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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$23.95

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.

I'm not sure if any of you boxing fans realized this, but over the past few days, there has been a flurry of news, rumors and reports, ranging from factual to iffy to off the wall, concerning Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and the potential dream Pacquiao vs. Mayweather clash. Today alone there are several new buzz-worthy items to consider, and so we present them all right here in one spot, in today's Pacquiao vs. Mayweather daily overdose extravaganza!

Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank

First, here's a recap of some of the major recent stories:

• Mayweather postpones jail sentence...
• Arum says Pacquiao is fighting in June...
• Mayweather opponents likely Canelo or Guerrero...
• Mayweather calls out Pacquiao on Twitter...

Which brings us to today's flurry of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao rumors and news...

Guerrero won't be Mayweather's Opponent

According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Richard Schaefer has commented that Robert Guerrero will not be Floyd Mayweather's next opponent. Guerrero had been seen as one of the two most likely candidates to get the nod for May 5th, along with junior middleweight titlist Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

As much as I like "The Ghost", he wasn't the best man for the job. He has no track record above lightweight, and isn't the name that Canelo is either, at this point in time. If Guerrero gets a few nice wins at 140-147 lbs, and Mayweather sticks around for a bit, he may potentially get his shot at the mega-fight down the road. Right now though, it doesn't make sense.

That leaves Canelo as the frontrunner to get the May 5th showdown with Mayweather, assuming the Pacquiao fight doesn't get put together. Which brings us to...

Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz calling May 5th fight with Mayweather foolish

The Associated Press reports that Pacquiao financial adviser Michael Koncz believes a May 5th fight against Mayweather at the MGM Grand is "foolish" from an economic standpoint. He believes the fight could be placed in an as-of-yet unfinished 45,000 seat outdoor stadium in Las Vegas, and that venue could bring in an additional $30 million of revenue for a fight like Pacquiao vs. Mayweather.

Bob Arum chimed in that the fight could possibly happen by the end of May, enough time to finish constructing that stadium, and that right now, financial reasons are the only thing standing in the way of the fight getting signed, sealed and delivered.

Of course, you can choose for yourself whether or not you want to believe Mr. Today I'm Telling the Truth, Yesterday I Was Lying.

Sergio Martinez Calls Chavez Jr. and Pacquiao Cowards

Meanwhile, middleweight champion and #3 pound for pound fighter in the world, Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez is sick and tired of being on the outside looking in. He has called both Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and Manny Pacquiao, cowards, as well as puppets of promoter Bob Arum.

He is quoted as saying:

"This is an act of cowardice by Manny and Chavez. They say only what the promoter says. I’m my own man. I would never ask the permission of my promoter. If you want the fight, take the fight, don’t say ‘My promoter,’ that’s coward talk, both of them. Chavez and Pacquiao are puppets of Bob Arum."

He, like many fight fans, are tired of fighters hiding behind their promoters. The boxing promoters are supposed to work for the fighters, remember?

So, if at any point in time, somebody like Pacquiao or JCC Jr. told Bob Arum - you need to put me in there with Mayweather, or Martinez, or whomever else, no excuses - it would presumably get done. That hasn't happened. And so, Martinez is fighting Macklin in March, and hoping for the fight against Chavez to come next.

And fight fans are left with the daily Pacquiao vs. Mayweather rumor and news daily overdose. Tune back in tomorrow...

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.

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.

It's that time of the year again. No, not time for the holidays, time for the year end boxing awards! The team at ProBoxing-Fans.com has been putting together our candidates and picks for all of the major 2011 boxing awards, including 2011 Fighter of the Year, Fight of the Year, Round of the Year and more.

We have dozens of different awards to hand out for the year that was in boxing, from the top prospect to the biggest upset, from the biggest robbery to the best champion, from the top trainer to the breakout performance and on down the line from there. Check 'em out.

Credit: Tom Casino / Showtime

Update: 12/24/11 - Alright, we've finished compiling and posting all of our awards with well over a dozen altogether. Take a look below for the complete listings:

Year End 2011 Boxing Awards

• 2011 Fighter of the Year
• 2011 Fight of the Year
• 2011 Round of the Year
• 2011 Knockout of the Year
• 2011 Boxing Upset of the Year
• 2011 Boxing Robbery of the Year
• 2011 Boxing Prospect of the Year
• 2011 Breakout Performance
• 2011 Boxing Champion of the Year
• 2011 Boxing Trainer of the Year
• 2011 Boxing Comeback of the Year
• 2011 Boxing Disappointment of the Year
• 2011 Least Respected Boxer
• 2011 Most Avoided Boxer

It has certainly been a busy year in the sport. It was a year filled with controversy and disappointment, but also great fights on the biggest stages, and lots of action from some of the top names in the world from the little guys up through the heavyweights.

We saw the conclusion of the Super Six Tournament, the rubber match in the trilogy between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, the return of Floyd Mayweather, Bernard Hopkins becoming the oldest champion in the history of the sport, Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye, the rising brilliance of guys like Sergio Martinez and Nonito Donaire, extremely tough and competitive divisions like junior welterweight and junior middleweight, the bantamweight tournament, big upsets, emerging prospects and oh so much more.

We've done our best to represent all of this and take all of this year's action into account while formulating our awards. From top to bottom, whether for the good or the bad reasons, this was a year to remember in boxing.

So take a look around at the ProBoxing-Fans.com 2011 year end boxing awards, and feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and comments on which fighters or fights should have gotten the nod!

After more than two years of fights, three preliminary stages and plenty of drama, hype and controversy, the Super Six World Boxing Classic has finally concluded. Andre Ward defeated Carl Froch in the Super Six Finals match, taking home the tournament championship, two of the super middleweight title belts and a whole bag full of scalps from the division's best fighters. Right here on this page, you can find a full recap and home base for everything that was in the Super Six tournament, including fight results, previews, standings, pictures and more.

Super Six Final Results

CHAMPION:

Andre Ward - Tournament Record: 5 - 0

RUNNER UP:

Carl Froch - Tournament Record: 3- 2

Super Six Championship Match

Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch Ringside Round by Round Results

Official Ward vs. Froch recap & fight pictures

(Entire Super Middleweight Division Rankings)

Super Six Bracket

Fighters No Longer in the Tournament

• Jermain Taylor - 0 points - 1 loss via knockout
• Mikkel Kessler - 2 points - Record: - 1 - 1; 1 win via decision; 1 loss via technical decision; withdrew with eye injury
• Andre Dirrell - 2 points - Record: 1 - 1; 1 win via DQ, 1 loss via decision; withdrew with head injury
• Allan Green - 0 points - Record: 0 -2 ; 1 loss via decision; 1 loss via knockout; Replaced Jermain Taylor
• Arthur Abraham - 3 points - Record: 1 (1) - 3 - Eliminated in Semifinals by Andre Ward
• Glen Johnson - 3 points - 1 (1) - 1 - Eliminated in Semifinals by Carl Froch

Super Six Rules:

• Fighters are awarded 2 points for a win, plus an additional point for a KO or TKO.
• If there is a draw, 1 point is awarded to both fighters.
• Fighters get 0 points for a loss.
• The first three stages are the group stages. After which, the top four fighters advance into a single-elimination tournament.
• If a fighter drops out, a substitute fighter will be brought in.

Super Six Tiebreakers

Going into Stage 3 of the tournament, Andre Ward is the only fighter assured of advancing. For the others, some tiebreakers can come into play, starting first with head to head results, then the most knockouts and stoppage wins, then scorecard points. If more than two fighters are tied, then the first head-to-head ranking is skipped. Read this article for a more thorough breakdown of the Super Six tiebreaker rules.

--Previous Stages--

Super Six Semifinal Matches

• Andre Ward vs. Arthur Abraham - May 14th, 2011 - WBA Super Middleweight Title - Results
• Carl Froch vs. Glen Johnson - June 4th, 2011 - WBC Super Middleweight Title - Results

Super Six Stages 3 Matches

Allan Green vs. Glen Johnson- November 6th, 2010 - Johnson KOs Green

Preview | Results

Arthur Abraham vs. Carl Froch - Nov 27, 2010 - Froch wins decision

Preview | Results

Andre Ward vs. Sakio Bika - November 27, 2010 - Ward wins decision

Preview | Results

Super Six Stage 2 Matches

Andre Dirrell vs. Arthur Abraham - March 27, 2010 - Dirrell wins via disqualification

Preview | Results

Mikkel Kessler vs. Carl Froch - April 24, 2010 - Kessler wins via unanimous decision

Preview | Results

Andre Ward vs Allan Green - June 19, 2010 - Ward wins via unanimous decision

Preview | Results

Super Six Stage 1 Matches

Jermain Taylor vs. Arthur Abraham - October 17, 2009 - Abraham wins via KO

Preview | Results

Andre Dirrell vs. Carl Froch - October 17, 2009 - Froch wins via Split Decision

Preview | Results

Andre Ward vs. Mikkel Kessler - November 21, 2009 - Ward wins via Technical Decision

Preview | Results

Super Six Photo Galleries

Don't forget to visit our photo galleries either. We've compiled a large and growing collection of images and photos from the Super Six World Boxing Classic, and you can see them all here.

• Super Six Finals Pictures - Ward vs. Froch
• Semifinals Pictures
• Stage 3 Fight and Event Pictures
• Stage 1 Fight and Event Pictures
• Stage 2 Fight and Event Pictures

As the Super Six continues on over the coming months, ProBoxing-Fans.com will continue to be your resource for news, previews, results and all the information you need for the Super Six! Keep on checking in for updated standings, previews of all of the matches, results and recaps for the fights, photographs and images from the events, and much more.