On Pound for Pound: Anointing 2007's Champion
By Gabriel Montoya (Dec 31, 2007) Doghouse Boxing        
The use of the term ‘pound for pound’ has changed and diluted from the days when it was used to describe the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson; a one of a kind fighter who had dominated his weight classes of choice and taken on all comers. Once used to set one evolutionary and extraordinary fighter apart from both his contemporaries and predecessors, the pound for pound moniker has been expanded into a top ten list used to quickly identify the best fighters in the game at any given weight class.  At times, the claim of pound for pound seems nothing more than a marketing tool. It was never meant to be used
in either of these ways. To quote former pound for pound champion Roy Jones Jr, “Pound for pound was never meant to be a list. There is the pound for pound best and then there is everyone else.”

When Floyd Mayweather Jr knocked out Ricky Hatton, HBO announcer Jim Lampley declared, “never has it been more clear who’s the world’s number one pound for pound fighter.” Considering how his popularity (and personal wealth) has skyrocketed following a split decision win over Oscar De La Hoya in May and his knockout victory over popular British junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton in December, it’s easy to see how he has become the choice du jour for fans, writers, and Mr. Lampley. As much as I respect all of the above, I have to respectfully disagree. In a year that saw top tier fighters take each other on at a rate not seen in years, the question of who is pound for pound the best has rarely been more unclear.

In order to be considered the best pound for pound fighter, a fighter must meet three criteria. First, a fighter must establish dominance in their weight class
(or classes) of choice. Second, the fighter must have a signature win that cements that status. Third, the fighter must have accomplished something that no one else could have done. These three things generally should be accomplished within a twelve month span of time though some exceptions do occur as I’ll point out later. After all, if you are taking the mantle of the consensus best fighter of all time, you can’t do so by just saying you’re great and hoping everyone believes you. You have to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. No points for potential. Accomplishment is everything.

The four fighters that come to mind this year when filling these criteria are Kelly Pavlik, Miguel Cotto, Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins. All four fighters had banner years, each with division changing results.

The Candidates

Despite fighting only twice this year, Joe Calzaghe solidified his position once and for all as the dominant 168-pounder in the world, dominating and decisioning undefeated Mikkel Kessler, a fighter most boxing fans and media felt would beat him. In the process of dominating Kessler as no one in the 168-pound class could have, Calzaghe recorded the 21st defense of his title. In Calzaghe’s case, his past work set the table for his Pound for Pound consideration.

Kelly Pavlik logged perhaps the most dynamic year for any fighter in recent memory. Pavlik went from borderline prospect to full fledged contender to middleweight champion in the span of a year. Along the way he knocked out rugged veteran Joe Luis Zertuche in what was considered a big step up in class. He followed that performance by knocking out the man many considered the most dangerous fighter in the division, Edison Miranda. While Miranda had lost a decision to IBF middleweight titlist Arthur Abraham, it was considered by those that saw it as a much disputed decision. In any case, no one in the division expected or pulled off the kind of dominant, complete fight that Pavlik put together against the Colombian slugger. Pavlik then finished off his year by doing what Bernard Hopkins, Cory Spinks, Kassim Ouma, and Winky Wright could not do: he knocked Jermain Taylor cold in seven rounds to win the middleweight title in a Fight of the Year candidate.

Miguel Cotto started off his welterweight campaign in December of ’06 against tough, unbeaten Carlos Quintana. Coming off a big win over Joel Julio, Quintana had many fans and media convinced he would be too much for his fellow Puerto Rican. But over five brutal rounds, Cotto proved he was all welterweight in a dominating performance that left Quintana saying ‘no mas’ on his stool. Next up was a mandatory defense against Oktay Urkal and again Cotto took care of business, moving his welterweight record to 2-0 with 2 KO’s. Stepping up the competition further, Cotto accomplished what no other welterweight was able to when he beat down and knocked out Zab Judah over 11 electrifying rounds in a Fight of the Year candidate. Not one to take it easy, Cotto would finish out the year against another former welterweight champion, the veteran legend Shane Mosley. Cotto would give and take with Mosley in a closely contested battle, pulling out the victory and displaying versatility as a fighter in the process.

Bernard Hopkins is the most interesting of the candidates. Having fought twice in the last 13 months, Hopkins is not the most active of candidates. He has entered a period of his career where he looks for singular challenges rather than winning the public over with volume. Taking that into account, I have decided to measure his candidacy from the Antonio Tarver fight to the Winky Wright fight. Moving up from middleweight to soundly beat Tarver for the light heavyweight crown and then following that up by beating a former pound for pound candidate in Winky Wright at a catch weight keeps him among the elite. Some would say he never left the top of the fighting heap. With two disputed decision losses to Jermain Taylor, it can be argued that Hopkins never relinquished the pound for pound title he won following his KO win over Felix Trinidad. When you factor in that he went on to perform as he has, it is impossible to not keep Hopkins as part of the conversation.

Arguments Against

Cotto: The win over unbeaten Quintana was impressive. The presence of mandatory Urkal on the list does nothing to make the case for Cotto. Judah, while he hadn’t been stopped at this 147, had been knocked out at 140 so the knockout was not uncharted territory. Judah had also been beaten by Carlos Baldomir and Floyd Mayweather Jr at 147. The KO win is impressive but the wins by the other two men lessen the victory in my opinion. The best win is over Shane Mosley is impressive as well but the win was too close to eclipse the rest of this year’s candidates resumes.

Pavlik: The Zertuche, Taylor and Miranda wins, while excellent, showed Pavlik’s vulnerability as much as his tenacity. Pavlik was one good combo away from losing the Taylor fight and was behind on the cards when he scored the knockout. Let’s see if he can do it again in the rematch with Taylor and then what he does next before taking him to the highest of highs in boxing.

Hopkins: Beating Winky Wright will always be impressive. However, the fight was closer than it should have been considering Wright had never fought at 170 pounds. The Tarver victory is impressive but fighting once in 2007 makes it hard to put Hopkins above the other candidates. Should Hopkins beat Joe Calzaghe next year, everything changes for the Philly fighting legend.

And The Winner Is…

Looking back at the criteria (signature win, divisional dominance, and doing something no one else in the division could do) there is one clear winner. With his win over undefeated Mikkel Kessler to take his title defenses to 21, Joe Calzaghe has taken care of all three criteria. Fans and media, I give you your pound for pound champion, ‘The Pride of Wales’ Joe Calzaghe.

Comments/disputes/questions?
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Gabriel at: Coyotefeather@gmail.com




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