Mayweather tops pound-for-pound rankings

NEW YORK. Floyd Mayweather’s lopsided decision win over Robert Guerrero on May 4 reinforces one of the few inarguable points in the sport: Mayweather is boxing’s best. But there is a battle for the positions behind him. Sergio Martinez (tied for 3rd last time) struggled in a decision win over Martin Murray, Abner Mares (No. 9) took a big step with a knockout win over Daniel Ponce De Leon and Wladimir Klitschko (No. 7) continued his dominance with a sixth-round knockout of Francesco Pianeta.1. Floyd Mayweather, 44-0-0The inimitable Mayweather claimed win No. 44 -- along with a check for $32 million -- against Guerrero, showing his usual elusiveness and precision punching. Despite badly bruising his right hand, Mayweather says he plans to be back in the ring September 14th, and the drumbeats will be loud for him to face 154-pound titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.2. Andre Ward, 26-0-0The top 168-pounder in boxing, Ward has been bothered by a shoulder injury that has kept him on the shelf since a dominating knockout win over Chad Dawson in September. Ward’s options at super middleweight are limited -- WBO champion Robert Stieglitz is the only top contender he hasn’t faced, and Stieglitz is likely headed for a third fight with Arthur Abraham or a shot at the winner of Carl Froch-Mikkell Kessler this month. At 29, Ward’s future may be at light heavyweight.3. Juan Manuel Marquez, 55-6-1Marquez, idle since a stunning knockout of Manny Pacquiao last December, is scheduled to return in September against Tim Bradley. At 39, and turning 40 in August, Marquez has shown no signs of slowing down. After Bradley, a lucrative fifth fight with Pacquiao looms in 2014.4. Sergio Martinez, 51-2-2Martinez looked ordinary in a decision win over Martin Murray last month, surviving a knockdown -- along with another that should have been called -- to retain his middleweight title. A rematch with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. remains Martinez’s best money fight, but it will have to wait. Martinez broke his left hand and re-injured his right knee in the win over Murray. According to promoter Lou DiBella, we won’t see Martinez back in the ring until 2014.5. Manny Pacquiao, 54-5-2Pacquiao has been quiet since being knocked out cold by Marquez in December but he will return against Brandon Rios in Macau on November 24.6. Abner Mares, 26-0-1Mares looked sensational in his featherweight debut, dropping Daniel Ponce De Leon twice en route to a ninth-round knockout. Mares says he plans to remain at 126, and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer says he would like to match Mares against touted prospect Leo Santa Cruz. If Golden Boy could lure long reigning featherweight titleholder Chris John to the U.S., that’s a fascinating fight, too.7. Wladimir Klitschko, 60-3-0Klitschko continued his near decade of dominance, stopping Francesco Pianeta in the sixth round. Alexander Povetkin’s manager, Vladimir Hryunov, won the purse bid for Klitschko’s mandatory defense against Povetkin for a whopping $23.3 million. Assuming negotiations go smoothly, Klitschko-Povetkin could take place in August or September.8. Nonito Donaire, 31-2-0Donaire struggled in a loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux last month, blaming an injured shoulder and the fact that he didn’t properly prepare. Shoulder surgery will keep Donaire on the shelf for a few months, and when he returns he could move up to 126 pounds.9. Tim Bradley, 30-0-0Bradley won a whole bunch of fans during an entertaining slugfest with Ruslan Provodnikov in March. Bradley showed toughness and heart, two things he will need in September when he defends his WBO welterweight title against Juan Manuel Marquez. A win could position Bradley for a big money rematch with Pacquiao next year.10. Guillermo Rigondeaux, 12-0-0Is Rigondeaux hard to watch? Yes. Is he effective? Yes there, too. In April, Rigondeaux was brilliant in outpointing Donaire, moving in and out, potshotting Donaire with blurring speed. Still, Rigondeaux’s defensive style will make it difficult for Top Rank to put him in a major television fight. He style simply isn’t television friendly.11. Vitali Klitschko, 45-2-0Klitschko, 41, has been idle since stopping Manuel Charr in four uninspiring rounds last September. Though nothing is official, Klitschko, the WBC heavyweight champion, was quoted last week saying he plans to fight No. 1 contender Bermane Stiverne, who outpointed Chris Arreola last month. After that, a high profile matchup with David Haye could be in the offing.12. Carl Froch, 30-2-0Froch knocked out Yusaf Mack last November, and is headed towards a rematch with Mikkel Kessler on May 25th. A win could lead to a rematch with Andre Ward.13. Yuri Gamboa, 22-0-0Gamboa has been in the news this year, though for the wrong reasons: He was linked to the Miami anti-aging clinic that allegedly has been distributing performance enhancing drugs to top athletes. Gamboa will be back in the ring in June, when he takes on undefeated lightweight Darley Perez.