FIGHT GAME 's Pound for Pound List
By FIGHT GAME Editors
In boxing, there is no more prestigious title than being the "pound-for-pound" best. This means, in essence, you are the best fighter under any conditions and also the best fighter out of any other weight division. After weeks of heavy debating, FIGHT GAME brings you its top twenty "pound for pound" list featuring Australian fighters.
The beauty of the pound-for-pound list is that the entire thing is fantasy. Everyone can have their own interpretation of what it means. No one is right, no one is wrong. While divisional rankings play themselves out in the ring over and over again, most fighters on the pound-for-pound list will never get in the ring together at their optimal weight class.
This will be the place to check on all the latest news and happenings involving any of the fighters rated in the top twenty.
1. Vic Darchinyan, (35-2-1, 27 KO's)
Darchinyan survived at times what was a life and death battle with tough Filipino Eric Barcelona. Although, Darchinyan scored three knockdowns, Barcelona made Darchinyan fight for every inch in what is so far is the Australian fight of the year. With the win Darchinyan picked up the IBO bantamweight title.
Next: TBA.
2. Michael Katsidis, (27-2, 22 KO's)
Katsidis showed why he is rated as one of the leading men in the lightweight division with a frenzied third round assault that stopped the unbeaten Kevin Mitchell. The always-fun to watch Katsidis boxed patiently, picked his shots and less than three rounds into the fight, it paid dividends with a stoppage victory.
Next: TBA.
3. Danny Green, (30-3, 27 KO's)
A clearly frustrated Green said that he would make the returning Paul Briggs for coming in three kilograms over the agreed 84 kg weight. Green wasn’t given the opportunity to do so, felling Briggs with the second punch landed which was a glancing jab that only fractionally landed on Briggs who was counted out. Next?
Next: TBA.
4. Anthony Mundine, (38-3, 23 KO's)
Mundine who turned down a chance to fight Gennady Golovkin for the interim WBA middleweight title, will now step down to light-middleweight when he faces yet another incapable Argentine in Carlos Adan Yerez. The fight will allegedly be for the WBA International light-middleweight title which already has a champion.
Next: June 30th vs Carlos Adan Yerez.
5. Daniel Geale, (23-1, 14 KO's)
After a cautious start to the fight, Geale landed solid shots with ease on Kariuki, as he repeatedly pummeled Kariuki en route to an eleventh-round stoppage victory; with the win Geale earnt the vacant IBF Pan Pacific super-middleweight title. An odd decision made by Geale as he was rated IBF #7 as a middleweight.
Next: TBA.
6. Sakio Bika, (28-3-2, 19 KO's)
After such a dry run in terms of fights, it had to be a matter of time until Bika finally had some luck fall his way; enter Golden Boy Promotions. Bika’s new promoter have added him to their already stacked super-card headlined by the Marquez-Diaz rematch. Bika will fight Jean Paul Mendy in an IBF title eliminator.
Next: July 31st vs Jean Paul Mendy.
7. Lovemore Ndou, (47-11-2, 31 KO's)
Ndou will defend his IBO welterweight title for the third time in enemy territory when he fights South Africa’s talented WBF light-middleweight champion Bongani Mwelase. Mwelase has a good pedrigree and is undefeated in 18 fights, he was also a gold medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Next: September 18th vs Bongani Mwelase.
8. Sam Soliman, (38-11, 16 KO's)
Soliman continued his recent run of knockouts when he stopped overmatched former sparring partner Shannon McMahon in eleven rounds. Soliman dominated McMahon, knocking him down four times before the fight was waved off. Another great win for Soliman who appears to have plenty left in him.
Next: TBA.
9. Lenny Zappavigna, (24-0, 16 KO's)
Zappavigna came through his first hit-out since the tough Angulo fight relatively unscaved, knocking out overmatched Indonesian Billy Sumba with a signature left-handed assault on the Jeff Fenech and The Empire co-promoted card. Zappavigna’s next fight will be an IBO lightweight title defence in the US.
Next: TBA.
10. Wale Omotoso, (17-0, 15 KO's)
Once again, Omotoso proved too strong for another Thai import, knocking Kiatchai Singwancha out cold with a devastating left hook. With the win, Omotoso picked up the IBF Pan Pacific Youth title and his eight successive knockout victory. The win was also his twelfth knockout within four rounds.
Next: TBA.
11. Naoufel Ben Rabah, (30-3, 15 KO's)
For the second successive fight, Chocolata showed that he is more than a class above almost every other welterweight/light-welterweight in the country. Rabah easily outpointed and was unlucky to not have stopped Rey Anton Olarte. Olarte had given fighters such as Zappavigna, Gostelow and Colomban very tough fights.
Next: TBA.
12. Ranee Ganoy, (30-11-2, 26 KO's)
Ganoy easily dispatched former IBF World Youth light-welterweight champion Decha Bankluagym in two one sided rounds on the Pittman-Kwadjo undercard on Fox Sports. Ganoy has now won his last five fights by knockout. Let's hope to see Ganoy in a regional title fight sooner rather than later in 2010.
Next: TBA.
13. Daniel Dawson, (34-2, 24 KO's)
Dawson was unsuccessful in his challenge for the WBO light-middleweight title against champion Sergiy Dzinziruk, being outclassed and eventually stopped by the undefeated Ukrainian in his sixth defense of his title. Credit must be given to Dawson as he took all Dzinziruk's shots and wasn't knocked down.
Next: TBA.
14. Jackson Asiku, (26-3, 14 KO's)
Jackson Asiku scored one of the biggest wins of his career when he knocked out respected Mexican Heriberto Ruiz for the IBO featherweight title. Ruiz went into the fight having fought some of the division’s best, but Ruiz had no answer for Asiku’s power. Three heavy knockdowns were scored before it was stopped.
Next: TBA.
15. Tim Bell, (18-5-1, 13 KO's)
After head-trainer Keith Ellis suffered a stroke, Bell will now fight under the tutelage of celebrated Australian warhorse Jeff Malcolm. Bell will make the fourth defense of his PABA light-heavyweight title against former stable mate Joel Casey in what is rumoured to be a warm-up for a much bigger fight.
Next: August 8th vs Joel Casey.
16. Billy Dib, (27-1, 15 KO's)
Dib was lucky to escape his fight with Vacharakrit Senahan without a disqualification loss when Dib viciously hit Senahan after he was knocked down. Senahan was literally sitting on the canvas when Dib intentionally threw an illegal punch that in reality should have got him immediately disqualified.
Next: TBA.
17. Rob Medley, (28-3, 18 KO's)
Medley returned to the light-middleweight division for the first time since being defeated by Anthony Mundine with an underwhelming third-round knockout over incapable Argentine import Sergio Leonides Aparicio. it appeared only a matter of time until the fight would be stopped and it was after three rounds.
Next: TBA.
18. Lance Gostelow, (20-2, 14 KO's)
Gostelow will make his first appearance for the year when he faces highly touted Indonesian Daudy Bahari in a WBO light-welterweight title eliminator. The fight will be the semi-main event to Will Tomlinson’s IBO super-featherweight title challenge when boxing returns to One HD in August.
Next: August 4th vs Daudy Bahari.
19. Solomon Egberime, (20-3, 10 KO's)
Egberime, who had not lost a fight in almost six years was soundly beaten by the returning Naoufel Ben Rabah in a rematch of their 2003 fight on the Green-Siaca undercard. Egberime had looked great in previous fights but had no answer for Rabah’s hand speed and at times incredible head movement.
Next: TBA.
20. Ryan Waters, (20-2-2, 12 KO's)
Waters successfully defended his unified WBO light-middleweight regional titles with a clear points win over former Australian champion Garry Comer. Comer came to fight, however it was the more active Waters who clearly led the fight from start to finish. Waters will next appear on the One HD card in August.
Next: TBA.
