Nothing can be taken away from Pacquiao's performance this time. There was no old legend that had to cut more weight than he was accustomed to. What stood in Pacquiao's way was the reigning junior welterweight champion. A fighter renowned for his strength and his power. And he was completely outmatched against the pound for pound king.

Both men were oozing confidence prior to the match. As Hatton strutted out to the ring, the look of pure concentration and focus, Pacquiao followed as happily and cheerfully as one could be. That demeanor quickly changed when the opening bell sounded.

While Pacquiao was supposed to have a hand and foot speed advantage, it was much more overwhelming than anyone could have imagined. Hatton got a hold of the quick Pacquiao a few times to try to rough him up on the inside. But Pacquiao was by and large able to dart in and out and launch his own combinations.

The trouble started for Hatton when Pacquiao launched a lead right hook. The punch met a completely unguarded and open Hatton, who spun around to the canvas. Hatton composed himself and got up to continue the fight.

However, he was now facing the whirlwind storm of a full force Manny Pacquiao attack. This time it was his signature punch, a straight left hand, that sent him down. The lighting quick straight left burst through Hatton's guard and landed on his forehead, sending him down for the second time in the round.

In between the first and second rounds, Hatton sat in his corner with a look of complete astonishment. Who could blame him? He was just hit by a truck and didn't even see it coming, and he had to go back out there to get hit by the truck again.

Hatton only lasted until the end of that second stanza. Pacquiao leveled him this time with a left hook that left Hatton straightened and belly up on the canvas. There would be no count necessary, the semi conscious Hatton would lay there on the canvas for several minutes.

It was a fantastic performance for Pacquiao. And now boxing fans can await an even larger event. Floyd Mayweather has made his return to the ring official, and his stated purpose is to prove that he's still the pound for pound best.

In July he will face off against Juan Manuel Marquez, the fighter who has given Pacquiao so much trouble in the past. It is no coincidence that Mayweather chose Marquez, he's looking to gauge his skills in preparation for a massive fight against the Filipino icon.

Pacquiao did his part by besting Hatton, and doing it in a fashion to belittle the accomplishment of Mayweather, who needed ten rounds to do the same job. Now Mayweather must take care of Marquez so that boxing fans can have the match of their dreams, the last two pound for pound kings, as different in the ring and out of the ring as they can be, putting it all on the line to finally settle the question of who's better.

The beautiful thing about a fight, however, is that come fight night all of the hype can be put aside. There's no more time for life stories and goals. No more time for big mouthed trainers. It's just two men staring each other down in that ring. The better man will almost always emerge.

Meet the Combatants

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao

Height: 5'7" Reach: 67"

48 (36) - 3 - 2

Recognized Number 1 Pound for Pound

Best Wins: KO3 & TKO10 Erik Morales; TKO11 & UD Marco Antonio Barrera), SD Juan Manuel Marquez, TKO8 Oscar De La Hoya

Last 5 fights: 5-0, 3 knockouts, spanning 3 weight classes

Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton

Height: 5'7" Reach: 65"

45 (32) - 1

Recognized Junior Welterweight Champion

Best Wins: TKO11 Kostya Tszyu; KO4 Jose Luis Castillo; TKO11 Paulie Malignaggi

Last 5 fights: 4 -1, 2 knockouts, spanning 2 weight classes

Pacquiao vs. Hatton Preview

Manny Pacquiao is the dynamo. He has been storming up through the weight classes and toppling every foe he faces. Ricky Hatton is the rebounding champion looking for redemption. He has fought one pound for pound champion before and he got knocked out. He has a chance to fix that stain on his record. How will this fight between respected champions play out?

Going into his fight with Oscar De La Hoya, many people were counting Manny Pacquiao out. He had only had one fight above 130 pounds in his career, and that was a stoppage win over the dreadfully overmatched titleholder David Diaz. Meanwhile, De La Hoya had been taking on middleweights and junior middleweights for a decade.

Ultimately, that would his downfall as he drained himself cutting weight and was but a shadow of himself on fight night. Regardless, Pacquiao put on an overwhelming show, beating Oscar to the punch and beating him up, out of the fight and out of the boxing world for good.

It's easy to forget after that performance that it was but a year ago when the majority of people who saw the fight felt that fellow 130 pound fighter, Juan Manuel Marquez, out-boxed Pacquiao to an easy decision win only to have the decision be handed to the thrilling, action brawler.

Could it be possible that a win over an aged and weight drained De La Hoya has left the world overestimating the abilities and capabilities of Manny Pacquiao? Surely he can't keep on moving up in weight and taking out champions indefinitely.

Meanwhile, Ricky Hatton is the underdog in a fight despite being the recognized number one man in the division. His move up to welterweight was a failed venture. He had a scare against Luis Collazo and then was knocked out by then pound for pound kingpin Floyd Mayweather Jr. Since, he looked less than stellar in beating Juan Lazcano before regaining some form en route to stopping Paulie Malignaggi last November.

The two men share a common weakness: slick, counterpunching boxers. Pacquiao met his in Juan Manuel Marquez and Hatton his in Floyd Mayweather. Neither faces such a problem in one another. So how will their styles clash?

Both fleet of foot and both packing power, their styles are still contrasting. Pacquiao, the southpaw, focuses on throwing his right jab followed by his thunderous straight left. Hatton throws quick half-jabs before jumping inside to throw hooks to the body. Hatton, also a dedicated clincher and mauler on the inside, holds after he throws punches to stymie his opponents' counterpunching.

That brings us to the first major question of the fight, will Hatton able to catch Pacquiao and hold onto him, throwing him off his game? Or will Pacquiao be able to dart in and out as he did against De La Hoya?

The second major question in the fight is how each man will cope with the other's power. Pacquiao will be facing a legitimately hard punching junior welterweight, something he has never seen before. While Pacquiao's power may not be as daunting as Kostya Tszyu's, it combines with his speed to make his punches an altogether different and more dangerous weapon set for Hatton to face as well.

Pacquiao vs. Hatton Prediction

Expect the early rounds to see Pacquiao jumping in and landing a few good 1-2 combinations. He will attempt some flurries but will miss a good deal of the shots, although the crowd will think otherwise. Hatton will have some success, missing most of his powerful body punches but getting a hold of Pacquiao enough to make the rounds close.

As Pacquiao picks up his pace after three or four rounds, he will begin opening up his repertoire of punches beyond his standard jab-left combo. Incorporating his uppercut will prove to be a decisive factor, as Hatton's leaps inside will leave him vulnerable to Pacquiao's powerful and quick shots.

Hatton's hopes rest on his ability to land a game changer. Either a thudding left hook to the body or head could leave Pacquiao reeling. Unfortunately for Hatton, Pacquiao fights hardest when in trouble, and Hatton would not want to see a wounded, fire breathing, 20-punch-at-a-time throwing Manny Pacquiao.

By round 5 or 6, Hatton will begin to cut and bruise. The round by round accumulation of punishment will start to slow him down. Powered on by his rowdy, chanting group of traveling supporters he will still prove to be dangerous, never giving up. However, the damage will eventually build up to an insurmountable degree.

After soldiering on through rounds of punishment, landing only minimal punches, the ref, or the corner, will step in to save Hatton in round 10.

Pacquiao TKO10 Hatton

Next up for Manny Pacquiao should hopefully be a monster of a fight against Floyd Mayweather. The fight would be a dream contest of opposing styles featuring the last two pound for pound champions. Be sure to catch the Pacquiao Hatton fight on May 2nd to see what happens.

The last time I took a list at the top 10 pound for pound boxers in the world was in December. Manny Pacquiao was fresh off of his destruction of Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins was enjoying his extended reemergence as a dominant fighter after thoroughly dominating Kelly Pavlik.

Since then a lot has changed. Joe Calzaghe has announced his retirement, joining the likes of Floyd Mayweather as fighters who retired at the top of the game with an undefeated record but are likely to be drawn back to the sport for the right fight. Antonio Margarito was suspended for using illegal hand wraps, and Shane Mosley emerged as the best welterweight in the world. Let's take a look at the current top 10 pound for pound boxers.

1A. Manny Pacquiao - 48 (36) - 3 - 2 - After jumping up to welterweight and trouncing Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquiao's next fight is scheduled for May against junior welterweight Ricky Hatton. Hatton fought the last pound for pound king, Floyd Mayweather, in December of 2007 and suffered his only defeat. He faces an entirely different beast in Manny Pacquiao, but perhaps one he is better suited to. Will Pacquiao's speed and power enable him to avoid Hatton's inside mauling tactics?

1B. Juan Manuel Marquez - 50 (37) - 4 - 1 - Marquez established himself as the best lightweight on the planet when he knocked out Juan Diaz. After which he called out the retired Mayweather, while still clamoring for another shot at Manny Pacquiao. Marquez, like Pacquiao, has been able to take both his speed and his power up to higher weight classes. As one of the most technically sound fighters in the game he has a chance to pull out any fight that he enters. The Diaz performance was a dynamic one, and Marquez needs big fights at this stage of his career. He's following Pacquiao and the money to the junior welterweight ranks.

3. Bernard Hopkins - 49 (32) - 5 - 1 - After Hopkins embarrassed the middleweight champion, he has taken some time to survey the scene. With Calzaghe retiring, and the prospects of facing the quick and powerful Chad Dawson in a Jermain-Taylor-nightmare-redux scenario (younger, physically gifted fighter in his prime) awaiting him, Hopkins instead may be opting to jump to cruiserweight to challenge champion Tomasz Adamek. Dawson was able to outbox Adamek, so one would have to give the crafty Hopkins a solid chance at out pointing the best cruiserweight on the planet.

4. Israel Vazquez - 43 (31) - 4 - Now inactive for a year, Vazquez has been eyeing several return bouts. The possibilities include a fourth fight with Marquez and battles with young stars such as Juan Manuel Lopez. However, if he doesn't return to the ring soon, he risks losing his status as one of the best warriors in the game. One has to wonder how much the Marquez fights took out of him at this point.

5. Rafael Marquez - 37 (33) - 5 - Ditto for Marquez.

6. Paul Williams - 36 (27) - 1 - Williams finally has his next fight scheduled. After not being able to secure a bout with any of the top welterweights, Williams will be taking on veteran tactician Winky Wright. Wright hasn't fought since he jumped to 170 and looked out of shape in a losing effort to Bernard Hopkins a year and a half ago. Williams, who has been jumping around weight classes from welterweight to middleweight, would make a statement by beating Wright, who is returning to a more natural weight.

7. Shane Mosley - 46 (39) - 5 - Antonio Margarito and his hand wraps didn't phase Shane Mosley. The former welterweight champ made a long awaited return to the top of the welterweight division. He showed why he is still a fan favorite, a head first style, power in both hands and a willingness to take on seemingly all comers, which has in the past cost him his perch atop the boxing world. Mosley was narrowly out pointed by Miguel Cotto, and now that Margarito is suspended and Cotto has returned from his loss via the possibly tainted hands of Margarito, a rematch between the two seems the logical decision.

8. Chad Dawson - 27 (17) - 0 - Dawson's rematch with Antonio Tarver was postponed after he suffered an injury in training. It would be much better if the rematch was cancelled. In its place could be a rematch of a fight that was actually close and disputed, with Glen Johnson. Dawson could also jump to cruiserweight to fight a man he has also already beaten (a win that looks more impressive in each passing day), Tomasz Adamek. Of course fights against Hopkins and Calzaghe would be interesting, but both seem to want to go in another direction.

9. Tomasz Adamek - 37 (25) - 1 - Perhaps the fighter on the best streak in boxing is Tomasz Adamek. After suffering his lone loss to Chad Dawson, Adamek jumped up to cruiserweight and emerged as an unstoppable wrecking ball. He dispatched former unified champion O'Neil Bell and then dispatched champion Steve Cunningham. Since, he knocked out Johnathon Banks seemingly out of nowhere, and a rematch with Cunningham awaits, as long as he accepts the challenge.

10. Vic Darchinyan - 32 (26) - 1 - 1 - After being knocked out against Nonito Donaire, the cocky Armenian went back to the gym and honed his craft. He returned with a crisp jab and enough head movement that the word "defense" can now be counted as being included in his vocabulary. A three fight win steak over Dmitri Kirillov, Cristian Mijares and Jorge Arce is as good as any active fighter's not named Tomasz Adamek. However, continuing to move up in weight and challenging the fighters at 122 lbs could be a case study in fatal hubris.

Bubble Fighters: Arthur Abraham, Ivan Calderon, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Lopez

The Reasons for Floyd Mayweather's Retirement

Mayweather's retirement drew much skepticism, not just for whether or not it would last but for the true reasons behind it. Some felt that Mayweather was merely biding his time, in Sugar Ray Leonard-esque fashion, to keep the rest of us guessing and anticipating his return. Others felt that Mayweather, a boxer since he could stand up on his own two feet, was tired of the sport and was completely secure with his legacy and accomplishments within it.

Still, many boxing fans felt that Mayweather was avoiding showdowns with some of the larger fighters in the welterweight division, fighters he would have had to have faced eventually if he was active. Fighters like Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams. Mayweather was also accused of avoiding Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley, despite the fact that at one point or another, Mayweather made offers to fight both of these men.

Who Would Floyd Mayweather Come out of Retirement to Fight?

If Floyd Mayweather were to return from his retirement to compete once again he would come back to an altered boxing landscape. The man seen as his career defining opponent, Miguel Cotto, lost his undefeated record in painful fashion to Antonio Margarito. Meanwhile, a new pound for pound champion emerged, dominating fighters in crowd pleasing fashion.

That man is Manny Pacquiao, and he bested Oscar De La Hoya in a far more destructive and enjoyable manner than Mayweather did with his ho-hum unanimous decision. A fight with Manny Pacquiao would be the logical choice for Mayweather, not only for financial reasons, but based on the match-up itself. The two most recent pound for pound champions squaring off, one a tremendously skilled defensive tactician and boxer, the other an offensive, come forward and brawl dynamo.

The match certainly sells it itself, and Mayweather's chances of success in the bout would be high. Manny Pacquiao has been out-boxed and contained by smaller and less skilled men than Floyd Mayweather. However, Pacquiao has both muscled up and improved his tactics since his last official loss (most observers felt Juan Manuel Marquez deserved the decision in their second match) and would have a speed advantage.

Also in Manny Pacquiao's favor would be the ring rust that Mayweather could possibly have after being out of the ring for such an extended time. Pacquiao would certainly be able to keep Mayweather out of his comfort zone in the early going. The question would be whether or not he would be able to maintain that, or if Mayweather would calmly figure him out and begin dissecting him, as he has done in the past against the likes of Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton and many others.

So will Floyd Mayweather stay Retired?

Mayweather has remained firm in his stance that he is indeed retired and the retirement is permanent. However, there have been rumors in a variety of outlets that Mayweather is already back into training and is simply biding his time to pick his return opponenet. Besides Manny Pacquiao, there would be the winner of the Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto rematch, or Shane Mosley if he were to beat the odds in his upcoming match against Margarito.

For our sakes, let's hope that Mayweather does return from his retirement. A Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao battle would make for a great night of boxing, and there is still unfinished business in the welterweight division that could turn Mayweather from a generational great to an all-time great.

This article by Jake Emen was also published on Associated Content.

Manny Pacquiao moved up to welterweight and dominated Oscar De La Hoya, Joe Calzaghe bested a faded Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins routed Kelly Pavlik in an upset and more. With all of those big names fighting, I'm sure there are some changes brewing in the pound for pound top 10 boxers list!

Let me also add that it is a great sign for boxing and the health of the boxing game, that the best in the business are staying active and for the most part are participating in meaningful matches. As boxing fans we know that isn't always the case.

Top 10 Pound for Pound Boxers December 2008

1. Manny Pacquiao - 48 (36) - 3 - 2

What can one say about the marvel that is Manny Pacquiao? Everyone, including myself, wrote him off against Oscar De La Hoya. Was De La Hoya way past his prime? Yes. Was he most likely drained from cutting down to welterweight for the first time in a decade? Yes. But nobody cited those things as reason for a loss beforehand, so they can't be taken for excuses after the fact.

Manny Pacquiao has stormed through the weight divisions, fighting just once at lightweight in capturing a title against overmatched David Diaz and then conquering and dismantling Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight in a way nobody else has before him. And that's what being the pound for pound best fighter in the world is all about, Manny Pacquiao bests men larger than he is through his unbridled energy and his unmatched heart and passion. While the rumors are that a Ricky Hatton match is in the works, there are two fights that we all should want to see more: Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao and Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III.

Find Manny Pacquiao memorabilia and merchandise here.

2. Joe Calzaghe - 46 (32) - 0

If you're an undefeated champion for a decade, coming off another victory where some in the boxing public doubted your chances, how do you fall down from the number one pound for pound spot to number 2? Well, Manny Pacquiao has been doing more than just winning; he has been invigorating the entire sport through his explosive fighting and his dynamic performances. Calzaghe may be set to call it quits, but if he really wants to establish himself as an all time great, the only fight for him is with undefeated young American Chad Dawson. Beating Dawson would propel Calzaghe back to the top of the pound for pound list, and he could retire in peace, legacy bolstered and secured. That fight, however, is unlikely to happen.

3. Juan Manuel Marquez - 49 (36) - 4 - 1

For most of his career, Juan Manuel Marquez has been the man left out of the picture. His fellow countrymen, in the same weight classes - Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera - rose to great fame, due in large part to their fights with each other and their avoidance of Marquez. It was not until his first fight, a draw, with Manny Pacquiao that Juan Manuel Marquez became a somewhat brighter name on the marquee. But here he is again, left out of the spotlight as Manny Pacquiao, the man most people feel that he beat in their second encounter, is breaching the threshold of superstardom.

What else can Marquez do? He chased Manny Pacquiao to lightweight, and won a decisive victory over a respected titleholder. Now that the Golden Egg (Oscar De La Hoya) is out of the way for Pacquiao, one would hope that the trilogy between these two great fighters can be completed. Until then, Marquez can further improve his standing by cleaning out the lightweight division.

4. Bernard Hopkins - 49 (32) - 5 - 1

The ageless wonder has just toppled then undefeated middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik over a lopsided 12 rounds in Atlantic City. The one question left in my mind is: Why, Bernard? Why do you try so hard and fight so effectively when you feel the world is against you, but disappoint and fail to show up at other times? After losing an ugly decision to Joe Calzaghe, in which he embarrassed himself by faking low blows in order to buy extra time to rest, Hopkins relished and thrived in the underdog role he acquired against the Youngstown native, as he took on the task of chopping him down a bit.

That he did, and while the fight was above Pavlik's best weight, the performance was one for the ages - the middle ages, the close to pension eligible ages, the rising health insurance premium ages - and yes, the boxing ages. But what's next? A rematch with Roy Jones, the only man Hopkins will admit to losing to (he has lost to three men since he lost his first professional fight), may satisfy his ego, but will do little to inspire mainstream interest, or my own.

5. Israel Vazquez - 43 (31) - 4

Vazquez has been taking some much deserved time off following his legendary and triumphant trilogy with Rafael Marquez. The looming question is how much did those amazing fights take out of the proud warrior? No fighter is immune to the effects of battle in the squared circle, and Vazquez has had more than his share of battles. A fourth match against Marquez is likely in the future, although the two men would be better off veering off in separate directions, at least for a bit.

6. Rafael Marquez - 37 (33) - 5

Marquez has also taken most of 2008 to recover from that memorable trilogy. Although Marquez came up short in the trilogy, he is the smaller man of the two and could have won every single bout with just a slight change of luck or tactics, or if not for a gutsy, all-century 12th round by Vazquez in their third meeting. But so it goes, and Marquez has nothing to be ashamed of. The super bantamweight division is extremely packed with talent, with not just these two great fighters, but rising star Juan Manuel Lopez (see below) and accomplished titleholder Celestino Caballero. So both Marquez and Vazquez have options on the table they could and should pursue. A fourth match between them will never go away, and so it can wait.

7. Paul Williams - 36 (27) - 1

Paul Williams is truly making a case for himself on the pound for pound list, in a similar fashion as Manny Pacquiao. Not being able to secure a large fight at welterweight, with Antonio Margarito seeking ways around a rematch with the man that previously beat him and Miguel Cotto needing to rebuild himself, Williams has been jumping around several weight classes. He moved up to middleweight and scored a knockout over a modest opponent and then went to junior middleweight and won a title from cagey veteran Verno Phillips.

Since his defeat to Carlos Quintana, Paul Williams seems to have found his stride, sitting down on his punches more and hurting opponents rather than merely outworking them. Can the guy please get a major fight in which he can further prove himself? He has shown he's willing to take on all comers, and in the process he's scared off any potential suitors, all of whom have taken a collective "I'll pass" on that dangerous option.

8. Antonio Margarito - 37 (27) - 5

Antonio Margarito destroyed Miguel Cotto this summer, but since has fallen under much of the same criticisms that he liked to lay on the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya and other top names in and around his division. Now a larger name himself, Margarito has avoided several tougher and more clamored for fights in favor of taking on Shane Mosley. Mosley is no slouch, but is very much on the downside of his career, without a big win in some time and having been beaten by Miguel Cotto, the man Margarito broke down so perfectly in their clash. If Margarito really wants the recognition of being the best welterweight fighter in the world, he cannot continue to avoid a rematch with Paul Williams, a fighter in his division, who beat him and has only continued to improve since.

9. Chad Dawson - 27 (17) - 0

Chad Dawson completely outclassed Antonio Tarver, but some of us knew that would happen all along. There are lingering concerns over his defense and his chin, but his offensive repertoire is nearly unmatched. Hand speed, power in both hands, flowing combinations, strong body punching, timing, unpredictability... there is nothing you can say is missing from Dawson's attack. After surviving against Glen Johnson and embarrassing Antonio Tarver, the two men against whom he could continue to make his mark are also aging or aged veterans as well, in fellow top 10 pound for pound members, Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins. Neither is likely to take on the huge risk and low reward showdown with Bad Chad though.

10. Juan Manuel Lopez - 24 (22) - 0

Some may feel that Juan Manuel Lopez, or JuanMa is still too unproven to be worthy of a pound for pound entrance. While he is still very young, he captured his title in destructive fashion and has since defended it several times. There has been some clamoring for a fight between him and division ruler Israel Vazquez. Unless Vazquez is officially shopworn following his Marquez wars, a step up that high this quickly could result in a loss for the still improving Lopez. The thing you have to love about JuanMa is not only the power of his punches, but the technical skill and relative ease with which he dishes them out. He could be a mainstay on the pound for pound list for quite sometime.

Fighters I ran out of room for: Arthur Abraham, Ivan Calderon, Miguel Cotto, Vic Darchinyan, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik

Check back in 2009, after the next batch of important contests, for an updated pound for pound list and the latest news on the best boxers in the world, including upcoming plans for Manny Pacquiao, the possible retirement of Oscar De La Hoya and the potential return to the ring for Floyd Mayweather Jr.

My original prediction was that Manny Pacquiao would win the first several rounds as De La Hoya adjusted to the unbridled speed of the smaller fighter. This proved to be true, but besides that, nothing from my prediction had any form of accuracy contained in it. For Manny Pacquiao proved to be a far superior fighter than Oscar De La Hoya, at least the 35 year old Oscar De La Hoya.

De La Hoya simply never had an answer to the speed and aggression of the Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao would easily wade in, moving side to side, and begin unleashing four and five punch combinations that pounded De La Hoya to the body and to the head. Oscar eventually ended up in the corners, desperately trying to cover up as Manny Pacquiao unleashed his fury.

This fight was viewed as a mismatch in the boxing community, and it turned out to be just that. However, the mismatch was in the opposite direction of what we predicted! Oscar De La Hoya simply did not seem to have anything left in the tank, and certainly not for such a powerful and effective offensive fighter as Manny Pacquiao.

Shockingly, Manny Pacquiao did not lose any speed or any power in his move up to welterweight from lightweight. This is a man who only fought once above 130 pounds prior to his fight with De La Hoya. He started his career at 106 pounds. Yet he was able to move comfortably up to welterweight and destroy a legend, who fought the likes of Felix Trinidad, Fernando Vargas, Ike Quartey and Bernard Hopkins. What does this mean for the current boxing landscape?

Among other things, this adds a stain to the resume of Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather, recognized as the pound for pound best fighter before his retirement, won a hard fought and relatively close decision over De La Hoya. Mayweather buckled De La Hoya once with a hard counter shot, but outside of that it was a relatively calm fight that was disputed only because of the lack of action. The fact that Manny Pacquiao could come up, only once having fought over 130 lbs, and destroy De La Hoya, lends serious doubts to the status and credibility of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Sure, styles make fights, and triangle theories never work in boxing. If you're new to the sport what that boils down to is that if Fighter A beats Fighter B and Fighter C beats Fighter A, it doesn't guarantee Fighter C will beat Fighter B. Different styles have more effectiveness over different opponents, and you can say at this stage of Oscar De La Hoya's career that Manny Pacquiao's speed was purely too much for De La Hoya too handle. But the complete and shocking ease with which he disposed of the icon has to stand for something.

Will Mayweather come out of retirement to face Manny Pacquiao?

The fight that has to be made now, is not between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton, but rather it is between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. The last two men to beat Oscar De La Hoya, and the last two pound for pound boxers on the planet, these two seem destined to meet in an epic showdown. The only question is if there is enough money on the table to lure Mayweather out of retirement. Knowing the competitive nature of Floyd Mayweather, I think he will feel the need to come out of his undefeated retirement and take on a new challenge, the power punching, dynamite fast, welterweight fighter named Manny Pacquiao.

I am lost for words in the ease that Pacquiao disposed of Oscar De La Hoya. And now I just hope that Pacquiao and Mayweather will meet in the ring and settle their dispute once and for all. The last two pound for pound kings in a battle to determine the best fighter of their generation, now that's a fight I would buy. Let's hope for it. Goodbye Oscar De La Hoya, you served your time in the spotlight, and you've ceded it now to Manny Pacquiao, who has earned it in every possible way.

So what does pound for pound even mean? For the non-boxing fan out there, it means disregard weight class, who is the best fighter in the business, paying no mind to his size or stature. Pound for pound is not about who would beat everybody else in a fight, it’s if everybody was the same size, who would win in a fight. Who has the most skills? The most all-around game? The pound for pound champion is a guy who can climb weight classes and beat guys bigger than he is, because he is more talented.

The pound for pound king for several years was Floyd Mayweather, Jr. However, Mayweather has placed himself into an early retirement, turning down an extremely lucrative offer to once again fight Oscar De La Hoya. Whether or not the retirement of Mayweather is permanent, until he fights again and stays active, he has to be off of the pound for pound list. Without his addition, here’s the top 10 pound for pound boxers in the game right now.

1. Joe Calzaghe – 45 (32) - 0

Joe Calzaghe is coming off a clear decision victory over Bernard Hopkins and prior to that, a clear victory over undefeated challenger Mikkel Kessler. He didn’t truly make his name with the American public until his trouncing of Jeff Lacy, but he has been an undefeated champion for a decade. While less spectacular than Manny Pacquiao, the recent big names on his resume and the ease of his victories places him in the number one spot. A bout with former pound for pound king Roy Jones Jr. is on the schedule next.

2. Manny Pacquiao – 47 (35) - 3 - 1
Manny Pacquiao may seem like the obvious choice for pound for pound king. He has climbed (and is continuing to climb) multiple weight classes, taking on almost all challengers along the way. He knocks people out and is an explosive athletic specimen. However, his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez left more questions than answers. In a rematch over a previous draw, a large majority of fans and observers had Marquez winning the bout, while Manny Pacquiao left with the official judges’ verdict. Next, Manny Pacquiao might move up to welterweight to challenge Oscar De La Hoya.

3. Juan Manuel Marquez – 48 (35) - 4 - 1
Marquez gets this high on the list for his handling of Manny Pacquiao. In their first encounter he survived three knockdowns in the first round to get a draw, while many feel that he won. In the second bout, years later, nearly everybody thought Marquez bested Pacquiao. He has moved up to lightweight, following Pacquiao’s ascension and hopes to meet him for a third time. Next up for Juan Manuel is a shot at lightweight champion Joel Casamayor.

4. Israel Vazquez – 43 (31) - 4
Israel Vazquez is coming off the thrilling trilogy he had against Rafael Marquez. Willing the bout in his direction with raging and climactic 12th round against his rival, Vazquez won two of the three fights. The two have forever cemented their legacies in boxing lore with their performances in those encounters. A possible fourth bout between the two warriors looms ahead, while Vazquez may take on upstart Juan Manuel Lopez in a battle between future star and current champion.

5. Rafael Marquez – 37 (33) - 5
Marquez lost two of the three fights against Israel Vazquez, however in all three he proved himself to be a superior technician and a diehard warrior. It was Marquez who moved up in weight to challenge Vazquez and with everything else so close to equal between the two, the extra size and strength was ultimately what enabled Vazquez to prevail in their epic struggles.

6. Antonio Margarito – 37 (27) - 5
Coming off an emphatic destruction of presumed number one welterweight Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito now has finally earned his way to the top spot in his division. While he is clamoring for the financial windfall that accompanies any fight with Oscar De La Hoya, he has unfinished business to take care of in the form of a 6’2” welterweight named Paul Williams who defeated him just last summer. You get what you expect from Margarito, an iron chin, a high work rate and a come forward, the winner is the last man standing mentality.

7. Kelly Pavlik – 34 (30) - 0
The undefeated middleweight champion (who happens to rarely fight at middleweight these days), Kelly Pavlik might not look like much. Pavlik is lanky and balding, and doesn’t appear to have much speed or creativity in the ring. What he does have is a tower of power and punches in bunches (doing my best Clyde Frazier impersonation). Pavlik is extremely heavy handed, and his speed and form are quicker and sharper, respectively, than they usually appear. He knocked out undefeated and undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor – after earning the right to face him by destroying challenger Edison Miranda – then won the rematch with a decision. Next up is Bernard Hopkins and hopefully a showdown with Arthur Abraham.

8. Paul Williams – 34 (25) -1
To be the man, you have to beat the man, but unfortunately for Paul Williams his timing is all wrong. He won a hard fought showdown against Antonio Margarito last summer however he then lost his title in a lackluster performance in his first defense. He avenged his loss to Carlos Quintana via 1st round knockout, but has been vaulted over in the welterweight standings by Margarito. That’s because Miguel Cotto was the man when Margarito knocked him out, but when Williams beat Margarito, Margarito was not yet the top dog in the division. Paul Williams will have to wait for a rematch against Margarito for a chance to earn himself the number one welterweight spot.

9. Miguel Cotto – 32 (26) - 1
Miguel Cotto didn’t suffer too much in his loss to Antonio Margarito (at least not in the pound for pound rankings, inside the ring, Miguel Cotto suffered a great deal from Margarito’s thudding attack). Miguel Cotto had everything going for him in that fight, he was the quicker man, arguably the heavier puncher, he had better boxing technique and he was riding sky high with an undefeated record. But in Margarito he found a behemoth of a welterweight who could take his shots and dish it back out. Ultimately, Cotto crumbled to Margarito’s pressure and the question that remains is how he will recover both physically and mentally from that fight.

10. Chad Dawson – 26 (17) - 0
Chad Dawson has all of the tools of a pound for pound champion in the making. He has the speed, the power and the explosive athleticism. The only question is if his chin will stay together long enough to get him there, or if his defense can improve enough to keep that chin out of the line of fire. His victory over champion Tomasz Adamek came easily, but his title defense against Glen Johnson proved extremely difficult. Next up is Roy Jones Jr. conqueror Antonio Tarver in another fight that should test Dawson’s mettle—and chin.

Rounding out the rest of the top 25 after the top 10 pound for pound boxers (alphabetical order) – Arthur Abraham, Ivan Calderon, Nate Campbell, Steve Cunningham, Oscar De La Hoya, Joan Guzman, David Haye, Bernard Hopkins, Chris John, Mikkel Kessler, Christian Mijares, Fernando Montiel, Shane Mosley, Jermain Taylor, Winky Wright

Boxing fans stay tuned, an updated pound for pound list is coming your way soon! Following the loss of Kelly Pavlik, the return of Bernard Hopkins to glory, a dominating Chad Dawson performance and more, the list will certainly be shaken up!