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.