P4P Rankings - July 2009

It's the first Tuesday of the month, so it's time to evaluate the pound-for-pound best boxers in the world.

Michael Jackson's memorial service was held today at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Not only did the King of Pop have a nickname worthy of any top-tier fighter, he also churned out some bad ass music.

To honor M.J. -- who was as familiar with a hit as anyone -- here's the always subjective top 10, Jacko-style:

1. Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs): A Nov. 14 showdown with Miguel Cotto at a likely catchweight of 144 -- a matchup in which Pac-Man will be favored -- is all but signed. Adding to the obvious advantages he'll have over Cotto, the Filipino will be the fresher of the two having needed only two rounds to dispose of Ricky Hatton to win the RING junior welterweight championship on May 2. Song: "Dangerous"

2. Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs): Dinamita's bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr. was rescheduled for Sept. 19 because Mayweather bruised rib cartilage while sparring. Marquez is the lineal champion at 135 pounds, but is meeting Mayweather at a catchweight of 144. If there is any doubt of his ability: One measly point separates him from Pacquiao in their two bouts (one draw, one split-decision loss). Nobody fights Pacquiao that close, and Marquez is always ready for a challenge. Song: "I'll Be There"

3. Bernard Hopkins (48-5-1, 32 KOs): The Executioner has been inactive since picking apart middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in a light heavyweight bout Oct. 18. He negotiated himself out of a cruiserweight fight against champion Tomasz Adamek and will be a spectator as fellow light heavyweights Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson clash in a proposed rematch. B-Hop might depart the rankings if nothing is scheduled by Halloween. At 44, he can't wait too long. Song: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

4. Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs): Sugar Shane became the odd man out in the Pacquiao sweepstakes when Pac-Man opted to face Cotto. Who would've thought his Jan. 24 destruction of Antonio Margarito would turn out to be a bad business move? Mosley can't buy a fight right now, unsuccessfully low-balling himself for a shot at Pacquiao and begging for anybody to step up to the plate. According to his twitter page, Andre Berto has been told he is the first option for Mosley on Nov. 14. Let's hope. Song: "Rock With You"

5. Paul Williams (37-1, 27 KOs): In the same boat as Mosley is the Punisher. The freakish physical specimen is hovering between three weight divisions -- 147, 154 and 160 -- and still has trouble finding worthy opponents. His April 11 decimation of Canastota-bound Winky Wright vaulted him into the top 10. Williams is a high-risk, low-reward fight for anyone, even if he chooses to compete in the stacked super middleweight division. If he campaigns at 168, will he still be avoided by the top guys? Song: "Who's Lovin' You"

6. Israel Vazquez (43-4, 31 KOs): Vazquez hasn't fought since defeating Rafael Marquez in the 2008 fight of the year and has fallen three spots. What keeps him in the rankings is his legitimate excuse: He had surgery to repair his retina. This is not the same as retirement (Mayweather) or inactivity (Rafael Marquez). He has recently relinquished his RING championship at junior featherweight to join the featherweight ranks. Hopefully he'll return to form after injury, the layoff and the weight gain. Song: "Remember the Time"

7. Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs): Nobody can deny Cotto's heart and guile. In a fight that easily could have gone either way, Cotto showed unbridled determination in eking out a split decision win over a game Joshua Clottey on June 13. Not only did he battle through Clottey's assault and a nasty gash over his left eye, he also overcame personal turmoil stemming from his split with his trainer, uncle Evangelista Cotto. With Joe Santiago in his corner, the Cotto camp has a lot of homework leading up to a bout with Pacquiao. Song: "Thriller"

8. Ivan Calderon (32-0-1, 6 KOs): As mentioned in last Tuesday's blog, the Iron Boy may be showing signs of rust after a sixth-round technical draw with Rodel Mayol on June 13. At 34, Calderon is still the master of hit-and-don't-get-hit, but once the legs and hand speed begin to slow what is this feather-fisted puncher going to rely on? He's a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, but the window of opportunity is closing for this great 108-pound champion to give fans a defining performance to remember. Song: "Smooth Criminal"

9. Wladimir Klitschko (53-3, 47 KOs): Finally -- maybe a bit overdue -- Dr. Steelhammer makes his debut in the P4P rankings. His case is clear: He attained the vacant RING heavyweight championship in another dominant performance, this time in a 10th-round TKO of Ruslan Chagaev. His entry into the top 10 bumped out Vic Darchinyan, who challenges Joseph Agbeko in a bantamweight title bout on July 11. With the state of the heavyweight division as it is, Klitschko might remain on here for a while. Song: "Unbreakable"

10. Chad Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs): Bad Chad is nearing a crossroads. The southpaw has the necessary tools to be a star, but hasn't reached pay-per-view status. Lackluster performances like his win over a 40-year-old Antonio Tarver in a May 9 rematch do nothing to garner the speedy southpaw a broader fan base. A second bout with Johnson won't be easy, especially considering the difficulty he had against the Road Warrior in April 2008. Song: "Bad"

The rest:
11. Vic Darchinyan
12. Kelly Pavlik
13. Tomasz Adamek
14. Carl Froch
15. Juan Manuel Lopez
16. Nonito Donaire
17. Rafael Marquez
18. Timothy Bradley
19. Nate Campbell
20. Chris John

Come back Thursday for a Sweet Science lab prefight analysis of the Agbeko-Darchinyan bout.