So it was that the fight fever led boxing loyalists to EPIX, which began showcasing boxing cards last March. The sweet science has had few high quality destinations on television in recent years, but the upstart wants to enter the fray and is proving to be an immediate contender.

The two-year-old premium movie and entertainment channel was launched by Studio 3 Partners, a joint venture between Viacom and its Paramount Pictures division, MGM Studios and Lionsgate. It launched in October 2009, and features a 24/7 slate of new releases and classic films from their studio partners, as well as a sampling of concerts and other live events.

EPIX is headed by CEO Mark Greenberg, a former longtime Showtime executive who had run that channel's boxing department. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that a key component of EPIX's growth strategy is reaching out to fans and growing brand awareness through an investment in live boxing.

"The EPIX brand is starting to get out there, and boxing has been a big part of that for us, the press we generate and consumer awareness," according to Travis Pomposello, chief creative officer of EPIX and its senior executive in charge of boxing.

"Consumer awareness is what drives subscriptions and boxing has been a lynchpin in developing that consumer awareness," says Pomposello.

Growing a Channel One Jab at a Time

EPIX currently is available in more than 30 million homes with distribution partners including Verizon FIOS, Charter Communications, Dish Network and Cox Communications.

While growing the subscriber base and reaching as many households as possible is obviously the goal, Pomposello says that as a commercial free network, they don't have traditional ratings, and they aren't measuring their results from a purely numerical or statistical standpoint.

"We are continually gaining new subscribers, but it's very challenging to gauge." A household might sign up for EPIX to watch boxing, or to see a Britney Spears concert or watch the latest Star Trek film.

EPIX also doesn't limit itself to being a traditional television channel, it markets itself as a multi-platform entertainment service. That means they want to bring the action to the consumer wherever they might be, and in any way possible, including on their portable devices and tablet computers, gaming systems and more.

Nora Ryan, EPIX's chief of staff, adds that with boxing, the channel is trying to reach out to individuals who simply haven't heard of them yet.

"One of the things we are most focused on in this stage is really introducing EPIX to audiences across the country. We've just launched two years ago and a lot of people still don't know about EPIX the brand," she says. "So one of the huge benefits to us and one of the things we really love about boxing is that it allows us to reach a segment of the population that is so passionate about the sport that maybe we haven't touched before."

These days, there are few players in the field when it comes to televised boxing. HBO and SHOWTIME are the heavy hitters with the outsized contracts -- think Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols. You hope they hit the ball out of the park every time, although they also have a tendency to strike out and miss entirely, despite the boatloads of cash.

Then you have ESPN2 with Friday Night Fights, the occasional Fox Sports card, and the Spanish cable channels like Telefutura with its Solo Boxeo series. They're the scrappy guys you can't help but root for -- think David Eckstein. They'll produce a gem here and there, and they provide good value and entertainment, but there's an inherent ceiling for what they can accomplish.

And that's about it - although NBC Sports, the channel formerly known as Versus, is set to debut its new Fight Night series in 2012 as well.

So now we have EPIX stepping up to the plate, and the channel is looking to find some middle ground between the massive bankrolls and outsized expectations of an HBO, and the prospect and club-fight laden cards of an ESPN2.

EPIX Debuts with Klitschko vs. Solis

In 2011, EPIX broadcast five live boxing events, and consumers were able to order free trials of the premium channel for those weekends. EPIX also streamed each card live - for free - on its website, EPIXHD.com. In that way, EPIX can reach more people than it could simply by broadcasting the fights on television.

"By streaming the fights on EPIXHD.com, we can give even non-subscribers the opportunity to engage with us," Ryan says.

At that point, the channel hopes to win them over and retain them as ongoing customers. Even without that end result though, new eyeballs are able to take a peek at what the service offers, and additional awareness will have been gained.

The first match EPIX televised was the WBC heavyweight title fight between Vitali Klitschko and Odlanier Solis on March 19, 2011. The fight itself was a disappointment, ending in one round when Solis's knee gave out. However, for the channel it was still a success, bringing in over 100,000 visitors to the website, according to Ryan.

"It was beyond my wildest expectations," says Pomposello.

But it was also a learning experience for him and the EPIX team.

"It's the sport of boxing. I don't know how you prepare for it, you hope things go well and you find competitive fights. Obviously you're standing there and you watch Solis go down with a broken leg and that hurts a little bit. That is the game, and we're certainly not the exception. Every network who has boxing goes through that same up and down with the sport."

Making Every Dollar Count

These concerns resonate all the more for EPIX, which as mentioned, aired just five fight cards in 2011. As a result, EPIX doesn't have the margin of error that HBO or SHOWTIME does. Instead, they have to try to maximize the value of each event they broadcast and be opportunistic with which fights they choose to televise, and how much they pay for them.

The New York Yankees can afford to sign Alex Rodriguez for a quarter of a billion dollars, even with declining returns. But the small market teams in baseball certainly cannot. In the same vein, HBO can afford to pay $5 million in rights fees for a fight which ends up as a major letdown, even if it is bad business, but EPIX has to try to make each fight they show worth every dollar.

EPIX declined to comment on how much they do pay for their fights, instead simply saying that it must be reasonable, and the fight must be a good match for the network and its goals.

"Unfortunately in the sport of boxing you don't always get what you pay for. It's like all sports where things are very inflated, and we don't want to play in that realm. So we still look for the value plays," Pomposello says.

While there's no easy to follow doctrine that ensures success, Pomposello sticks to a few core principles when selecting fights to showcase. Namely, he searches for affordable rights fees, competitive matches between high quality fighters, and events with multiple television-worthy fights on the docket.

By airing doubleheaders, the network tries to give itself some built in insurance for when the best laid plans go awry, as they did when light heavyweight titleholder Juergen Braehmer pulled out of his May 21, 2011 unification match with fellow titleholder Nathan Cleverly at the last minute. Instead of disaster, the channel could still bank on being able to showcase the highly anticipated match between super middleweight prospects and British rivals George Groves and James DeGale.

Boxing Television for Boxing Fans

EPIX tries to take the approach of viewing their own events as actual fight fans, instead of sticking to rigid corporate blueprints. Gosh, what a novel concept.

"I'm a boxing fan at heart, and there's a lot of people at EPIX who are boxing fans. When we sit down and think about our broadcasts, we think about what's best for the network but also what we would want to see and what we would enjoy watching," Pomposello says.

"We never sat down and said 'hey, let's do a fight every month, or let's do a fight every quarter, or let's two more fights this year.' We really seize the opportunities as they come as available, and that's the same game plan that we have for 2012."

Thus far, each event they have televised has been based out of Europe and would not otherwise have been shown in the United States. In each instance, there was at least one world title up for grabs.

In addition to airing mostly competitive and worthwhile bouts, EPIX has also been building an entertaining studio show to complement and complete their broadcasts.

They've had big names in the sport take part in the endeavor, including former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and renowned trainer Freddie Roach. Nobody is going to be handing Lewis a 'best in broadcasting' award anytime soon, but nonetheless, his presence adds credibility to the program.

Looking Ahead

EPIX may never showcase dozens of fights per year, wield a multi-million dollar budget or lock up a stable of the sport's biggest names. But the great thing is that they don't need to.

By showcasing boxing to the public at large who isn't already tuning into Friday Night Fights on ESPN2, or buying $54.95 HBO Pay-Per-Views, the channel could actually help the sport at the same time it furthers its own cause. Providing any sort of platform to showcase more boxing is a positive step forward for the sweet science, and for its fans.

EPIX will get its awareness and its subscribers. The fight fans will get their fix. After all, if they show it, we will come. We have nowhere else to go.

It's a winning proposition, and from both sides of the equation, year one of the EPIX experiment seems to have been a success.

Sergio Martinez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather are two of the potential big matches that we're missing out on right now, but what about historical boxing fantasy fights like Vitali Klitschko vs. George Foreman or Muhammad Ali vs. Rocky Maricano?

Well it will only be fans of EA Sports’ Knockout Kings / Fight Night boxing video games that would have experienced entertaining match-ups like these. Now all you older fans, before you decide you don’t want to read on because I’m talking “video games”, remember that boxing needs all the following it can get, and these games have been very successful.

They have made 9 in total, with the latest being 'Fight Night-Champion'. Although there are adults out there like myself (I’m 42) who play or have played this series, the game has been most popular with the younger generation… perhaps our next generation of boxing fans? I bloody well hope so!

What a mainstream video game series like this says is that boxing is alive and well. A video game offers the best and most entertaining aspects of boxing, which ‘real’ boxing, as I said, often fails to deliver.

Fans should expect to see quality matches regularly! Yet, instead, what we get too regularly is trash like Vitali Klitschko vs. Albert Sosnowski, Amir Khan vs. Paul McCloskey, and Saul Alvarez vs. Matthew Hatton and Alfonso Gomez! Yet in “Fight Night” you could take on Manny Pacquiao, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Floyd Mayweather consecutively, with no problems.

You can say that I’m taking the video game thing too far, but I can sincerely say that ‘Fight Night’ can often entertain me more than the real thing can. In addition, these games also provide an interesting basis on which to take a different perspective on the problems in the sport.

Consider that EA Sports has never included any sanctioning body world titles in the series, though they do in all their other sporting games, and I’m sure it probably has an integral part of the marketing of those games as well. Most of the titles of their games include the governing body, such as FIFA Soccer, NFL Football and so forth, but not with ‘Fight Night’.

Fight Night Champion

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Surely this is because fans, and especially casual fans, understand the concept of “World Champion”, but don't understand or don't care about the WBC, WBA or WBO. Therefore, EA Sports has never had to bother with this otherwise necessary component of all their other sports games. I guess their market researchers came to the conclusion that having these title belts was meaningless, not to mention they’d save a lot of coin by not having to pay for those rights.

Perhaps I’m stating obvious problems in boxing, that there are too many ‘world champions’, and no structure. How can we fans support them when there is no true coordination of the sport? I’m talking about the coordination that comes with structure and continuity that all other sports offer. So after a fight card, who will the winners fight next? Where will that win take them? When will the best competitors meet for a championship? Sport fans (not boxing fans) have come to expect structure and continuity from sports.

But there is an underlying message I do want you, the fan, to see. The basic concepts of boxing are not lost to the general public, in fact, evidence says that they are embraced.  Consider the massive slew of boxing movies like The Fighter, Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby and the Rocky franchise. Even the simple fact that boxing terminology and imagery can be seen in everyday media.

People seem to be entertained in a variety of ways by boxing, but not by the actual sport. This poses a very good question, why can’t boxing ‘as a sport’ generate as much interest as it seems to be generating everywhere else?

Knocking Out Holyfiled

Back to video games, in January 2006 I was at the WBC Night of Champions in Cancun, Mexico, and shared the elevator with Evander Holyfield, and had to ask, “I wouldn’t be the only one to tell you that I’ve knocked you out before?”

With a resigning smile he replied, “No, I’ve been told that a few times.”

“Fight Night right?” I asked.

“Yeah, I wish they hadn’t made me so easy,” he sighed.

So when you’re not getting that full boxing fix, like we boxing junkies need, I fully recommend trying any of the ‘Fight Night’ games.

And if you’ve knocked out Evander Holyfield too, I’m open to the challenge. My name’s at the top of the page.

One of the newer divisions in the sport--only strawweight is newer. However, super middleweight has seen more success than some of the more recently-created divisions, with a gaggle of talented and big figures among the top ten. At the same time, being less than 30 years old, this ranking does not have the historic names that fill other top tens.

In addition, there is a mix of those who make 168 their home and others who merely stop by for a little while. This makes it a difficult list to compile. Do you go with ten-year rainstorm or the two-year hurricane? This list is also unique in that it is one of the least populated by Americans of any higher weight class, with Europeans dominating the top ten. Here are the ten best to ever do it at 168 pounds:

1. Joe Calzaghe (1993-2008):

Credit: Tea Chimp / Creative Commons License 2.0

Other than Holyfield at cruiserweight and Ricardo Lopez at strawweight, there is no clearer choice for the #1 spot in any division. A ten-year reign as WBO champion and retiring undefeated at 46-0 only tells part of the story. Calzaghe’s skills and worth fall a little outside how we normally gauge greatness. For the less-astute observer, Calzaghe perhaps appeared to merely be a tough fighter who overwhelmed opponents with blustery hands. But not many fighters could fight as well as Calzaghe, as he just had an almost-genius aptitude for the simple art of combat. His view of a fight was hyper-advanced, accompanied by the ability to see angles and perceive a fight with the same coolness as a fan sitting on his couch.

Calzaghe won his first belt over top-5 all-time super middleweight Chris Eubank and while he did spend a lot of his reign beating second-raters, he eventually got some serious work done. Some of his better defenses came against 168-pound championship timber like Charles Brewer, Richie Woodhall, and Byron Mitchell. In 2006, Jeff Lacy was favored to beat Calzaghe and wound up getting destroyed. Came back to beat hard-nosed Sakio Bika, before overcoming a tough start to figure out Mikkel Kessler en route to a dominating decision.

2. Nigel Benn (1987-1996):

Nigel began his career as a bombs-away middleweight. Some setbacks forced him to refine his style and he admirably did just that, adding some finesse to his brawn. It enabled him to become one of the greatest ever at this weight. Defeated Sugarboy Malinga, before snatching the WBC strap from clever Mauro Galvano. A few defenses led to a rematch against Chris Eubank, who had stopped Benn at middleweight. Benn appeared unlucky to get only a draw in their 1993 unification bout. Nigel registered 2 more defenses before knocking out Gerald McClellan, in what would have been an absolutely glorious win, if not for the harrowing result, which left McClellan maimed for life. Two more defenses followed before Benn faded away with 3 straight losses.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

3. Chris Eubank (1985-1998):

One of the best of the early champions of 168, Eubank won the vacant WBO title with a nearly-fatal KO over talented Michael Watson. Defended against Sugarboy Malinga, before besting decent American imports like Ron Essett, Tony Thornton, and ex-champ Lindell Holmes. A pair of draws, against tough Irishman Ray Close and #2 all-time Nigel Benn followed, before Eubank scored an underrated win over unbeaten Graciano Rocchigiani. Beat Close in a rematch and in total, scored 14 title defenses. Sometimes lethargic and uninterested, Eubank could be difficult to like, but his accomplishments at this weight are almost unparalleled.

4. Roy Jones, Jr. (1989-present):

Far and away, the most impressive fighting force ever seen at 168 pounds. Only a short stay in this division prevents him from taking a higher spot. But for a short tenure at this weight, he certainly accomplished a lot. Most importantly, he won the only true Superfight to ever take place in this division. Before James Toney climbed into the ring against Jones, he was considered by many to be the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. For Jones to whitewash a fighter of that stature represents a feather in his cap that no one on this list can really claim. The fact that Toney was not at his best does nothing to reflect poorly on Jones. His 6 defenses that followed the Toney win were not against great fighters, but Jones still barely lost a round, en route to as dominating a 168-pound run as you can hope to see.

5. James Toney (1988-present):

Losing the biggest fight in division history by a landslide doesn’t reflect terribly well, but it is his what he did directly preceding it that allows Toney to stand out against others on this list. It was his work in this weight class that allowed him to be considered by many as the best fighter in the world. Who else besides Jones can really claim that on this list? Struggling at the scales at 160, Toney jumped up a division and his form blossomed. A stoppage of tough Doug DeWitt paved the way for an absolute clinic against Iran Barkley, which netted Toney the IBF belt. Decisioned tough Tony Thornton, before stopping unbeaten and talented contender Tim Littles. His dissection of former light heavyweight champion Prince Charles Williams was a thing of both beauty and brutality.

6. Andre Ward (2004-present):

Boxing history usually requires time to ruminate, but winning the Super Six tournament seems to be enough to place him among the best to ever do it at 168. Sure Lucian Bute is still out there, but winning a tournament of that nature speaks volumes, as does the fact that he was able to prevail in dominating fashion. The Olympic Gold Medalist took a while to get his career going, but when he did, he did so with aplomb and great distinction. With the old guard getting older, he is one of the leading candidates to become the PFP #1 guy here in the next several years. Wins over Miranda-Kessler-Green-Bika-Abraham-Froch represent perhaps the most comprehensive championship run in the history of this division. A win over Bute puts him pretty close to the top. This book is still being written.

7. Steve Collins (1986-1997):

Personally, I’m finding this the toughest one in the lot to rank. I never thought he was much of a fighter, but his toughness and grit were so off-the-charts, that I’m forced to look at his greatness along different lines. It’s a bit worrisome to rank Benn and Eubank ahead of him, as Collins is remarkably 4-0 against that duo, with a pair of wins over each. The Benn who was twice stopped by Collins was a depleted force, as he would never win another fight. But when Eubank lost to Collins the first time, he was unbeaten in 43 fights. But the Eubank wins were both close and Benn had just dropped his belt to 9-loss Sugarboy Malinga. His other work at the upper-reaches of 168 is pretty thin, but going 4-0 against the #2 and #3 guy all-time in the division is impossible to ignore.

8. Carl Froch (2002-present)

A little of the stink still lingers from a disappointing performance against Andre Ward, but prior to that, he compiled a list of triumphs that few on this list can match. After putting together a decent resume over tough domestic types, he went on a roll, defeating Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, and Glen Johnson. The only setback during that stretch was a close one on Mikkel Kessler’s home turf. That’s a major run of success against some pretty big names and good enough for #8 on this list.

9. Mikkel Kessler (1998-present):

The Dane’s championship pedigree at this weight class stretches back over 7 years and he is poised to go for another title in 2012. Coming up a short in two big ones against Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward keeps him from being a great, but he did well against Joe and was really the first one to incur the Ward wrath. At the end of the day, his 2 losses could be against the 2 best to ever do it at this weight. And being the first to defeat Carl Froch is pretty big, even if it was an awfully close fight in his homeland. His resume has since been surpassed by Froch, who ranks ahead of him despite the heads-up win, which really could have gone either way. Wins over Manny Siaca, Anthony Mundine, Eric Lucas, Markus Beyer, and Librado Andrade, among others, illustrate his championship worth.

10. Chong-Pal Park (1977-1988):

In a division this thin in legends, you have to make room for the division O.G. Park’s true merit as a fighter can be difficult to gauge. The South Korean fought largely in Asia--not a region of the world you associate with good 168-pound boxers. He also reigned largely during a time when only the IBF recognized the existence of this weight class. Nobody terribly worthwhile at the time considered even fighting in this invisible division. And a pair of losses to former Hagler dancing partner Fulgencio Obelmejias doesn’t really help his cause, either. But winning 12 title bouts from 1984-1988 and being a feared puncher, and some groundbreaking points is enough to notch him a spot in the top-ten.

For many reasons, ranking light heavyweights is a tricky endeavor. Many of the greatest to ever do it at this weight were never officially champion. The issue of racism rears its head in this weight class, with many of the division’s top practitioners from the first half of the century being denied their rightful place.

Many old-time greats fought in many divisions and it can be difficult to isolate their prime into one division. Without many of them having won titles at 175, it’s not always clear. Almost half of this top-ten is occupied by fighters who were never officially champions at this weight. In other words, coming up with a list takes a little more work in this division than some others.

Here are the ten greatest light heavyweights who ever lived.

1. Archie Moore (1935-1963):

Credit: Bettmann/ CORBIS

Sure, it’s become en vogue to call Ezzard Charles the greatest light heavyweight of all time. While I won’t argue with that, I will offer that there isn’t a more accomplished light heavyweight than the great “Old Mongoose.” As a late bloomer, Moore’s prime is difficult to evaluate, but the feeling here is that his 3 losses to Ezzard Charles occurred before Moore had really hit his prime. The Moore that Charles beat was the same guy who would go on to lose to guys like Leonard Morrow, Henry Hall, Lloyd Gibson, and Clinton Bacon. Moore was good, but not the fighter he would later become.

At the end of the day, a nearly-decade long reign and a dozen or so wins over top-25 all-time light heavyweights is impossible to ignore. Long denied a title shot, Moore finally won the belt over Hall of Famer Joey Maxim at 36 and still managed to reign for almost a decade. The career K.O. king was also one of the quickest thinkers in the ring. Moore holds wins over Hall of Famers Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins, Holman Williams, Harold Johnson, Joey Maxim, Bobo Olson and a slew of tough contenders at 175.

2. Ezzard Charles (1940-1959):

If there is one fighter you could magically transform into, there aren’t many better choices than a light heavyweight Ezzard Charles. The “Cincinnati Cobra” never got a title shot at 175, but still has a good case for being the greatest light heavyweight of all time. Costing him the top spot is that he only spent 6 years in the weight class, while Moore’s accomplishments span nearly 20 years in this division. Nevertheless, going 3-for-3 against Moore speaks loudly, though Archie was not yet in his prime.

Charles also scored a trio of wins over Joey Maxim and beat Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins, and Gus Lesnevich, among others. From 1944-1948, he fought the most brutal lineup in division history, with only a robbery loss to Elmer Ray spoiling a perfect record over nearly 30 fights. It was during that span where Charles showed the total package of the likes that have seldom been seen in the history of the prize ring.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

3. Sam Langford (1902-1926):

Langford is a difficult fighter to rank for several reasons. Any footage on him is pretty sketchy. He fought in so many divisions against men of such divergent sizes that it is difficult to pinpoint his exact place. He never won a title during a time when black fighters were mostly frozen out of world title consideration. He also competed during a time of rampant “newspaper” decisions, some of which were not fought at full speed. Still, it’s difficult to pour over boxing history and not emerge with the belief that Langford was one of the very best to ever lace ‘em up and you have to put him somewhere. Turned pro in 1902 and by 1903, he was beating the likes of legendary Joe Gans, who had fought almost 150 bouts. Fought a draw with another legend in Joe Walcott and beat legendary fighters like Jack Blackburn, Dixie Kid, Jim Flynn, Stanley Ketchell, Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Sam McVea, Harry Wills, Kid Norfolk, and countless others in a career that is impossible to quantify here.

4. Gene Tunney (1915-1928):

While it’s wrong to go outside of the division for analysis, you would tend to figure that a man who twice dominated heavyweight legend Jack Dempsey was a helluva light heavyweight--and you’d be right. He only lost once in an 86-bout career in as forgivable a setback as there is: a decision loss to super-legend Harry Greb. He would avenge that loss 4 times. Beat countless contenders, including wins over Hall of Fame light heavyweights Tommy Loughran and Georges Carpentier. A thoughtful pugilist, Tunney was one of the best pure boxers of all time.

5. Bob Foster (1961-1978):

You could make a case for Foster being ranked lower. But tipping the scale in Foster’s favor is the fact that he didn’t merely beat his challengers, he wiped them off the face of the earth. The spidery and immense-hitting Foster got off to a somewhat-slow start, fighting against heavyweights, something he was never good at. But once he settled into his groove, he was as formidable a force ever seen at this weight. Knocked out Hall of Famer Dick Tiger in 4 brutal rounds to win the world title in 1968. He would retire as champion in 1974, after winning 14 title bouts. While the era he dominated is not considered one of the best, it is his long string of dominance that effectively prevented anyone from being able to thrive during that period. Foster was one of the purest punchers to ever fight.

6. Michael Spinks (1977-1988):

The hard punching, awkward, and deceivingly-tough Spinks only lost his final bout, in a distinguished career that saw him achieve more than most guys on this list, including becoming the first reigning light heavyweight champion to successfully annex heavyweight honors. It was his work at light heavyweight, however, that puts him in rarified air. Spinks cleaned up on the tail end of a glorious light heavyweight era, scoring wins over Murray Sutherland, Yaqui Lopez, and Marvin Johnson, before winning his first belt over talented Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Made defenses over talented contenders like Vonzell Johnson, Mustafa Wassaja, Jerry Celestine, Johnny Davis, Oscar Rivadaneyra, Eddie Davis, and others. Scored a key unification win over Dwight Muhammad Qawi just a short time after his wife died, as he entered the ring in tears. His right-hand, known as the Spinks Jinx, was one of the most powerful weapons ever wielded at 175.

7. Billy Conn (1934-1948):

Again, it’s wrong to venture outside the division for evidence, but it’s hard to not let the fact that a 169-pound Conn almost beat a peak Joe Louis resonate in one’s analysis. The cunning, tough, cat-quick, and hard-edged “Pittsburgh Kid” came up the hard way, earning his chops against the best in the business, before settling into a long period of brilliance, beating light heavyweight Hall of Famers Fred Apostoli and Gus Lesnevich. Also beat top contenders, former champions, and Hall of Famers like Fritzie Zivic, Vince Dundee, Teddy Yarosz, Young Corbett III, Solly Krieger, and countless more players at 175.

8. Tommy Loughran (1919-1937):

“The Phantom of Philly” turned pro and was soon swapping punches with one of the more glorious eras at and around 175. In 1922, the skillful and savvy boxing whiz began serving notice with a news win over Mike McTigue and a draw against Gene Tunney. In 1923, he scored a news win over Jeff Smith, fought a draw with Jimmy Delaney, and scored a win over the immortal Harry Greb. Still, he lost to some of these men and hadn’t found his footing yet. By 1926, no one could touch him. He easily beat former champ Georges Carpentier, Jimmy Delaney, and Young Stribling, before finally taking the belt over old rival McTigue. Defended against all comers, including holding back the challenges of Jimmy Slattery and the great Mickey Walker. Final defense came against future heavyweight king Jim Braddock.

9. Jimmy Bivins (1940-1955):

Bivins was a key part of that 1940’s light heavyweight explosion, where the best black fighters didn’t get their proper designation. Bivins defeated Hall of Famer Charley Burley in his first year as a pro. In his 2nd year, defeated Hall of Famer Teddy Yarosz. Beat reigning champion Gus Lesnevich in 1942, but the title was not on the line and finished the year with a win over future champion Joey Maxim and 3 wins over heavyweight contenders. In 1943, scored a decision over Ezzard Charles and rose from the canvas to stop Lloyd Marshall. In 1945, Bivins was in the midst of a long winning streak when he stopped Archie Moore in 6 rounds. At this point, Bivins was no longer making 175 pounds and went on to struggle--winning some and losing some for the next decade or so. But at his best, Bivins stood out, with 7 wins over light heavyweights who are in the Hall of Fame.

10. Roy Jones, Jr. (1989-present):

The ultimate test of the naked-eye observation vs. resume conundrum. Would Jones have beaten some guys ranked above him? Probably. But he suffers in the area of opposition. On one hand, he reigned as a light heavyweight titleholder from 1996-2004, much of that time considered the best fighter in the world. And he did beat some good fighters during that stretch, including a title-winning effort against Mike McCallum, a sizzling rematch knockout of Montell Griffin, a bodyshot K.O. over Virgil Hill, and wins over good fighters like Lou Del Valle, Reggie Johnson, Eric Harding, Julio Cesar Gonzalez, and a close one over Antonio Tarver. A long line of fights against no-hopers and his inability to make a fight with Dariusz Michalczewski, long the obvious #2 guy, was not befitting for a man of his talent and ends up costing him higher placement in this illustrious group.

Jones was great, but watching him now sponge defeat after defeat against the type of opponents he should have been fighting in his prime only brings to light the unambitious route he took at 175 when he was at his best. Lesson to young fighters: When you wrap yourself up in the security blanket of sanctioning body politics, it could come at the expense of your legacy. Still, let’s face it, if this top ten could magically transform into a fantasy tournament, Jones would be one of the betting favorites.

Even though many of the greats in heavyweight history would be cruiserweights in the modern era, this is a long-suffering weight class. Almost devoid of marketability, this division has served mostly as a pit stop for aspiring smallish heavyweights or a wasteland for those who couldn’t cut it at heavyweight or light heavyweight. With a cruiserweight explosion in Europe, however, it’s not so bad nowadays.

There have been fine fighters at this weight. But as a neglected and fairly new division, it has lacked the star power of any of the “upper” weight classes. In most divisional top-tens, almost everybody is in the Hall of Fame. That is clearly not the case in this division. Here are the ten best to ever do it at cruiserweight.

1. Evander Holyfield (1984-present):

Credit: Gary Rothstein/Icon SMI

Not many divisions exist where the #1 choice is this clear, but there really is no argument about the identity of the greatest cruiserweight of all time. After turning pro at light heavyweight, the maturing Holyfield soon joined the ranks of the cruiserweight division, where he began a reign of dominance that has not been seen since. Beat Dwight Muhammad Qawi in a draining 15-rounder for his first belt, before unifying the belts against Rickey Parkey and Carlos DeLeon. Also knocked out former champ Ossie Ocasio, gold medallist Henry Tillman, and Qawi in a rematch. Evander was unparalleled at this weight.

2. Carlos DeLeon (1974-1995):

Fighting as a lightweight as recently as 1976, the mercurial DeLeon was cruiserweight champion by 1980. His world championship resume spanned a decade, with the Puerto Rican slickster winning the cruiserweight title 5 times. Beat all the top cruiserweights from the first half of the 80’s, including Marvin Camel and ST Gordon. Took some puzzling losses, dropping his belt to Gordon and Alonzo Ratliff, but always bounced back with key wins. Lost resoundingly to Holyfield in a 1988 unification match, but regained the WBC throne upon Holyfield moving up to heavyweight.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

3. David Haye (2002-2011):

Does it say more about Haye’s excellence or the division’s lack of meaningful history that he can claim the #3 spot? Maybe a little bit of both, but Haye did something that had not been done since the days of Holyfield and that’s clean out the division and establish clear-cut superiority over his peers. By the time Haye moved up to heavyweight, he had established a clear margin of dominance over the rest of the weight class. Got off the canvas to knock out unified champion Jean-Marc Mormeck, before starching WBO titlist Enzo Maccarinelli in 2 heats to consolidate his world title claims. The depth of his resume might not be very impressive, but becoming “the man” in a division with slim pickings counts for a lot.

4. Johnny Nelson (1986-2005):

Nelson might not have been that great of a fighter. He was awkward and inconsistent for much of his career, losing to a slew of cruisers and heavyweights before finding solid footing. At the same time, he went almost the final decade of his career unbeaten, including a nearly 7-year run as WBO champion, which included 14 defenses. Knocked out Carl Thompson for the title, before defending against the likes of Marcelo Dominguez and Guillermo Jones, among others.

5. Jean-Marc Mormeck (1995-present):

The overlooked Mormeck was the top guy in the division for a spell, unifying the title for the first time since the days of Evander. Became the only other man besides Roy Jones to stop Virgil Hill for his first title, who had just knocked out another good champion in Fabrice Tiozzo in the first round. Mormeck stopped two good contenders in Dale Brown and Alexander Gurov, before repeating the win over an aging Hill. Beat undefeated Wayne Braithwaite to snag another belt, before a puzzling stoppage loss to inconsistent O’Neil Bell. He came back to beat Bell and regain his belts, before falling to Haye in a fight where he also had his man on the floor. Mormeck was one of the more ambitious cruiserweights of all-time in terms of matchmaking and by partly consolidating the titles, stands out from the rest of the pack.

6. Steve Cunningham (2000-present):

The 6’3” Cunningham is one of the more impressive-looking cruiserweights of all-time, and even though he sometimes never fought to his full potential, his resume is impossible to dismiss. His wins over Guillermo Jones, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, and Marco Huck--all still reigning world champions, represents perhaps the most top-heavy list of wins of any cruiserweight. Cunningham has also beaten notable cruiserweights such as Kelvin Davis, Wayne Braithwaite, and Troy Ross.

7. Anaclet Wamba (1982-1994):

The largely-forgotten Congo-born Frenchman was a classy 6’3” boxer of considerable skill and durability, even if he didn’t light the world on fire when he fought. With an iffy decision loss early in his career and an egregious DQ loss, both on his opponent’s home-floor, one can say that the 46-2-1 Wamba was never beaten in the ring. Bounced back from the scandalous loss to WBC champ Massimiliano Duran and stopped him in 11 to begin a nice title reign. Defended against Duran, Andrew Maynard, tough countryman Akim Tafer, and Adolpho Washington and unbeaten Marcelo Dominguez--both of whom would go on to claim world titles.

8. James Toney (1988-present):

Not an easy guy to rank. From a purely naked eye point of view, he was probably a better fighter than everyone ranked ahead of him, except Holyfield. But his cruiserweight legacy, not that he paid it much mind, suffers since he left the division immediately after winning a title. To his credit, however, he beat an excellent champion in Vassiliy Jirov in one of the best demonstrations of boxing ever seen in this division. And his 4-year run at cruiserweight was productive, as he beat some name guys without being seriously challenged. Though he didn’t always have the belts to prove it, Toney was probably the best guy in this weight class during his tenure.

9. Juan Carlos Gomez (1995-present):

Watching Gomez as a lethargic and underachieving heavyweight, it’s easy to forget his days where he was a sharp and powerful 6’4” cruiserweight champion. Only one man lasted the distance with Gomez during his 11-fight/4-year reign. His list of challengers are not altogether compelling and he never consolidated his world championship claims, but Gomez did re-introduce a level of excellence to the division that had not been seen since the days of Holyfield.

10. Dwight Muhammad Qawi (1978-1998):

It would have been easy to put Vassiliy Jirov or several others in this slot, as they might have a stronger overall resume at cruiserweight. It’s just that Qawi was slightly more badass than those guys and really the first guy to bring attention to the division as its first name champion. And while giving points for losses can be a faulty way to evaluate legacies, the fact that he was the only man to threaten to beat Holyfield until Evander fought Riddick Bowe years later counts for a lot. After Michael Spinks brought an end to his glorious title run at 175, Qawi moved up, beating contender Michael Greer, before stopping unbeaten WBA champ Piet Crous in his native South Africa. Knocked out a slipping Leon Spinks in a defense before his glorious stand against a young Holyfield. Remained a factor for several years, with wins over former champ Lee Roy Murphy and Tyrone Booze and an absolute robbery-loss to Ossie Ocasio.

While one of the easiest lists to compile, with so many many hallmark names at the top, it is one of the more sticky rankings in the sport. The number one and two spots are easy enough, with an even argument on Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. After that, it is an absolute free-for-all with some of the giants from the past.

This division, more than any other, requires one to ignore the head-to-head fantasy component. Let’s face it, what a heavyweight really is has changed drastically over the years. Up to 4 of the people on this top-ten might not even be a heavyweight in today’s era of 250-pound cyborgs. This division really forces one to be mindful of the fact that a fighter can only really be judged against his era.

There are so many different factors and who’s to say which ones should carry more weight? One can go off any number of things, like accomplishments, won-loss record, quality of opposition, or a ton of other factors. Not to mention the visceral feeling of simply who you thought the greater fighter was. At the end of the day, you can easily make a case for anyone on this list after number-two moving up or dropping at least several spots.

Here’s my two cents:

1. Muhammad Ali (1960-1981):

Credit: Ken Regan; Ali.com

A lot of the Ali lore is caught up in sentimentality and his ability to buck the odds time and again. But it’s impossible to deny the quality of his massive triumphs. He beat two guys on this list (Foreman and Frazier), and several others who lurk nearby. His longevity and ability to rule the division’s toughest era when he was already past his prime speaks volumes. The 70’s version of Ali relied on his incredible spirit, intelligence, and durability. The 60’s version just might have been the greatest physical marvel to ever grace the division. No other heavyweight was able to create more magic. Check out this collection of Muhammad Ali Facts.

2. Joe Louis (1934-1951):

As omnipotent a heavyweight who ever existed, with a 12.5 year-reign as Heavyweight Champion. A short and deadly puncher who left bodies quivering in his wake. Louis could carve a man up with his bludgeoning jab, before rifling that short right hand that could not be denied. A revolutionary heavyweight, in light of some of the lumbering kingpins that preceded him. Louis fought more like a middleweight, with textbook technique and punches thrown in crisp combinations. His beatdown of Max Schmeling was one of the historic wins in history, avenging the only defeat he would suffer until well past his best many years later.

3. Jack Johnson (1897-1932):

Completely ruled over his peers with advanced skills. Johnson was athletically-gifted, using movement and defense, in addition to his considerable brawn. He toyed with Hall of Famers, using all the same punches used today. Jack would control opponents with ring generalship, exhibiting a level of defense that had not been seen by big men before. As many fighters in his era did, Johnson came up tough, losing some en route to developing his world-class skills. Once he got on a roll, he was hard to stop. Beat some of the legendary and neglected black heavyweights of his day, including wins over Hall of Famers Sam McVea, Joe Jeanette, and Sam Langford. Unlike his contemporaries, he got a shot at the title and made good--stopping Tommy Burns for the Heavyweight Title. After winning the belt, “The Galveston Giant” beat Hall of Famers Stanley Ketchell and a comebacking Jim Jeffries. Constrained in part by the times he lived, where heavyweight champions would be on the shelf for long periods, he lacks the championship pedigree of others on his list. But even the most scrutiny-filled analysis of Johnson gives way to the conclusion that he was the greatest heavyweight until Joe Louis came around and one of the more dominant forces in the history of the division.

Check out our entire collection of the all-time best fighters by weight class, as well as the breakdown of how these lists were made and what factors were included.

4. Larry Holmes (1973-(2002):

Some say he ruled a weak era. But he might have had something to do with that, reigning for so long, that other heavyweights were shut out of the top spot. Still, his list of victims contains an underrated and hungry list of dangerous heavyweights. With a bad arm, he won the WBC belt from top-20 all-time heavyweight Ken Norton, not losing for another 7 years en route to a 48-0 record. His title-loss and subsequent rematch defeat to Michael Spinks was the least convincing dethroning of anyone on this list. It’s important to note that out of Larry’s 21 title-fight victories, 7 were against fighters who held or would win heavyweight championships. One of the best heavyweights at an advanced age, beating top contender Ray Mercer and giving champions Evander Holyfield and Oliver McCall good fights well past age 40. Legendary toughness and chin, with the best jab in heavyweight history, Larry is in rarefied air.

5. Evander Holyfield (1984-present):

Perhaps no fighter better maximized his capabilities than Holyfield--an undersized heavyweight who ruled in a time of giants. Historically, Holyfield was closest to Ali in having the ability to bounce back and score improbable wins against heavily-favored competition. Knocked out Buster Douglas with one punch, before scoring wins over a veritable who’s-who of modern heavyweight history. With wins over Holmes and Foreman, albeit at an advanced age, he has two victories over top-6 all-time heavyweights. He almost got Lewis in the rematch and his two wins over Tyson, just outside the top ten, also speak volumes. Throw in wins against Michael Dokes, an upset rematch win over Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer, Michael Moorer (in another rematch), John Ruiz, and Hasim Rahman and you have one of the most complete resumes in history.

6. George Foreman (1969-1997):

No one can match his longevity--the man was a world-class heavyweight in eras that span the Nixon and Clinton administrations for goodness sake. Throw in his demolitions of Frazier and Norton and you have a brief reign at the top, but one that was perhaps unprecedented in its brutality. Making absolute mince meat out of two leading members of the 70’s heavyweight explosion counts for a lot. And though Ali eventually got him, he bounced back nicely, culminating with a legendary off-the-floor win over Ron Lyle in what might have been the greatest of all heavyweight brawls. Emerged from a decade-long retirement and began one of the most successful comebacks in sports history, culminating in him winning the linear belt back against Michael Moorer in 1994, 26 years after he won Olympic gold.

7. Rocky Marciano (1947-1955):

Personally, I find the modern tendency on the part of some to minimize Marciano’s talents to the be one of the biggest misrepresentations of boxing history. Sure, some of his bigger-name opponents were old, but does that mean they weren’t good? And those who point to his lack of speed and coordination or how he was a bleeder with no size should wonder how he managed to clean out the heavyweight division and retire with a record of 49-0 (43). Maybe when you look at films of him now, some things that make him great don’t immediately leap out and grab you. Nevertheless, Marciano was probably the toughest of all heavyweight champs and the hardest puncher under 190 pounds to ever grace the ring. His stamina also ranks among the best of all-time, as does his durability and pain threshold. Jersey Joe Walcott was aging, but still a heck of a fighter and reigning champion when Rocky beat him, and again in the rematch in one brutal round. Go watch his fights with legendary Ezzard Charles and tell me that guy couldn’t still fight. And old Archie Moore would still be winning title fights years after Marciano rose from a knockdown to stop him in 9. Say what you will, but retiring undefeated as champion with no compelling contenders remaining is a status very few can claim.

8. Jack Dempsey (1914-1927):

A revolutionary fighter and figure, Dempsey was a forerunner of a style we still look for in our heavyweight champions. Before he came around, you picture heavyweight boxing as a more gentlemanly endeavor. “The Manassa Mauler” introduced the hyper-aggressive, beatdown-style of fighting that fans still gravitate to in droves. He also drew the parameters of fame and superstardom for boxers. In a sense, one could say his celebrity surpassed his actual value as an all-time great heavyweight, but not by much. Before he even won the title in one of the more graphic beatings in boxing history against Jess Willard, Dempsey had in large part cleaned out the division, dominating a tough roster of contenders. His reign consisted of many long layoffs, which would be intolerable in the modern era. And though he was hardly unique for this practice, he never fought the compelling black contenders of the time. But from 1919-1926, he was the king of the sport and dominated a good list of contenders, even knocking out future champion Jack Sharkey in between his losses to Tunney.

9. Lennox Lewis (1989-2003)

Two punches away from the top-3. At the end of the day, being stopped on fluky one-punch knockouts to the inglorious duo of Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman is what keeps him out of the top reaches of this list. Other heavyweights have absorbed similar losses, but they never lost their belt to fighters of that ilk. Other than that, his resume is impossible to dismiss. I’m not sure I wouldn’t pick Lewis in a mythical tournament among those on this list. His right hand was one of the more destructive weapons in heavyweight history. Many felt Razor Ruddock would rule the post-Tyson era, until Lewis brutalized him in 2 rounds. With wins over Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko, he beat a wide range of heavyweight champions. It’s his list over good guys just underneath the category of “great” that sets him apart. By beating Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer, Oliver McCall, Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs, Michael Grant, David Tua, and Hasim Rahman, he cleaned out his era as comprehensively as anyone on this list.

10. Joe Frazier (1965-1981):

The recently-deceased Frazier certainly isn’t relying on any sentimentality points to crack this list in the 10-spot. He was one of two men to be in “The Fight of the Century” when he fought #1 Muhammad Ali. Coming out the winner in a fight of that stature counts for a whole lot and represents perhaps the single greatest victory in the history of the sport. And while he came up short against Foreman in a big way, he still had enough to give Ali absolute hell in the Thrilla in Manila. Fought during a very tough era and with wins over Oscar Bonavena (twice), George Chuvalo, Jerry Quarry (twice), Jimmy Ellis (twice), and Bob Foster, he has a body of work that allows his to withstand the later losses to Foreman and Ali with his legacy intact. His left hook was greatest of all heavyweight champions. His win over an unbeaten Ali forever stamped him as a heavyweight great. The Joe Frazier who showed up that night would have been a handful for any heavyweight.

I am a past boxing official, and was a diehard fan, who once preached all that was good about the sport to anyone who would listen. But now I feel compelled to bring to the forefront all that is wrong with boxing, and I do it in the hope that it may spur on change. Yes, I'm a dreamer.

Boxing has always had its problems, but the real absurd thing is that in all other walks of life, problems are usually addressed and attempts are made to overcome them -- but not in boxing. In boxing, they make more, which is the case with ‘interim’ and ‘regular’ champions. One could easily think that the WBC, WBA, IBF and to an extent the WBO are actively campaigning to drive fans away, to destroy boxing, because it’s about the only thing they have been doing successfully.

Have you heard of Chris John? How bout Sergio Martinez? Well of course you have if you’ve logged onto ProBoxing-fans.com, it means you’re a boxing fan. Thanks for hangin in there. Here at the site, we’ll tell it how we see it, we don’t mind throwing a few punches. Hopefully I can throw a few in this perspective of the following breakdowns.

Chris John and the WBA

Credit: Chris Cozzone

Chris John, WBA Featherweight Champion, 46-0-2-22 KO with 14 defenses, no not 15, I don’t count his time as an ‘interim’ champion, which ironically he once was. He defeated Juan Manuel Marquez in 2006 by unanimous decision in his fourth defense, an impressive feat as we all know Marquez’ prowess.

His quest from then on should be well known, especially since boxing is starved of worthy champions. Instead, Yuriorkis Gamboa seems to get all the limelight as ‘interim’ champion, and then the regular champion, and now the "super" champion, which John is also classified as.

Instead of seeing a battle between these two individuals ranked as "super champions" within the same division, by the same organization, they each coexist as separate entities. John vs Gamboa should have happened for the fans, and John should have received the better than usual payday it would have generated, which is what he deserved for being a proven World Champion, THE World Champion in the division.

It's not unusual for the WBA to glorify up to three champions in a division, which they've done at Featherweight, as well as Super Welterweight – Miguel Cotto, Austin Trout and Anthony Mundine. I recently read this statement on the subject from WBA chief Gilberto Mendoza - “Without any doubt the most criticized topic of the organization. While our goal is to increase boxing popularity and give more opportunities.”

Wonder if his chest was puffed out with pride when he said that? What he really meant by opportunities was for the WBA to make more money from sanctioning fees. I’m preaching to the converted right? You all know this.

If the WBA sincerely wanted to give boxers opportunities and increase popularity (yeah, I’m a dreamer) they would obviously go back to declaring, get this, just one champion per division. Then, ensure that the Champion is matched with the top name guys exclusively. This gives the champ nice paydays against legitimate contenders, and the challenger his opportunity to become Champion. And FANS get opportunities to see credible bouts! Do this consistently and the fans may part with a little bit more of their hard earned money, and if that happens boxers will receive a bit more too.

Sergio Martinez and the WBC

Sergio Martinez, undeniably THE Middleweight Champion, is perhaps the most left-for-dead World Champion I can recollect! Check out this quote from Jose Sulaiman:

"I have always been in the corner of all the boxers of the world. They are my greatest heroes and, good or bad, I will always be in their corner.” There are so many, but here’s one more – “The WBC has been looking for many years to eradicate the abuse of boxers and manage our sport with rule, order and impartiality."

Yeah? Mr. Sulaiman is talking the talking but failining miserably when it comes to walking the walk.

Recently I was glad to see Sergio had had enough and wanted to set the record straight on the situation with the WBC - Martinez stated that he never agreed to step aside and allow Chavez-Rubio to take place before he faces Chavez and he wanted them to honor their decision for a bout between him and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., whom he called a coward. He has been treated like an inconvenient customer, not THE World Champion. He merely represents sanctioning fees, nothing more. Give us your money and leave us in peace!

Sure, Martinez vs. Macklin is a worthy match up, but without knowing what the Champion’s purse is, I’d bet it’s nowhere near what he’d be seeing for a duel with Chavez. The irony is Chavez is probably making less against Rubio also. And guess what? The fan misses out again too.

It would be unfair of me not to mention Timothy Bradley here either, he has had his WBC title ridiculously taken from him too, on two occasions! And who has that title now? Erik Morales. Think he’d beat Bradley? Wow, I heard that “NO” all the way over here in Australia! Don’t you think Bradley represented the quality of your title WBC?

And geez, excuse me but it doesn’t look very “impartial” that Mexican boxers have walked into these stripped WBC championships.

Finally, here's some advice for the WBC and WBA and all boxing sanctioning bodies and organizations – the sport of boxing is bigger and better than both of you, your organizations could shrivel up and die, boxing will survive without you. But take away the fans and it’s gone, and that's what you're doing more than anything else.

The ranking rules I established in August 2011 are as follows:

1) Ideally, only a weight class's leading champion, based on a broad consensus in the boxing community, is suitable for inclusion as a championship standard bearer. If a division has no such clear ruler-by-consensus, then the clear contenders for the throne count instead. I will mark such fighters with an asterisk.

2) A fighter must have defended said title at least once to count as a standard bearer for a sanctioning body, since the point of this exercise is to determine who attracts and retains the best. There are many instances of a boxer winning a belt in a unification bout only to be stripped or to vacate one or more titles shortly thereafter, and I don't think having a real champion win a belt only to lose it or dump it shortly thereafter adds much to a sanctioning body's credit.

3) Only the core world championship of a sanctioning body counts in this exercise. Interim titles, diamond titles, championships in recess, and all the other ridiculous dilutions of boxing's world championships do not count.

4) Unified champions count for all organizations in question, assuming all the other guidelines above have been met.

The Results

Credit: Public Address / Stefan Hoyer

IBF, Total of Top Champions - 3: Wladimir Klitschko; Abner Mares; Nikosinathi Joyi

WBA, Total of Top Champions - 5: W. Klitschko; Andre Ward; Miguel Cotto*; Chris John; Takashi Uchiyama

WBC, Total of Top Champions - 6: Bernard Hopkins; Andre Ward; Floyd Mayweather*; Toshiaki Nishioka; Nonito Donaire; Pongsaklek Wonnongkam

WBO, Total of Top Champions - 4: W. Klitschko; Marco Huck; Manny Pacquiao*; Timothy Bradley

The WBC surged from dead last to 1st place. The IBF and WBA held a stable overall count of top champions, but in the IBF's count that resulted in sinking from 3rd place to last place. The WBO's count dropped from seven top champs to a mere four, placing them in 3rd.

Compiling the list this time around reminded me of everything that has changed in boxing's world title picture since August, such as the successive defeats of Britain's best in the forms of Carl Froch, Amir Khan and David Haye. It also filled me with disgust at the continuing folly of the WBA in making a habit of having as many as three men all claiming to be "WBA Champion" at the same time.

Yet despite its demeaning antics, thus far the WBA is the most stable and durable of the sanctioning bodies, having held onto a 2nd place position in both ranking rounds. As volatile as the other organizations are, the WBA is (so far anyway) attracting and retaining worthy champions. Of course, that may be easy when you potentially declare the top 3-5 guys in a division as having some claim to a "champion" status within your organization.

In back to back announcements, the WBC declared that Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. had to defend his (fake) middleweight title against (rightful champion) Sergio Martinez sometime in 2012 and that Chavez, Jr. had not formally notified the WBC of his bout with Marco Antonio Rubio, scheduled for February 4. The latter announcement implied that the WBC might not sanction the fight with Rubio, despite Rubio being the WBC's #1 contender, a sure sign of disapproval on the part of the WBC.

Credit: DBE

The WBC could have ordered Chavez to fight Martinez instead of Rubio, scheduling and Rubio's #1 contender's status be damned. The organization did far worse in stripping the belt off Martinez in the first place, and that action is the least of the organization's sins.

Instead, the WBC has directed the winner of Chavez, Jr. vs. Rubio to meet the winner of Martinez's St. Patrick's Day clash with Matthew Macklin. This new announcement is not quite the same thing as the WBC's original declaration that Chavez must fight Martinez next year, nor does it confirm Sergio Martinez's supposed right as "Diamond Champion" to make a mandatory challenge to Chavez, Jr. whenever he wants to.

However, this move by the WBC is the best practical solution give the current schedules of Chavez, Jr. and Martinez.

JCC, Jr's fight with Rubio is less than a month away, and Marvilla has a fight scheduled to follow six weeks later. Chavez and Martinez are both the favorites in their respective match-ups (Martinez heavily so), so the odds are both men get to collect one more payday in an HBO televised fight before meeting later this year.

Depending on who you ask, and when, you can get wildly divergent answers to the question of whether or not Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will ever fight, and whether or not it will happen in the coming year.

Some might say that Mayweather is scared, another might say Pacquiao's team is protecting him and won't let them meet. It's about the money, or it's not. It's about the drug testing, or it never was. The talk can go on for days, but ultimately, these are the key 5 points to consider for whether or not Pacquiao-Mayweather comes off in 2012.

Credit: Will Hart - HBO

1. Jail: Mayweather has to turn himself in on January 6th to serve a 90-day jail sentence. If he has to actually serve that full sentence, or anything close to it, then Mayweather's May 5th target for this dream fight is all but impossible. Assuming he serves the full 90 days, and gets out of jail in the first week of April, the earliest something of this magnitude could legitimately be put together would be July.
2. Second Half of 2012: That still leaves half the year for something to be put together between Mayweather and Pacquiao. Of course, Pacquiao's team isn't likely to sit idly by. He'll be fighting sometime in April or May most likely, which then pushes the Mayweather fight back until late summer or early fall. So realistically, we could be looking at a September date for a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight, and that's if Pacquiao and Mayweather both remain unscathed until then.



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3. Marquez: Juan Manuel Marquez might have something to say about that. With Mayweather off the table for the first half of the year, Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV becomes a highly likely scenario, although Bob Arum might steer Pacquiao towards a rematch with Miguel Cotto, or a fight against Timothy Bradley. Marquez could certainly derail the dream fight by finally earning a decision over his rival, or he could delay it by pushing Pacquiao to the brink for another 12 hard rounds.
4. Khan, Bradley, Cotto, Berto-Ortiz II, Martinez & More: These names represent the remaining cast of characters in this charade. They are potential other opponents for either Mayweather or Pacquiao. With Amir Khan losing to Lamont Peterson, his big fight wishes have to be iced. It's unlikely Sergio Martinez finally lures either man into the ring. If Victor Ortiz defeats Andre Berto for a second time, neither man is an appealing choice. Bradley is a worthwhile candidate, but doesn't make for a big event, while Miguel Cotto is much more appealing as an opponent for Mayweather than for Pacquiao. In other words... there are not very many other strong options out there. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao need one another, and need one another soon.
5. Tick-Tock: The clock is officially ticking here folks. Of course, it's been ticking for the last two years. It's ticking until Mayweather or Pacquiao retires from the sport for good. It's ticking until one or both of them are removed from their primes, and the value of the fight diminishes. It's ticking until one of them loses a fight before they get to square off. Tick-tock...

Considering all of the above, I believe there's about a 66% chance - two/thirds - of seeing Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fight in 2012. Of course, you should take that with a grain of salt, as I never in my dreams would have believed the fight would have been scuttled for so long already.