411 Boxing Pound for Pound Ratings 09.06.10: For Month-Ending August

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 09.06.2010

Manny Pacquiao still reigns supreme on the 411 pound for pound list, but where do others such as Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko stand? Check out the full rankings for all the details!

August wasn't the most boxing-rich month of the year but there was still some action which included Chad Dawson – previously rated by the 411 staff at #8. That was of course before he ran into Jean Pascal in Montreal. The fight demonstrated how much aggression Dawson lacks and needs to work on if he's continue his winning ways. That being said, his technical decision loss to Pascal has dropped him off the list which makes last month's #10a and #10b ranked fighters get an official and lone ranking.
So let's find out what our top-10 looks like after the month of August.



10. Shane Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs) : Despite having lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his last outing, it's tough to knock him off the list solely based on that performance. He nearly knocked Floyd's head off in the 2nd round but was out-boxed thoroughly the rest of the way. Still, no one else has bested Floyd so there's no shame in that. Mosley currently has a fight slated for September 18 against Sergio Mora which will serve as a test to see how much Shane has left at age 38.



9. Timothy Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs) : "Desert Storm" snuck his way in last month with a #10b rating but this month he gets the #9 spot to himself. Bradley has been feasting on quality opposition at junior welterweight and the WBO champ is regarded by many as the best of the lot in his division. Recently Bradley tested the 147-pound waters with an impressive decision win over Luis Carlos Abregu. While Bradley isn't exactly a knockout artist, he makes up for it with quick, volume punching and exceptional stamina. As of now, a potential unification bout with fellow unbeaten 140-pounder Devon Alexander is possibly in the cards for January but nothing is set. The promoters continue to try and iron out a deal which we can only hope gets signed, sealed and delivered. It would make for a great 2011 kick off.



8. Wladimir Klitschko (54-3, 48 KOs): Eddie Chambers was expected to give Wladimir a pretty good test when they met back in March but instead, Klitschko dominated him from the start and ultimately flattened him in the final round. It wasn't pretty but Klitschko once again showed everyone why he is a tough nut to crack. The heavyweight champ hasn't lost since 2004 and only two of those fights have gone the distance. Until he retires or takes on an opponent with a huge punch and a lot of will, he may remain atop of his perch. Speaking of big punchers, Klitschko will now take on Samuel Peter on September 11, after Alexander Povetkin pulled out of his 2-year old mandatory shot. The first bout with Peter was fun to watch as Peter dropped Klitschko three times before nearly getting dropped himself in the final round. Klitschko would win via decision.



7. Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KOs ): He may not be the most exciting heavyweight in the world but it's tough to fault "Dr. Ironfist" when he's completely outclassing his opponents. His 2010 campaign has been slow, compared to 2009 where he went 3-0 but he still dominated Albert Sosnowski back in May as his comeback continues to be a success. At the end of last month he still had no opponent but we have since learned that he will be taking on former heavyweight titleholder Shannon Briggs on October 16 in Germany. ESPN3.com will televise.



6. Nonito Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs): Donaire continues to roll at junior bantamweight, having bested Manuel Vargas and Hernan Marquez this year. However, "The Filipino Flash" continues to get overlooked when it comes to making the bigger fights in his division. Donaire is understandably fed up with the situation but it all might change this November as Top Rank is feverishly trying to put together a showdown between Donaire and Fernando Montiel. This would certainly be Donaire's biggest fight since stopping Vic Darchinyan in 2007. Montiel, also a fighter looking to crash into the pound for pound ratings could topple Donaire on the list if he comes out victorious. A win for Nonito would further establish him as one of boxing's best.



5. Andre Ward (22-0, 13 KOs): Overlooked at the start of Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic, Ward has developed into the tournament's top dog by upsetting former WBA titlist Mikkel Kessler; one of the odds on favorite to win, while recently putting on a clinic against hard-hitting Allan Green in their June bout. It was another fantastic performance from Ward who came in with a different game plan and worked it to a tee. Green was left looking like a bonafide sparring partner while Ward solidified his first place position in the tournament. In a span of less than a year, Ward has gone from a decent fighter with minimal coverage to a major threat at 168 and a superstar in the making. Next up is Andre Dirrell, his friend and former Olympic teammate.



4. Paul Williams (39-1, 27 KOs): Williams is still riding high from his majority decision win over current middleweight champ Sergio Martinez in December. He managed to get another fight under his belt in May against Kermit Cintron but given the circumstances surrounding that fight, it's like he hasn't really fought this year. Williams is keen on returning to 147 pounds but a lack of opponents is making it difficult to schedule a fight. Most fans and media (not to mention HBO) would love to see Williams instead get back in the ring at middleweight for a rematch with Sergio Martinez. Luckily that fight seems to be a go for November 20 in New York or Atlantic City but no official confirmation has been made just yet.



3. Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KOs): After the disappointing loss to Floyd Mayweather last year, Marquez was eager to get back into action. Returning to the friendly confines where not only is he at his best, but the current champion at lightweight, Marquez finally settled the score with Juan Diaz last month. Marquez-Diaz II was a rematch from last year's Fight of the Year and thought it didn't live up to the action from the first bout, was still a good fight in its own right. From the start Marquez completely dominated in what amounted to be a clean sweep for the Mexican great. A fight at 135 pounds against Michael Katsidis has been on many fans and journalist's wish list and it appears that we will in fact get that bout on November 27 in Las Vegas. That fight should be a barn-burner!



2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KOs): After receiving plenty of criticism for taking on the much smaller Marquez in his comeback last year, Floyd finally took on a legitimate welterweight in Shane Mosley this past May. Despite a scary 2nd round that saw Mayweather nearly sent to the canvas, Floyd recuperated and put on a boxing clinic for the remainder of the fight, leaving Mosley looking like a second class fighter. It was the type of performance Mayweather needed against a world champ and fellow pound for pound fighter and at least for a while, silenced his critics. That criticism of course, crept back in as he once again failed to accept a fight with Manny Pacquiao last month. Things haven't gotten any better for the biggest trash talker in the game; recently going on a racist rant on Ustream that came back to bite him in the ass. An apology followed a few days later though not many are buying it.



1. Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs): As the "Pacman" keeps on winning, so too does his popularity and admiration. Still searching for that showdown with Mayweather, Pacquiao meanwhile keeps himself busy by annihilating his opponents. His most recent win came against Joshua Clottey in March where he dominated the Ghanaian fighter in front of a huge crowd at Cowboys Stadium in Texas. With Antonio Margarito getting his license in Texas, the fight between he and Pacquiao is now official as the U.S. media tour kicked off last week. They'll get it on in Arlington on November 13.

Honorable Mentions: Miguel Cotto, Fernando Montiel, Lucian Bute, Sergio Martinez