Our First Pound-For-Pound Top 20 List Of 2009

By Tim Starks

As usual, my criteria includes, in approximate order of importance: recent activity, career achievement and overall ability.

1. Manny Pacquiao (junior welterweight): Some might make an argument for Pacquiao's rival Juan Manuel Marquez to take the spot, and I wouldn't put up too much of a fight, but it's not the argument I'd make. It's my personal opinion that Pacquiao and Marquez should be 1-1 against each other right now, but the record says Pacquiao's 1-0-1 against Marquez. And as good as Marquez was this weekend, Pacquiao still has an overall better career resume. Only losing to Ricky Hatton in May can drop him from the #1 spot, really, and winning would put more distance between #1 and #2. Manny's the best. He's likely going to stay that way at least until he fights Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Marquez again or Shane Mosley, and even then he could just as easily sweep that fearsome foursome. Which is not the same as saying it would be easy. read more