nothing against Floyd, who is a very good fighter and most likely would beat Manny; but that is because he is a bigger (fighter).”
(Manny – 5; Floyd – 5)
David Greisman (Member – BWAA)
“Pound-for-pound is a mythical ranking. It's why Ricky Hatton sounded silly when he said beating Manny Pacquiao would make him the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. It's such a subjective thing that I find it silly to get into vigorous debates about which great fighter deserves to be ranked higher than another. Some people go purely off of recent victories; others go off years of accomplishment.
That said, I agreed with those who had Pacquiao at No. 1 while Mayweather was retired. I don't think Mayweather can just come back and get that ranking back with a win over Marquez.”
(Manny – 6; Floyd 5)
Patrick Mullin
“Floyd Mayweather. The only reason Manny Pacquiao was ever pound for pound king is because Floyd retired. He got the spot by default. Mayweather is simply a better fighter. He's harder to hit, a more accurate puncher, has faster hands and reflexes and better technical skills. He's the best boxer of his generation and arguably the best athlete.”
(Manny – 6; Floyd – 6)
Patrick Joseph Cassidy
“Right now, I'd say Manny has to be beat to unseat him from that spot. I do believe Floyd will beat him if they do eventually fight but Manny has earned that spot by beating the best in the sport at multiple divisions.”
(Manny – 7; Floyd – 6)
Michael Marley
“Pacman is best POUND FOR POUND right now because of his dramatic thrashings of de la Hoya and Hatton. Clearly, Mayweather is Numero Dos and Floyd is the most skilled boxer around. But there's something awesome about Manny.”
(Manny – 8; Floyd – 6)
Adam Pollack (Lawyer, Author - ‘In the Ring with Bob Fitzsimmons’, ‘John L. Sullivan: The Career of the First Gloved Heavyweight Champion’, Member – BWAA)
“Difficult question. Depends on how you define pound for pound.
The best "boxer" is Floyd. But the best "fighter" is Manny. Manny won titles from 112-146 against the best in the world at almost every weight class. Floyd won titles from 130-154, but quite frankly, I think he only fought the very elite at 130 and 135. Manny decimated his best opponents at 147. Manny was usually the fighter going up in weight. Floyd takes a safety-first, cautious hit and move and defend style. Floyd eked a decision over Oscar, while Manny destroyed him. Manny fought Marquez at J.M.'s best weight, whereas Floyd took J.M. on when J.M. came up in weight and Floyd couldn't even make the catch weight. Floyd mostly played defense against Hatton at 147 until he caught him late. Manny took Hatton on at Ricky's best weight of 140 and destroyed him.
All that said, Floyd is so damn fast that he can probably outbox Manny at 147 using his cautious, safety-first style, especially if the fight is only 12 rounds. But I would be rooting for Manny because I like fighters who come to fight and take your head off and knock you out, and entertain, rather than engage in boring, minimalist, safety-first, cautious boxing.”
(Manny – 8; Floyd – 6)
Yero Moody
“Technically, Manny is #1 on the pound for pound list right now because of Mayweather's retirement. However, Mayweather is the pound for best fighter because of skill. It's as simple as that for me personally. No other fighter has the skill set that Mayweather has right now. I love Manny but he gets hit too often because he tends to rush in aggressively at times. Although he has gotten much better in that area.”
(Manny – 9; Floyd – 6)
Cliff Rold (Member – BWAA)
“Manny...see my P4P list at BoxingScene as to why and feel free to quote.”
(Manny – 10; Floyd – 6)
Santos A. Perez (Miami Herald, Member - BWAA)
“Current pound-for-pound I have to go with Floyd Mayweather Jr. by a squeaker, mainly because of his dominance against Marquez while Manny Pacquiao had two close bouts with Marquez. Still, it's Mayweather by a slight margin.”
(Manny – 10; Floyd – 7)
Rich Bergeron
“P4P Manny Pacquiao gets my vote, but you cannot count Floyd out until they both fight and he loses. As the undefeated one, you have to give him the greater credit. Manny and Floyd may never fight because of the infighting going on promotionally, but I believe Manny can beat Floyd in his current capacity as the faster puncher with a much better power to speed ratio than Floyd has.”
(Manny – 11; Floyd – 7)
Greig Murray (Sun Media)
“Pound for pound, I have to go with Manny. Both men have great fighting skills, but in my opinion Pacquiao gets the edge for two reasons: he’s much more exciting to watch than Mayweather, and he’s had a tougher climb up the ladder. People forget that Manny started out his pro career at 106 pounds, but he’s gotten faster, stronger and tougher every time he’s moved up in weight.”
(Manny – 12; Floyd – 7)
John DiSanto (Philly Boxing History)
“I think at this point, Floyd Mayweather is still the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today. Manny is #2. Floyd does everything well, except keep consistently active. Compared to Pacquiao, his style is more classic and he seems to train whether he has a fight scheduled or not. Given his success (40-0), he has still not let down at all. He continues to work hard and prepares himself well for his fights. This is very impressive and makes him hard to beat. Pacquiao is also a great fighter. He is fast, hard-punching, left-handed, and has an awkward style that he makes work for him quite well. He almost matches Floyd in speed, but probably hits harder. But he is more easily hit than Mayweather, which often makes his fights exciting. They are both in their primes, with Manny right in the sweet-spot of his best days. He is a better fighter now than he was a few years ago. Mayweather seemed better a few years ago (at lighter weights), but is still enjoying his prime years. How they will match up style-wise is the reason their actual fight would be so interesting. Whether Manny can handle Mayweather’s skills AND size in a real fight, is the question at hand. In a pound-for-pound scenario, Manny would fare much better. But in both pound-for-pound and real match-ups, I side with the boxer who has the more classic boxing style and an advantage in speed. I haven’t seen Floyd look like a KO-risk, so Manny’s edge in power, although key, probably would not be the deciding factor in their fight. So, it’s a close advantage for Mayweather.”
(Manny – 12; Floyd – 8)
Thomas Hauser (Member – BWAA)
“MANNY PACQUIAO -- He fights the best available opposition. Floyd doesn't.”
(Manny – 13; Floyd – 8)
Bob Cohen
“I would say that right now Manny is the best pound for pound boxer. Although Mayweather is unbeaten Mannny has been exceptionally perfect in the past few years, destroying anyone (everyone) that he fought. Even as he took on better fighters he seemed to step up and it appears that he can do it at any lower weight class level. I hope the next match is Manny and Mayweather. If that goes off it will clearly determine who is the best in active boxing. Also, Manny is a solid person and has a whole country watching every fight and he is a loyal Filipino. Unlike many other fighters, I believe his priorities are as good as any athlete.”
(Manny – 14; Floyd – 8)
Zachary Levin (Member – BWAA)
“I'm not a big proponent of the whole pound for pound thing, so I don't spend time thinking about it or organizing a list. It's really just a marketing tool. But if I had to give an answer between Manny or Floyd, I would say they have to fight each other for us to find out. If Manny beats Cotto and then fights Floyd and beats him too, then no one will argue with him being #1 pound for pound. And if Floyd agrees to fight someone like Shane Mosley and then Manny, and he beats them both, the same can be said for him. But even if one scenario or the other were to occur, it still doesn't mean what people want it to. The old saying "styles make fights" is the truth. So, for example, Floyd may have a style to beat Manny, but that doesn't mean he is a better fighter. Because Manny may have a style to beat a guy that Floyd can't overcome. Plus, you have to think about weight classes and whether a fighter is in his prime. Manny is smaller than Floyd and will never carry welterweight quite as well as him. And maybe Manny is a bit younger than Floyd, an advantage, in terms of his boxing age. So as you can see, this whole pound for pound thing is far from a science. My interest is in seeing the best fighters take on the best challenges out there. That's all I care about.”
(Manny – 14; Floyd – 8)
Coach Tim Walker
“Pound 4 Pound, Manny of Floyd? This is obviously a very disputed question. But let's examine it from various angles. If you examine the title for what it is supposed to represent and you consider all factors then you have to choose Floyd as best pound 4 pound.
Records: From a pure quantitative state of their records Floyd is undefeated (40-0-0) while Manny has suffered losses and draws (49-3-2). Not only that but Manny has been knocked out twice something that has never happened to Floyd either as an amateur or pro. In Manny's last 20 bouts he has a loss and 2 draws.
Quality of Opponent: Both have faced very stiff competition and it is really difficult to qualify who has had the better opposition because of their boxing styles. Floyd's style is hit and not be hit while Manny's is all out aggression. Thus I look to their common opponents; Hatton, De La Hoya and Marquez. Both guys beat Hatton, De La Hoya and Marquez, however, Floyd beat De La Hoya at 154 which is above Floyd's walk around weight while Manny beat him at 147 a weight he had not reached or fought at for years. Floyd faced Hatton at 147, Hatton reportedly weighed more than Floyd at fight time, while Manny fought him at a weight drained 140. I recall Hatton looking nearly skeletal at the weigh in while Manny looked thick. Floyd fought Marquez at what was supposed to be a catch-weight of 144, however, Floyd weighed 146 for that fight while Manny fought Marquez at 125 and again at 130. I thought Marquez won both fights but am not mad at the draw in the first fight. So which holds more weight? What Floyd did against a bigger ODLH, a healthy Hatton and undersized Marquez or Manny's destruction of a weight depleted Hatton and ODLH, and debated wins over Marquez? In that I give Floyd the edge.
Defense: Floyd very rarely gets hit solid while Manny gets hit all the time. This is evident in that he has been floored so many times and even knocked out. That means the ring generalship edge has to go the Floyd.
Size: People like to point out that Manny is the little guy moving up. This is absolutely true and that makes what he is doing in the ring very special. However, those some people who acknowledge Manny for moving up discount Floyd as having moved up. Floyd comes from the land of the little guy moving up too (ex 130 pounder) but people don't like Floyd so they minimize it by saying he's been at the weight longer or has grown into the weight. Please recall, Floyd only moved up in weight trying to land a fight with ODLH and Mosley. When the buzz started that Mosley was coming back to 147 Floyd tried to land another fight with him. Mosley backed out of the fight stating that he wanted to spend more time with his family. He then went after ODLH again who said he would only fight him at 154. He weighed in 150 for that fight and walked in the ring at 151 fight night.
I could make several more points of contrast but I think it would be needless. Pound 4 pound is a fictional distinction that is meant to gauge fighters of all divisions against each other based on the quality of the divisions, quality of opponent, and dare I say, appreciation by the fans. If Floyd wasn't so hated by so many he would be hands down the P4P champ but the fact that he is despised by so many is why he isn't. In my opinion Floyd could beat Manny, turn around and knock out Cotto, destroy Berto, annihilate Clottey, and finish things up by beating Margarito, Mosley and Paul Williams and many people would still not like or respect his boxing ability.
When fighters step in the ring I never consider age, size or weight as the sole determining factor as to why one fighter wins or loses. Small guys beat bigger guys. Slow guys beat faster guys. It happens all the time. I think fights come down to, at least in part, to who wants it more. If you want it, find a way to get it. No excuses. Am I suggesting that age, size and weight play no part, absolutely not but guess what young guys fight all the time and usually one wins and one looses. It wasn't size that earned Floyd the victory over Marquez it was his skill developed over a lifetime and the heart he displayed in the ring that night. Yes, Marquez has plenty of heart but he didn't have enough heart or skill to overcome Floyd that night. In contrast I can't honestly examine Manny's wins over Hatton and ODLH and say size didn't matter. I think it did but on the opposite side of the spectrum. Manny faced bigger guys who drained themselves and it had an effect. Floyd was the smaller guy fighting bigger guys at their more natural weights while Manny was the smaller guy fighting the bigger guys at lesser weights.
Remember Roy Jones held the distinction for years of being the P4P king. He just simply made his competition look as though they shouldn't be in the ring with him, pretty much how Floyd is doing now.
One thing is for certain, Floyd and Manny are close enough in weight that we may actually, sooner or later, get to see them in the ring against each other (provided he beats Cotto) and then I guess we'll know who the best P4P fighter really is. For clarity, I really really like Manny as a fighter but I don't like catch weights which is what he is doing against Cotto and what Marquez had setup with Mayweather. If you are going to fight a guy who weighs more than you then you should be made to fight him at that weight. Forget catch weights. Either one guy should go up or one guy should go down but catch weights are a joke. People gravitate to Manny right now because he is the little guy moving up to take on the bigger guys. I don't think he beats Cotto but I am anxious to see how getting down to 144 affects Cotto's readiness. 3 pounds doesn't sound like a lot but to a boxer it is a big difference.”
(Manny – 14; Floyd – 9)
Ramon Aranda
“I've got Manny Pacquiao at #1 right now. I know Mayweather was #1 when he retired but just like holding a title, when you return, you don't automatically get it back. You have to earn it back. Since Mayweather has been on the sidelines, Pacquiao has continued to obliterate his competition and win world titles. He was already nipping at Money's heels before he "retired" so he only solidified himself since. Mayweather returns to #1 is he beats Pacquiao, annihilates Shane Mosley (assuming Pacquiao doesn't cream Cotto) or Cotto defeats the Pacman.”
(Manny – 15; Floyd – 9)
Don Stewart (Member – BWAA)
“Manny. The key word here is "pound-for-pound." Manny is excelling far above his natural weight class, while Floyd is excelling against smaller guys. I might change my mind if Floyd was to dominate a Shane Mosely or Miguel Cotto, but for now, I'm going with Manny.”
(Manny – 16; Floyd – 9)
Jason Petock
“As far as choosing who is the best Pound-For-Pound fighter between Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. (40 - 0 / 25 KOs) and Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao (49 - 3 - 2 / 37 KOs), there has to be an analysis of a few components of each fighter and their careers, etc. First you have to look at both fighters stylistically. While Pacquiao is extremely dominant and explosive in the ring, Mayweather's style is far different, with him outboxing his opponent rather than destroying them from the onset. Mayweather Jr. does however breakdown his opponents through slick boxing and by outworking them systematically, whereas Pacquiao defeats his opponents through power and devastation. This could come down to an argument over styles and which is more appealing, but as far as boxing ability Mayweather Jr. holds the edge in that regard, as he is the far better fighter in terms of overall skill level and ring mastery. And as far as knockout percentages are concerned it's actually relatively even between both fighters, with Mayweather Jr. having a 62.5% KO ratio and Pacquiao having a 68.52% ratio. Pacquiao has boxed 293 rounds to Mayweather's 287.
This category of my analysis:
EXPLOSIVENESS: Manny Pacquiao - Edge
STYLE/ABILITY: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. - Edge
RING GENERALSHIP Floyd Mayweather Jr - Edge
KNOCKOUTS: Manny Pacquiao - Edge
The next thing that has to be looked at between these two great fighters is their records themselves, quality of opposition, and wins or losses. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has never suffered a loss in his career and he has also never been knocked down or out. On the contrary, Manny Pacquiao has three losses, two of those being by KO. While this is a factor that sometimes comes into play as a fighter is establishing himself on his way up, it is important to note that Mayweather not only has never been beaten but has never tasted the canvas before. Their quality of opposition is the next thing to look at. When looking at both fighter's records, for the most part while there are some similarities, it could be argued that either Mayweather or Pacquiao have fought the better opposition depending on who you ask. This is a toss up, as Pacquiao has fought big names in Morales, Barrera, Marquez, Larios, Hatton, De La Hoya, Solis and has a huge fight coming up with Cotto. On that same token Mayweather Jr. has fought De La Hoya, Corrales, Hernandez, Augustus, Chavez, Castillo, and recently shutout Marquez.
This category of my analysis:
QUALITY OF OPPONENTS: Even - No edge
RECORD: Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Edge
BEEN KNOCKED OUT: Manny Pacquiao - No Edge
NEVER BEEN KNOCKED OUT: Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Edge
So in answering your question as to who I think is the best Pound-For-Pound fighter between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., in my humble opinion I am going to have to go with Floyd Mayweather Jr. at this time. While Manny Pacquiao is a true phenomenon and only getting more powerful and dominant with every fight, Mayweather has the talent, skills, marketability, durability (he outboxes and outclasses his opponents and has never been hurt in the ring), and ring generalship and boxing mastery to entitle him to this distinction. This is not to say that Pacquiao is not also highly marketable and that he does not also dominate his opponents, but I think when you look at everything as a whole, Mayweather has the slight edge and comes out on top in the end.”
(Manny – 16; Floyd – 10)
Alden “The Kid” Codash (Member – BWAA)
“Manny Pacquiao ranks above Floyd in the pound-for pound rankings today for simple reasons. He's been adding to his legacy by wrecking previous Mayweather victims in if anything, an even more impressive manor than what Floyd did to both of them back in '07. Besides, Floyd has been retired during the last two years only to return by extending a blown up lightweight (Juan Manuel Marquez) the distance although winning nearly every round in the process. Hopefully the two will ultimately settle it out next year if Pacquiao is able to get past the rugged Miguel Cotto in November.”
(Manny – 17; Floyd – 10)
Michael Amakor (Member – BWAA)
“Floyd is pound for pound number 1, but Manny has been the more exciting fighter to watch recently so it is easy to think of him as better. However, Mayweather has already won championships in five weight classes and is unbeaten to date and he beat Marquez despite 21 months of inactivity. When you add his Olympic bronze (and the) 3 Golden Gloves titles, he wins between the two outright.”
(Manny – 17; Floyd – 11)
Michel Joseph
“Floyd, hands down. I like Manny, certainly more than I do Mayweather, but even if Manny were an inch or two taller, and about 10 pounds naturally heavier, it would be hard for him to beat Mayweather. Manny has had tough fights with Morales (the first fight), Marquez (both fights), and he'll have a tough fight with Cotto this November. Everybody in the industry knew de la Hoya was a shot fighter, as was Hatton, by the time Manny stepped into the ring with them. Manny fought those men not because he was seeking the absolute toughest fight, but the most money, which I can understand. He was a big underdog against de la Hoya, who was so long in the tooth that he thought if he handpicked a much, much smaller man, he'd still be able to use his size and win, but obviously, that backfired. Mayweather has had one, perhaps two tough fights, both of them with Jose Luis Castillo, and other than that, he's handled everybody at will - just about (had a few tough rounds at the beginning of the Judah fight). Right now, you can't argue that Floyd is the pound-for-pound best, and the only way Manny proves so is to beat him - which I don't see happening, especially the way we saw Floyd toy with Marquez for 12 rounds. Personally, I like Manny much more, as a fighter, and a person, but pound-for-pound? It's extremely hard to justifiably argue that Manny is better than Floyd.”
(Manny – 17; Floyd – 12)
Daniel Poland
“To answer your question on who I think is pound for pound best Pacquiao or Mayweather: if you read one of my recent mailbags, I produced my pound for pound list and had Manny at number 1 and Floyd at number 3, pending on his fight with Marquez. I said if he were to win easy I would place him alongside Manny as joint pound for pound champion. As we know Mayweather handled Marquez with great ease in a masterful performance, the same Marquez that gave Pacquiao hell in two fights. People will look at the Mayweather-Marquez fight and say look at the size difference but I say 'so what'. It’s not like Marquez is a B plus fighter, he is an A plus fighter and he took a risk like Pacquiao did when he fought De Le Hoya. Why aren’t people praising Mayweather after his long layoff coming back in such dominating fashion? I just don’t understand why he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Any true boxing fan like myself will acknowledge Mayweather's greatness. It is not boring to watch, it is quite amazing to watch. But anyway if I had to lean to someone slightly it would be Mayweather. I am in awe of what Pacquiao has done the past year 'this era's very own Henry Armstrong' and he has a massive task this November in fighting Miguel Cotto - a massive risk he should be applauded for because I am not so confident he will win that fight. But Mayweather has also came through the divisions winning title after title. He started out at 130 and fought his way up to 154 'undefeated' where he beat a De Le Hoya that wasn’t drained. Remember Mayweather isn’t a natural welterweight himself. A lot of people will disagree with me and say Pacquiao (is) number one but in my opinion no fighter in the world comes close to Mayweather in terms of skill and smarts.”
(Manny – 17; Floyd – 13)
Vikram Birring
“I believe Manny is the pound for pound best because when Floyd retired he (Pacquiao) destroyed Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton in spectacular fashion, at weights where nobody thought it was possible he could win. He started his career at 106 pounds, and he is pounding men nine weight classes higher than him.”
(Manny -18; Floyd – 13)
Ken Hissner
“I like Manny Pac over Floyd because he brings so much more excitement. I believe Paul Williams and Antonio Margarito chased Mayweather into semi retirement. Once Williams moved up to middleweight and Margarito got shipped off to Mexico for a year Mayweather is back "challenging" a #135 boxer with him being #147. There's just no shame with these guys. Oscar stopped (purposely?) stopped throwing his jab from rounds 8-11 and won the 12th after taking a 4-3 lead thru 7. In hopes of a rematch only if he lost? Larry Merchant questioned it and he laughed without answering it by saying "the jab was really working good wasn't it Larry?" Manny Steward didn't buy into it at ringside afterwards. I think after Pretty Boy looked so bad on "Dancing with the Stars" someone said "don't give up the day job" and he's back. He will probably turn out to be another Pernell Whitaker.”
(Manny – 19; Floyd – 13)
Leon Cowan
“Current Pound for Pound Champ: Floyd Mayweather. This has nothing to do with his last fight. I base this one his skill set and command of the ring. The guy does just about everything right in the squared circle. Manny is a great puncher and he is awkward but he has a few technical flaws that keep him at no.2.”
(Manny – 19; Floyd – 14)
Ivan G. Goldman (Author – ‘The Barfighter’, Member – BWAA)
“MANNY. BOTH ARE EFFECTIVE. MANNY IS MORE AGGRESSIVE. FLOYD IS MOST TALENTED, MANNY IS BEST. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.”
(Manny – 20; Floyd – 14)
Paul Burbridge
“In regards to the current P4P debate, I have to say that I feel that Floyd Mayweather Jr should be viewed as #1 and Manny Pacquiao should be #2.
The reason is simple. The P4P concept per the Ring Magazine is supposed to be based on overall skill and world title accomplishments. Floyd and Manny are nearly identical in terms of their number of world championships so for me it comes down to technical skill in the ring. I think we were reminded once again a couple of weeks ago of who is the more technically proficient fighter. We know Floyd is more adaptable and capable of dealing with a wider variety of styles in the ring.
A lot of fans believe that Manny is correctly rated at #1 because he has had success in one more weight division and started his career at a much lighter weight. I disagree that the number of weight divisions a fighter wins championships in should be the final determination. If that were the criteria then Oscar De La Hoya would have ranked higher than he did. Plus my sense is that Floyd overall has the greater pedigree. Now, having said that I can tell you I prefer Manny Pacquiao to Floyd Mayweather any day of the week.
One guy delivers technical prowess and bores us and the other guy delivers excitement and drama. I know who I'd rather watch.”
(Manny – 20; Floyd – 15)
Jake Donovan (Member – BWAA)
“Pound for pound - I have to go with the guy who has not only been active, but has truly defined the term pound-for-pound. Pacquiao now has four notable wins in four separate weight classes over a span of... just four fights. The only argument you can make is that Oscar was shot, but a win over Cotto in November will not only solidify Pacquiao's ranking but leave Floyd with a lot of catching up to do.
Floyd's talent is unquestioned, and has in front of him the perfect opportunities to reclaim the top P4P spot. But until he fights Mosley or the Pac-Cotto winner, I can't see how anyone would rightfully reward him with such an honor as the sport's very best if he's unwilling to prove it beyond a scouting report and lip service.”
(Manny – 21; Floyd – 15)
Charles C. White
“That is a very difficult question to answer, but I would probably have to go with Floyd as he has beaten everybody put in front of him, and I haven't seen such an amazing defensive genius in a long time. A lot of people (who usually don't know much about boxing) look at both of their victories over Ricky Hatton and Oscar de La Hoya and say that Manny is better. But when it comes down to it, PBF beat a fresher (although still aging) version of Oscar, whereas Manny beat an aging and weight drained version. And PBF beat a prime version of Ricky Hatton while Manny beat what was left over (still a great victory).”
(Manny – 21; Floyd – 16)
Chris Parry (Vancouver Sun)
“Floyd best, Manny best to watch.”
(Manny – 21; Floyd – 17)
Gabriel Montoya (Member – BWAA)
“Personally, I don't think in terms of pound for pound. The term was originally used in a much different way than it is now. But if you want me to compare who I think is a better fighter, I would say Floyd Mayweather, Jr. I think he is smarter in the ring, much more technically sound, and able to change his strategy during a fight.
While Pacquiao is a great fighter (and I rarely use the word great), he is easier to hit than Floyd is. They are equally fast in my opinion and so when one thing is equal you must go to everything else. When it comes to defense, Mayweather is in a class by himself.”
(Manny -21; Floyd – 18)
Ronan Keenan (Member – BWAA)
“I'd select Floyd Mayweather as the best pound-for-pound best boxer. He has unequaled talent and has an impregnable defense. Pacquiao may have achieved more, but Mayweather is a better prizefighter.”
(Manny – 21; Floyd – 19)
Jim Amato (Member – BWAA)
“I'm not a Mayweather fan but I give him the edge against Manny. Pac is a great fighter but I believe Floyd will be too fast, too slick and too strong for him. Let's see how Manny does against Cotto first.”
(Manny – 21; Floyd – 20)
Chris Ackerman
“Manny Pacquaio has taken over the P4P number one spot in my opinion...and it was a position Floyd had a very tenuous grip on anyway. I have been both a cheerleader and a critic of Floyd. The former because of his brilliance in the ring and natural ability, the latter because of his inexcusable and pathetic choice of opponents in the last several years. To the lackluster list, add Hatton and De La Hoya, who he fought prior to retiring. Hatton wasn't a real welterweight and Oscar was long in the tooth. Hatton didn't get embarrassed, up until the end and Oscar lost a squeaker that he would have had in the bag if he remembered what a jab was. Coming out of retirement Floyd fights Juan Manuel Marquez; a much, much smaller fighter. The result was a foregone conclusion.
Manny annihilated and basically retired both Oscar and Hatton...both larger men. He also has a win over Marquez along with a host of other similar-sized opponents and now he is tangling with a murderer like Miguel Cotto. Now THAT is a fighter. Floyd can't just come back, beat on a little fella like Marquez and expect to get launched back up to number one. His talent may be unmatched, but we just don't know because he never tests himself. Until he does, he is not even number 2 in my book...well, not number 2 in P4P rankings anyway.”
(Manny – 22; Floyd – 20)
Antonio Santiago
“The question about who is the best pound for pound is a complicated one right now because Manny Pacquiao has looked impressive, but Floyd Mayweather Jr. came back after two years and beat one of the very best. Factor in Miguel Cotto, who wants to join them at the top, and the fact that Mayweather really beat a Lightweight, and you have multiple things to think about.
I think for now, Pacquiao has to be number 1 because Mayweather Jr. has just returned and needs to fight a natural Welterweight, only because of that. When, and if, they fight, we will then know for real.”
(Manny – 23; Floyd – 20)
JD Camacho
“Manny Pacquiao (is the pound for pound best). I was very impressed (though) with Floyd Mayweather's performance against Juan Manuel Marquez. Despite Marquez being the smaller man, I did not expect Mayweather to dominate the way that he did. (But) Pacquiao has accomplished much during Mayweather's absence.
Of course, De La Hoya wasn't the same fighter that night. But I'm of the opinion that the holes in Oscar's defense that Manny exploited had been there for years. He hadn't fought another southpaw in a decade, he struggled with the Lilliputian lefty Calderon in sparring for Mayweather, and his defensive stance was largely the same against both Floyd and Manny. His offense suffered greatly - there appeared to me to be very little pop on his punches - but Manny outboxed him beautifully and Oscar quit. Manny had a great gameplan, and he executed (it) against a fighter who was supposed to smash him into pieces. No other opponent - even a string of truly great ones - had ever blown out De La Hoya, much less a smaller opponent. That, to me, is supremely impressive.
Ricky Hatton was the linear 140 pound champion, a fighter of comparable achievements to Joel Casamayor and a fighter with much better credentials than Juan Diaz. Hatton is also perceived to be a bigger fighter than both Casamayor and Diaz. If you knock Hatton for struggling against Lazcano, you'd have to mention that Casamayor and Diaz both struggled against Katsidis. Katsidis, while a top 10 lightweight, has few accomplishments to back up his status other than losses to the aforementioned two. He's exciting, but like Lazcano, he's never even held an alphabet title before. On top of all that, Pacquiao crushed Hatton in two rounds. Virtually no one outside of Pacquiao's camp expected that.
As you can see, I believe that Pacquiao earned his spot. On top of all that, Mayweather deceived Marquez at the weigh-in with the weight change. I don't believe Richard Schaefer's spin that Marquez expected Mayweather to come in heavy. I don't believe that Mayweather ever intended to make the weight, and I think he paid out of pocket to appease the Marquez camp. It was an unneeded but nonetheless unfair advantage orchestrated by Mayweather. I can't reward something dishonest like that with the pound-for-pound crown.
Because of all those things together, I have Manny over Floyd at the moment. The outcome of a fight between the two? That's a different question, and a different story.”
(Manny – 24; Floyd – 20)
Springs Toledo (Member – BWAA)
“I have not the slightest doubt that the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is Manny Pacquaio. Too many fans, analysts and commentators are dazzled by the finesse of Mayweather's style. While Mayweather's combination of athleticism and skill is extraordinary, it has not been tested in fire. Manny's has. Manny faced Barrera (twice), Marquez (twice), and Morales (three times) not to mention his willingness to face men far larger than he. Manny will face Miguel Cotto in November. Floyd faced Marquez a few weeks ago. Notice that Manny faces a larger man, while Floyd faces a smaller man. That is the crux of the difference.”
(Manny – 25; Floyd – 20)
Ali Shakoor
“Manny is the best pound-for-pound fighter right now. He hasn't lost a fight in over 4 years. His climb up the ladder and claiming titles shows the very definition of pound-for-pound. He has also scored knockouts in 5 of his last 7 fights. If he beats Cotto, nobody will be able to defeat him between 140-145. If he beats Cotto, we have to start considering how far up we put him on the all-time pound for pound list- maybe top ten.
Floyd is number 2, but jumps up to 1, if he ever beats Manny.”
(Manny – 26; Floyd 20)
Geoff Poundes (Member – BWAA)
“Floyd (is the pound for pound best) because Floyd might just be the finest fighter of this generation. And whilst Manny too is an exceptional talent, he's operating out of his weight class. That worked OK against Hatton and might work against Cotto who doesn't have great foot and hand speed, but Mayweather has it all and is stronger and bigger.”
(Manny – 26; Floyd – 21)
Tony Nobbs
“Floyd Mayweather (is the best pound for pound today). He was # 1 when he left, he has to lose the title in the ring. He beat Marquez more convincingly than Manny Pac did in two bouts. Has a hall of fame record and quality of opposition - Hernandez, Manfredo, Corrales, Castillo, Gatti, De La Hoya, Baldomir, Judah, Hatton, Marquez.”
(Manny - 26; Floyd – 22)
Kelly Swanson (Member – BWAA)
“Floyd Mayweather—bouts over time and styles make fights. There is no doubt in my mind that Floyd Mayweather has proven, more so than Manny Pacquiao, that he is one of the most skilled fighters in the world today and possible one of the best we will ever know. Pacquiao deserves his credit and has grown in to a complete fighter but I think Mayweather is more accomplished and currently stands #1.”
(Manny – 26; Floyd – 23)
Raymundo Dioses
“Pound for pound, I believe Manny Pacquaio to be the top fighter in the world. Many have made cases that Floyd Mayweather is back on top of the food chain, and while he may be in a marketability sense, when compared to activity, Manny has simply been more dominant in the last two years, fighting three times with two stoppage victories in 2008 and a stunning knockout victory in May 2009 over Ricky Hatton. Mayweather fights for the first time in 21 months and becomes the number one man? Not through my eyes.”
(Manny – 27; Floyd – 23)
Patrick Kehoe
“Manny Pacquiao is the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world having beaten elite fighters for a sustained time span, while defining himself as thee defining 'big fight' economic presence in professional boxing today.”
(Manny – 28; Floyd – 23)
***
There you go. 28 of 54 boxing experts picked Manny over Floyd as the best boxer in the planet today. Manny edged Floyd by five votes.
(Many thanks to all the above experts for sharing their views.)
Marshall N. B.
Boxing Fan
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