Number One. Número Uno.

You can call Juan Manuel Marquez many things. Tough. Talented. Durable. Improved.

But there is one word you absolutely, unequivocally cannot call him: Scared.

Marquez has taken on challenges that most prizefighters would not even consider. He has fought and won in opponents' hometowns. He has gotten up off the canvas when he probably should have stayed down. He wants the pressure which comes with being a high-profile Mexican fighter. He yearns for it. So do you think Marquez and his serious huevos are scared or intimidated at the prospect of fighting Floyd Mayweather, Jr., on September 19?

Don't count on it.

On May 8, 2004, Marquez fought the feared power-punching Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas. Pacquiao came into the fight with a 12-fight win streak, all by knockout. Shortly after referee Joe Cortez signaled for the opening bell, things went to hell in a hurry for Marquez. Just 88 seconds into the fight, Pacquiao decked Marquez with a straight left hand. Sound like a terrible way to get the fight started? Just hold on, it gets worse. 25 seconds later, Pacquiao landed another left hand right on the chin to floor Marquez for the second time. But again, Marquez picked himself up. Then, with 44 seconds remaining in the opening stanza, Pacquiao trapped Marquez against the ropes and landed a barrage of punches, sending Marquez to the canvas for the third time in the round. Marquez stayed on the mat longer after the third knockdown than he did the previous two, probably seriously considering the prospect of just staying down. But he decided against it. He climbed to his feet. Cortez took a long look into Marquez's eyes before he let him continue. But seeing that Marquez was more frustrated than truly hurt, he let the fight go on. Marquez survived the first round by staying away, and he regrouped in a manner no one could have ever imagined. He changed his gameplan. He started to move to his left, away from Pacquiao's vicious left hand. He jabbed more. He threw more punches. He started to control the fight. By the 5th round, it was clear to everyone that Marquez was a changed fighter. The fight, against all logic after the opening round, went the full 12 rounds and was decided by the judging panel. The bout was declared a draw. Marquez made the stand of his life. He battled back from one of the worst opening rounds in history to score a draw with Manny freakin' Pacquiao.

In March of 2006, Marquez made the long trek to Indonesia to challenge undefeated featherweight titlist Chris John. John, a native of Indonesia, would not travel to North America to face Marquez. So Marquez went to him. It was another hard-fought bout, though not to the extent of the Pacquiao fight. Many ringside observers felt that Marquez had done enough to win a decision. But the hometown crowd and judges swung the controversial decision in John's favor. It would not be the last time Marquez traveled to fight on an opponent's home soil.

Marquez finally got his shot at a long-awaited rematch with Pacquiao in March of 2008. Once again in Las Vegas, Marquez fought even better in the rematch than he did in the great comeback four years earlier. But after another 12-round battle, questionable judging gave Pacquiao a split decision vistory, leaving Marquez with the same bitter taste in his mouth.

Marquez said he felt he lost the decision to Pacquiao the second time around because of Pacquiao's tremendous popularity and box-office appeal. His drawing power is so great due to his entertaining, power-punching style. It was at that moment that a light bulb seemed to click on with Marquez. He felt as though he needed to change his approach to be more aggressive, more fan-friendly. All this at the ripe young age of 35. So in Marquez's next bout, he challenged former lightweight champion Joel Casamayor. The rugged Cuban had solid skills and had never been knocked down in his professional career. That all changed September 13, 2008. Marquez sent Casamayor to the canvas in the 11th round with a tremendous left hook. Casamayor staggered to his feet only to see Marquez rush in to close the show with a nonstop cannonade of punches. Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight with five seconds remaining in the 11th round. Casamayor has not fought since.

Five months later, Marquez once again took a trip into enemy territory. He traveled to the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, home of "The Baby Bull" Juan Diaz. Diaz brought his hard-charging style and 34-1 record into the fight. In the 9th round, Marquez caught Diaz coming in with a right hook followed by a left uppercut to send Diaz to the canvas. Not dissimilar to the Casamayor fight, Marquez picked up the tempo and let his hands fly when Diaz got back to his feet. 18 seconds later, Marquez unloaded a right uppercut from the depths of hell on Diaz. When Diaz hit the mat, the referee saw no need to count. The fight was over. That was in February of this year.

In an interview in The Ring Magazine a few months ago, Marquez said his "dream" would be to fight in Estadio Azteca, a soccer stadium in Mexico City, Mexico, which can hold well over 100,000 fans. His fans. And in this "dream" fight, the interviewer asked, who would be Marquez's opponent? The answer was simple and swift: Manny Pacquiao. Once again, you can call him many things, but "scared" is not one of them.

And now, in keeping with his tendency to make things hard on himself, Marquez has accepted the challenge to fight "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather, Jr., in Mayweather's hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. This fight will be Mayweather's comeback fight, since he hasn't fought since his 10th-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in December of 2007. Mayweather will be wanting to show the world he is still the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Marquez is also trying to claim that title for himself. And the fight date of September 19 has added significance for Marquez, too. That happens to be the eve of Mexican Independence Day, no less. Not that he needed any extra pressure. That's just how he operates.


Mayweather vs. Marquez. September 19. MGM Grand. Las Vegas, Nevada. Who will win? I have no idea. But what I do know is that whoever does win will automatically vault himself to the top of the prestigious pound-for-pound list.

Number One. Número Uno.

It's all about the "0"

Most of us have heard the headline when two undefeated opponents are set to face off (either in boxing, football, basketball, etc.)...

"Somebody's '0' Has Got To Go!"

The point being that both undefeated opponents have a zero in the loss column, and following the outcome of the game-fight-match (whichever you prefer), one side will no longer have a zero in their loss column. So, in essence, their "0" had to go. And one of the things that makes sports so interesting is the way its athletes handle such situations... either in triumph or defeat.

A battle of undefeated combatants is somewhat commonplace in boxing. Some of the best, most-hyped bouts in the history of the "sweet science" have come from situations where undefeated fighters have given it their all in an effort to protect their unblemished records (Ali vs. Frazier I, Bowe vs. Holyfield I, and Trinidad vs. De La Hoya come to mind). I am also reminded of the great junior welterweight title fight in March of 1990 when the undefeated Meldrick Taylor challenged for the title held by Mexican legend (and also undefeated) Julio Cesar Chavez. Taylor, a gold medalist for the U.S. in the 1984 Olympic Games, came into the bout sporting 24 victories with no losses. Chavez made his way to the ring that night in Las Vegas with a record of 68-0. It was a tremendously-hyped fight, and the experts were at odds trying to pick a winner. They couldn't decide if they liked the speed of Taylor or the power of Chavez. It turned out the latter were correct, as Chavez knocked out Taylor with only seconds remaining before the final bell. And, my oh my, did their careers ever take opposite turns after that fight. Chavez went on to pad his record up to 89-0 before suffering his first defeat. He is also widely considered the greatest Mexican fighter in history. Taylor's career and life spiraled downward following the loss to Chavez, made all the worse by the news that Taylor was leading Chavez on the judges' scorecards at the point the fight was stopped. Taylor went on to lose three more times by knockout, and he never again got his hands so close to a title belt.

However, not all fighters respond negatively to the reality of a first defeat. After "Sugar" Ray Leonard lost his welterweight title and his undefeated record to Roberto Duran in June of 1980, Leonard avenged the loss by making Duran quit, in the famous "No Más" fight, five months later. He then went on to become one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the history of the sport. The great heavyweight champion Joe Louis is another great example of a fighter who handled well his first defeat. After Louis was knocked out in June of 1936 at the hands of Max Schmeling, Louis went on a rampage, racking up victories in his next 34 fights. He knocked out Schmeling in the first round of their rematch, and Louis also picked up wins against noted fighters such as "Cinderella Man" James J. Braddock, Billy Conn, and "Jersey" Joe Walcott (whom he defeated twice). The win against Braddock won Louis the heavyweight title, a title he successfully defended 20 times, a record that still stands. So not all fighters handle defeat poorly.

But some just do.

Mike Tyson, for example, never really got over his loss to James "Buster" Douglas. And recently, a former feared prospect has suffered yet another defeat. When Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy made the trip to Manchester, England, in March of 2006 to challenge for Joe Calzaghe's super middleweight title, he was the hottest thing in the sport. Lacy had (and still has, for that matter) a Herculean physique that once scared away an opponent at a weigh-in. He used intimidation in a manner similar to Tyson. He scowled and glared and flexed his chest at his opponents before their fights ever started. He was also 21-0 with 17 knockouts. His moniker, "Left Hook," was very appropriate. Most fighters wanted no part of Lacy. But Joe Calzaghe is not like most fighters. He welcomed the challenge and proceeded to beat Lacy like a tied-up goat. Calzaghe fooled Lacy with his speed and combinations, and suddenly it became very apparent that Lacy, who once seemed unbeatable, was about to become very beatable. Once Calzaghe finished off his flawless masterpiece, everyone in the boxing world saw Lacy in a different light. (And in the spirit of this piece, it should also be noted that Calzaghe maintained his undefeated record that night, advancing to 41-0.) Lacy has never been able to get himself back together since that fight. While yes, he has won some fights, they were against menial competition. I was ringside to witness his one-sided defeat to the average Jermain Taylor last November. And just last night, Lacy was knocked out by 40-year-old Roy Jones, Jr., a fighter who should have retired four years ago.

There is no sport like boxing. And there are no athletes like fighters. It just baffles me how these highly-trained, highly-skilled athletes can just lose everything at the notion of losing just one thing. It may go to the very nature and psychology of why these guys get into boxing in the first place. The backgrounds from which some fighters come and the inner demons possessed by so many of them... that may be what causes such fragile mental states for these, the seemingly greatest of modern-day warriors.

It just goes to show that, for so many of them, it's not just about toughness or glory or titles or money.

For some, it really is just all about the "0."

Próximo en línea

Próximo en línea.

In Spanish that translates to "Next in line."

And for a while now, young Juan Manuel Lopez, known by his fans and countrymen as "JuanMa," has assumed the mantle of "The Next Puerto Rican Superstar."

Hailing from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Juan Manuel Lopez made his professional debut on January 29, 2005, a one-round destruction of fellow newcomer Luis Daniel Colon. He has chalked up an additional 24 victories since then, 22 of them coming by way of knockout. And at this time, he has yet to taste defeat. That's right. 25 victories. 23 knockouts. And a big ol' zero in the 'L' column.

The first time I got to watch Lopez was March 3 of 2007. Lopez fought Levi Brea on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Oktay Urkal fight in San Juan. I can admit that I really had no interest in the Lopez-Brea bout when it got started. I was hoping for an early-round stoppage so I could see the beautiful carnage which is Miguel Cotto's relentless body attack in the main event. But just a few seconds into Lopez's bout, I couldn't take my eyes away from the telly. There before me stood a tall southpaw who possessed in his right hook one of the best weapons I had seen in boxing since Micky Ward's left hook to the body. This junior featherweight fighter was only 15-0 at the time, but his skill set was unbelievable: He was tall with long arms. He moved well in the ring, understanding where his feet were in relation his opponents' and the ropes. He showed complete defense and was an effective counterpuncher. He used his jab to keep his opponent off balance. And once the pitifully overmatched Brea was watching for his jab, Lopez threw his wait-here-til-the-stretcher-comes right hook that knocked Brea down twice in the first round and again in the second, the latter of which causing the referee to halt the proceedings. I was sitting there with my mouth open.

The fact that Lopez is a southpaw is only a bonus. You see, conventional fighters stand with their left foot forward and their right shoulder back, meaning the right hand is the main weapon. Conversely, a southpaw does everything backwards. Southpaws stand with their right foot forward and left shoulder back, which makes every punch come from an angle not seen by most boxers. At least 90% of boxers fight in the conventional stance, which means they mostly see their own kind. It normally takes a while for conventional fighters to get their bearings when they find themselves in the ring with a southpaw. And if that southpaw standing before them happens to be Juan Manuel Lopez, they are most likely not going to have enough time to figure it out (Of Lopez's 22 knockouts, 10 of them have come in the first round). So on top of the fact that Lopez is already trouble for other fighters due to his stance, add the fact that Lopez's most prized weapon comes from his lead hand. Conventional fighters jab with their left hand, their "lead hand," if you will, since it is the hand out in front of them, closest to their opponent. Southpaws such as Lopez, staying true to the "everything backward" theory, jab with their right hand. But Lopez adds a twist. He often will open up his shoulder and turn his right jab into a short, powerful right hook, as he did repeatedly with Brea. This changes everything. He not only throws punches from weird angles, he throws a laser-like right hook in place of his jab that consistently finds its way to his opponent's unsuspecting chin. Wham. Sweet dreams.

Lopez went largely unnoticed in the "prospect" category until June 7 of last year, when division champion Daniel Ponce de Leon chose Lopez for his summer title defense. It was a fight that many believed Ponce de Leon would easily handle. It was also a fight where boxing fans and writers were quick to ask if Lopez was more than just a prized prospect from the boxing-rich island of Puerto Rico. They questioned if he had the mettle to take the belt from a feared slugger like Ponce de Leon. Well... Lopez answered with an emphatic "Yes." All it took was two minutes and 25 seconds into the first round for Lopez to dispose of Ponce de Leon. Ponce de Leon had never been knocked out. Check. He had also never even been knocked down. Check two times. It was a virtuoso performance. A stunning display. Ponce de Leon came out at the bell with all guns firing. He threw punch after punch without getting thru Lopez's brilliant defense. And when Ponce de Leon hesitated for the first time about one minute into the first round... Bang! Right hook. Ponce de Leon lay on the canvas with a look on his face that said What the hell am I doing down here? Just another minute later, he found himself in a similar position, this time for good. Lopez went from prospect to champion in the snap of a finger. Or a flick of the wrist, whichever you prefer.

I say "Next in line" because Puerto Rico has had a long, storied history in the sport of boxing. Guys like Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez, Felix "Tito" Trinidad, and now Miguel Cotto have proudly carried the flag of Puerto Rico into the ring. Gomez and Benitez are both in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Trinidad is on his way. Cotto is currently 33-1 and at the top of the loaded welterweight division. Juan Manuel Lopez seems to fall right in line with these greats. Lopez has already shown, and he is only 25, that he has far superior defensive skills than Gomez and Trinidad. He also has much more firepower than Benitez. His KO percentage (92%) bests that of Trinidad (83%), Cotto (82%), and Benitez (58%). Gomez, however, finished his brilliant career with 42 knockout victories out of his 44 tallies (95%). Okay, I can admit... that one may be unattainable. But Lopez stacks up. He is a legitimate contender to be the next "Puerto Rican Great."

Lopez currently fights in the junior featherweight division which is arguably the deepest division in boxing right now. As stated previously below in "It's time to look up to the little men," Israel Vasquez currently sits atop the division, resting on his laurels after the epic trilogy he shared with fellow Mexican Rafael Marquez. Both of those guys have stated they have no interest in fighting Lopez at this time. Panamanian contender Celestino Caballero moved up a weight class to avoid Lopez. The only other high profile challenger is Ponce de Leon, and we all know well that went the first time around. So what is Lopez to do? Well... Vasquez, Marquez, and Caballero cannot avoid him forever. They will have to face him at some point. And my money will be on Lopez. In the meantime, Lopez will fight June 27 against Olivier Lontchi at the Boarkwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, headlining a pay-per-view card.

Next in line? Absolutely. And when it's all said and done, everyone else may have to line up behind the man they call "JuanMa."

It's like Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing a padded muscle-shirt.

There are some things in this world I will just never understand. Like math. I'll never get it. It must be a case of me not activating the right side of my brain. Or the left side. Hell, I don't know which side it is. Would you like to know another thing I will never understand?

Cheating.

It just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I like the idea of falling asleep with a clear conscious too much. But I really think I would rather lose at something than the alternative of cheating to win. Am I alone in this?

Last night, "Sugar" Shane Mosley challenged for Antonio Margarito's welterweight title. And it was a thrilling fight. Mosley, with his new trainer Naazim Richardson, put together a perfect gameplan to disrupt the potential destruction of the "Tijuana Tornado." Mosley used ring smarts and accurate flurries to dumbfound Margarito. Then, in the ninth round, Mosley floored Margarito. The fight was stopped shortly thereafter by referee Raul Caiz. It was a tremendous performance by a 37-year-old aging legend who, by many believers, is well past his prime. But it was vintage Mosley: quick feet, surprising power, accurate punching, technical boxing. Mosley had big leads on all three judges' scorecards at the time of the fight being stopped. But perhaps the biggest storyline of the night happened before the fight ever started...

Margarito had to have his hands rewrapped prior to the fight because his original wraps were deemed unacceptable by fight officials. His wraps were said to have a "plaster-like substance" on them. What? Margarito? Using plaster of paris on his hand wraps? I just do not understand this! This is like Dolly Parton wearing a Wonderbra. Or finding out Usain Bolt has rocket packs in his shoes. Or that Tiger Woods has started using a flag-finding golf ball. The point is, What's the point? Why cheat when you have a natural advantage anyway? Margarito already has sledgehammers for hands. We've seen it in the past. He's the only man to defeat Kermit Cintron (which he did, twice, both by knockout) and the previously undefeated Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto.

So hearing all this, do all of Margarito's past wins now need to be put under a microscope? Do the sanctioning bodies of boxing need to question their title fights in which Margarito prevailed victorious?

I hate it for Mosley. He has thrust himself to the top of the welterweight division for the first time since 2001. And he did so in a thrilling fashion. He also did so fairly. Congratulations to "Sugar" Shane Mosley.

I'm not upset about all this because I picked Margarito to win. I really thought he would. But I also thought he would do so fairly. I now hope this doesn't give boxing a similar black eye to the one that Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use gave to baseball.

Boxing doesn't need this. Nobody does.

How cold is the water in the deep end?

At what point is someone considered ready to take the proverbial next step in life?

Is there a blueprint somewhere in Bert Sugar's desk for something like this?

Cause this is something Andre Berto and his handlers really need to take some time to consider.

Berto took a big step up in class this past weekend when he put up his title against Luis Collazo in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was an amazing fight. Berto closed strong to eke out a close decision over the underrated Collazo. The decision could have gone either way. With three rounds to go, I thought Collazo had the fight in the bag. But Berto really showed another dimension that was previously unseen in his 24-fight career. He found another level in the 10th round and really stepped on the gas when it mattered most. And even though he was given the decision over Collazo, something still troubles me about Andre Berto and his future in the star-studded welterweight division...

Berto has the look of a more offensively-minded Floyd Mayweather. (Don't hang me yet. Hear me out.) Berto carries himself in the ring with a similar swagger to Floyd. He just looks like Floyd. He stance is similar to Floyd's. And in his favor, Berto has a bit more firepower than Floyd. But Floyd is a far more complete fighter than Berto. At least at this point. Berto has a long way to go in terms of counterpunching to match Mayweather. But Berto does throw some amazing combinations. I think he hits harder than Mayweather does. But sometimes he falls into the trap that most young fighters do: he can't find a mix between offense and defense. It's either all offense or all defense. That's something most young fighters go through. But usually it's something that starts to dissipate around the time a fighter's record reaches 16-0 or 17-0. Berto is now 24-0. And he still has these technical flaws.

It seems apparent now that promoter Lou DiBella wants to thrust Berto into the mix with the top guys in the welterweight division. And it sure sounds like a great idea. But I have the million-dollar question...

Who is he going to fight next?

After beating Collazo, it doesn't make sense for Berto to regress and pick another gimme just to add another W to his record. ESPN.com currently ranks Berto as the #5 welterweight. That may be a little high at this point. I think the four guys ranked ahead of him (in order: Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Joshua Clottey) would all be locks to defeat Berto at this point. So what's the next move? Kermit Cintron would make some sense, but he recently decided to step up in weight and test the waters (timely phrase) in the junior middleweight division. Same goes for Carlos Quintana, who also made the move north to junior middleweight. Zab Judah might make some sense. A fight with Judah would attract a lot of attention. Judah has some flaws that could be exploited by Berto with his speed and power. That also may be a fight that could truly bring out the best in Andre Berto. He needs it. We need it. Boxing needs it.


Boxing needs the next wave of stars to step up and have their names called. Berto is not yet the complete fighter that could challenge the Margaritos and the Cottos of the deep welterweight division. But he's close. He has all the tools. Now he just needs to put it all together.

For all of us... to help keep the sport from drowning.

It's time to look up to the little men.

The coming of economic hard times means that boxing's "little men" become its dominant focus. Don't ask me why. I don't know. It just does. It happened during the Great Depression. Yes, I understand that times are different now, but the principles remain the same. I'll go into more detail about that later on. Three of the most popular fighters during the Great Depression were Jimmy McLarnin, Barney Ross, and Tony Canzoneri, all of whom fought in the welterweight class (147 lbs.) or lower. And you may be thinking, 147 pounds? Those guys must be tiny! Not exactly. You'd be surprised how much muscle fighters can pack on to a small frame. And, well... economic hard times have returned. Certainly not to the extent of the Great Depression, but the hard times are nonetheless here. And so, once again, it is time for some of boxing's best "little men" to take center-stage and carry the grand sport of boxing on their backs, despite their small frames. I have taken it upon myself to bring to your attention a group of "small" fighters who have what I believe to be the necessary goods to bring boxing back to national prominence. All of the following boxers currently fight in the lightweight division (135 lbs.) or in lower weight classes. Shall we commence?

I think a good place to begin would be with boxing's resident megastar, Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao, of the Philippines, began his career as a junior flyweight (108 lbs.) and quickly began moving up the ladder in terms of weight, talent, and popularity. He made the most noise and the biggest headlines as a junior lightweight (130 lbs.) over the past few years. He won two of three against Erik Morales, and he won both of his fights with Marco Antonio Barrera, both of whom are living Mexican legends. This past year he moved up in weight to challenge boxing's most marketable star, Oscar De La Hoya. Despite being the underdog, Pacquiao shocked the boxing world by making De La Hoya quit on his stool after the 8th round. Now Pacquiao is recognized by The Ring Magazine as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In the words of Jim Lampley, HBO Boxing's master broadcaster, "Manny Pacquiao is a storm!" Every fight for Pacquiao from now til his retirement will be a huge event for the sport.
Record: 48-3-2 (36 KOs)

Next up is Pacquiao's most formidable rival, recognized lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Ranked second behind Pacquiao on The Ring's pound-for-pound list, Marquez has a decision loss and a draw with Pacquiao. This Mexican star has it all: great boxing ability, ring smarts, power, etc. He is probably the most complete fighter in any weight class in the sport right now. And, apparently, he's blessed with some cojones as well. He's fighting the ever-dangerous Juan Diaz on 28 February for the lightweight title in Diaz's hometown of Houston, Texas. A class act and a great fighter, Marquez is the total package.
Record: 49-4-1 (36 KOs)

Edwin Valero, left, has already asserted himself as one of the most exciting shows in sport today. He is a whirlwind punching sensation in the junior lightweight division (130 lbs.) who has been devastating opponents and fans alike, all the way from his home in Venezuela to the United States. So far, Valero has knocked out every opponent he has faced, and all but five of them were dispatched in the first round. Sure, his list of opponents are most likely not even household names in their own households, so his talent level and defense have yet to be truly tested. A proposed match-up with another punching sensation, Manny Pacquiao, could be a make-or-break fight for Valero. Right now, he maintains an "invincible" aura around his glossy record.
Record: 24-0-0 (24 KOs)

One of the brightest young stars in the boxing galaxy is a 2004 Athens gold medalist, Cuba's Yuriorkis Gamboa. Gamboa started his professional career in April of 2007, and has been wowing crowds with his speed and athleticism since. He has a real chance to make some noise in a thin featherweight division (126 lbs.), where there are fewer legitimate challengers. He made a strong showing last Friday evening on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights," knocking out the sturdy Roger Gonzalez in the 10th round. He is only 13 fights into his pro career, and while he has some major defensive shortcomings, he will be one to keep an eye on in the future.
Record: 13-0-0 (11 KOs)

The deepest division in boxing today, in my eyes, is its junior featherweight division (122 lbs.). And that division is currently ruled by Israel Vazquez. This Mexican champion took over the reins of the division after winning two of three against Rafael Marquez (Juan Manuel's younger brother) in what was perhaps boxing's best trilogy since Ali-Frazier. The three fights took place in March 2007, August 2007, and March 2008. Simply put... epic. The distinguishing factor in the trilogy was the skill level displayed by both combatants. Both Vazquez, left, and Marquez are expert tacticians and tremendous counterpunchers. YouTube their names to get a glimpse of what the "sweet science" looks like in its sweetest form. Vazquez now has the distinction of being able to look down over a deep division and handpick his next few opponents. Vazquez tries to take on the look of a true boxer, but his fights routinely find a way to turn into slugfests.
Record: 43-4-0 (31 KOs)

For my money, the best up-and-coming superstar in boxing is Puerto Rico's slugging phenom, Juan Manuel Lopez. Known simply as "JuanMa," Lopez has the strongest chance of breaking up the Vazquez-Marquez party at the top of the junior featherweight division. Lopez went from prized prospect to legitimate contender in one fight. Perennial heavy-hitting challenger Daniel Ponce de Leon put his WBO belt on the line against Lopez this past June. In 35 fights leading up to that night (and countless amateur bouts), Ponce de Leon had never been knocked out. In fact, he had never even been knocked down in his pugilistic career. That all changed when he squared off against Lopez. Lopez blew away Ponce de Leon in one round, knocking him down twice before referee Mike Ortega stepped in to halt the proceedings. Lopez is an immensely talented southpaw boxer-puncher, and his right hook has taken its deserved place as the best in the business. And Lopez is only 25 years old. He has many fights still in him.
Record: 24-0-0 (22 KOs)

Very rarely do fighters from boxing's junior flyweight division (108 lbs.) make any noise worth listening to. However, there is one exception in this year of 2009: Ivan Calderon. This diminutive Puerto Rican is the purest boxer in the game today. He has a laughable knockout percentage, but his abilities are second-to-none. He is currently ranked #9 on The Ring's pound-for-pound list, which is quite an accomplishment for someone not only from the junior flyweight division, but also a limited puncher. Calderon routinely boxes circles around his opponents, leaving them gasping for air and trying to figure out where the hell their target went. Calderon is a master at using his jab and his movement to control his opponent as well as the fight. He is a walking definition of a true boxer, and his undefeated record is a testament to his limitless abilities.
Record: 32-0-0 (6 KOs)

There you have it. When all is said and done, and our country has once again put an economic hardship behind us, I hope we can look back and say that these fighters were able to help us through it, however small their contributions may have been. I have a theory as to why, in tough times, people turn to boxing as a means of release: It's the way we wish we could handle our own hardships, much like the way legendary middleweight Marvin Hagler did in the 1980s. After a controversial decision went against him, Hagler held up his fists for a group of reporters and, vowing to never again let others decide his fate, said, "These are my judges now." But most of us do not turn to fistic engagements to settle debt or personal loss. So we therefore choose to live vicariously through our favorite fighters. It is my hope that my views of these squared-ring warriors may have opened your eyes to something you may not have previously known. And there are so many more brilliant, undersized fighters that I didn't mention. I guess I'll save that for another post.