Pacman tightens grip on P4P status; Donaire is top 8
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 05/06/2009 6:07 PM
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With his spectacular win over Ricky Hatton, world junior welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has prolonged his reign atop the Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound list.
The Ring Magazine, dubbed as the “Bible of Boxing”, said Pacquiao’s knock out win against the British boxer in just two rounds further cemented his status as the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer.
The Ring cited Pacquiao’s ability to jump back and forth between weight classes and said the dominating fashion in which he’s won his recent fights personifies the term “‘pound for pound.’”
“Ricky Hatton’s knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao knocked him out of the pound-for-pound ratings and presented an opportunity to overhaul The Ring’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10,” said Nigel Collins, editor of The Ring Magazine.
The Ring also cited that Pacquiao’s inclusion in the list for 283 consecutive weeks made him the longest rated fighter currently on the elite list.
“The Pacman” entered the P4P rankings in November 2003 following his “breakthrough first victory” over Marco Antonio Barrera. He has been in the top 10 list for almost five and a half years.
“No other fighter currently rated on the pound-for-pound list comes close to matching Pacquiao’s amazing longevity,” said The Ring’s Doug Fischer.
“Beginning with the Marquez rematch, Pacquiao has competed in four different weight classes in his last four fights – junior lightweight, lightweight, welterweight and junior welterweight – and his performances against solid-to-excellent opposition earned him Top 5 Ring ratings in each division,” he added.
Hatton, meantime, dropped out of the elite list coming from a ranking of No. 8 last week.
Taking Hatton’s place at the eighth spot is another Filipino, IBO/IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire who demolished the formerly undefeated Raul Martinez in four rounds.
“Nonito Donaire makes his pound for pound debut at No. 8. Inactivity had hampered The Ring’s No. 1 flyweight’s entry but his recent KO of previously undefeated Raul Martinez confirmed that his 2007 knockout over Vic Darchinyan was no fluke,” noted Collins.
Only two other boxers in the top 10 have been on the list for more than 100 consecutive weeks. They are No. 3 Bernard Hopkins (152 weeks) and No. 2 Juan Manuel Marquez (112 weeks).
Meanwhile, making his return to The Ring’s P4P rankings is Miguel Cotto at No. 7.
Shane Mosley is now the fourth best pound-for-pound fighter while Israel Vazquez is fifth.
Rafael Marquez is No. 6, Vic Darchinyan went up to No. 9, while last week’s No. 9 Celestino Caballero occupies the last spot.
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