Pacquiao Sports Illustrated's best pound for pound

MANILA, Philippines – There no question as to Manny Pacquiao’s status as the greatest boxer in the planet today.

Sports Illustrated, the widely-read sports magazine, has come up with its latest pound-for-pound rankings, and it was no surprise to find the name of the Filipino icon on top of its short, distinguished list.

Sports Illustrated described Pacquiao as “dazzling at whatever weight class he chooses to fight,” and that on May 2 the boxer who started out at 106 pounds will shoot for the IBO light-welterweight crown.

Pacquiao takes on British superstar Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand, and a victory will give him a fifth world title in different weight classes, including the flyweight, super-bantam, super-feather and lightweight.

Pacquiao fought in three different weight classes last year and won all battles against Juan Manuel Marquez (130 lbs), David Diaz (135 lbs) and Oscar dela Hoya (147 lbs). He will fight Hatton at 140 lbs.

“A win over Hatton all but guarantees a shot at former pound-for-pound champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., who many feel is lurking in anticipation of a Pacquiao victory,” Sports Illustrated wrote.

As expected, Marquez, the crafty Mexican counter-puncher, is next on the list, ranked second behind Pacquiao. He is the reigning lightweight champion and is eager to fight the Pinoy slugger a third time.

The SI pound-for-pound list puts welterweight king Shane Mosley in third, followed by light-heavy Bernard Hopkins, Chad Dawson, Israel Vasquez, Kelly Pavlik, Miguel Cotto, Paul Williams and Vic Darchinyan.

Marquez is the only asterisk in Pacquiao’s fight profile following a very controversial draw in 2004 and a very close decision last March. A third fight is needed to finally put the issue to rest.

But there’s also Mayweather who seems on his way out of retirement to face either Pacquiao or Marquez if he wants to reclaim his old title — the pound-for-pound king.