Who will take the P4P Crown when Mayweather & Pacquiao Retire?
By Mark LeRoy: In this article we will look at the heir apparent to the mythical pound for pound throne currently held by Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao, depending who you ask. Regardless whom you ask the same people will tell you the end is near for both fighters.
To gain pound for pound recognition the main ingredient required is to consistently beat quality opposition, below I have listed five names of fighters I believe could be atop the pound for pound rankings in the next couple of years.
Ander Ward (22-0-0, 13 Kos) The former Olympian Gold Medallist is currently locked in the ShowTime super six tournament that secures him quality opposition over his next couple of outings. Ward also resides atop the current standings and holds the WBA version of the super middleweight title. If Ward continues performing and wins the overall super six tournament he would have undoubtedly secured his status as the best super middleweight on the planet, not many other divisions enjoy this acclaim.
Amir Khan (23-1-0, 17 KOs): The 23-year old is currently competing in one of the hottest divisions in boxing today, Khan has a real opportunity to climb the pound for pound rankings due to the depth of his division, however weather his handlers match him up with the other top fighters in the division remains to be seen.
Timothy Bradley (25-0-0, 11 KOs) This weekend Bradley will face his second consecutive undefeated fighter; such actions are a sure way to climb the mythical rankings. Bradley, like the aforementioned Amir Khan, also competes in the red hot light welterweight division. If the light welterweight boys have ambition, the opportunity is there with names including Marcos Maidana, Devon Alexander, Amir Khan and Bradley himself.
Paul Williams (39-1-0, 27 Kos) The punisher’s main attribute is his ability to compete in several divisions at ease. Unlike other fighters who struggle to make the weight or are just too small to make the transition north, Williams has been blessed with genetics and a frame that could see him compete from welterweight to middleweight increasing the opportunity to be sharing the ring with fighters from several divisions.
Juan Manuel Lopez (29-0-0, 26 Kos) The Puerto Rican has a scheduled defence of his WBO featherweight title against Mexican Rafael Marquez, if victorious fans will be calling for a match-up with hard hitting Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa. Lopez equals excitement like his fellow compatriots Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto who also carried an aura of vulnerability. Juanma will surly fly the flag for Puerto Rico as Miguel Cotto enters the twilight of his career. However, as mentioned before the mythical title’s main ingredient is quality of opposition and not popularity, so Lopez needs to be sharing the ring with Gamboa, and soon.
My Pick, with boxing today and the politics involved fighters rarely fight the best in any one division on a consistent basis, contractual disputes and promotional deals frequently deny the fight that should be happening from happening.
For this reason, I would predict Andre Ward to be the next superstar of boxing and the next owner of the mythical pound for pound title. As mentioned before, the excellent format that is the super six; guarantees Ward the best fights in a solid division (super middleweight).
Leave a Comment
Comments (10)