We assess the current state of world boxing and pick our 10 best fighters on the international scene.
In any era it is natural to compare the ability of fighters and list them in terms of greatness.
This is our attempt to gauge the relative talent of today's active boxers and place them in order of merit, based on their performances over the past 12 months.
Our pound-for-pound ratings will be updated on a regular basis, providing food for thought and much debate!
There is no change after Floyd Mayweather cemented his position at the top while there was nothing new in Wladimir Klitschko's victory over Francesco Pianeta.
As ever, we want your views, so please leave your comments in the box below...
1.Floyd Mayweather
From: United States
Age: 36
Division: Welterweight
Record: 44-0
Few could argue about the number one choice, who remains undefeated and largely untouched in a 44-fight career. Dominant at welterweight, Floyd is also a two-time and current light-middleweight title holder after beating a peak-form Miguel Cotto. A five-weight world champion in all, 'Money' dropped back down to his regular weight class to see off Robert Guerrero and remain the WBC's champion at 147. It was another dominant performance from the best in the world but the question, as ever, is who he fights next on September 14. Will he move up again to take on Saul Alvarez or remain on easy street?
2.Andre Ward
From: United States
Age: 29
Division: Super-middleweight
Record: 26-0
The self-styled 'Son of God' comes in second owing to his domination of a stacked super-middleweight division. Stylish victories over Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch have seen the American clean up at 168lb, with only his lack of marketability holding him back in the superstar stakes. Chad Dawson - a genuine P4P contender - came down from light-heavy to challenge Ward but hardly won a round, S.O.G putting him down three times before the referee stopped it in the 10th round. He shares a similar problem to Mayweather in that there are not many around to offer a serious challenge.
3.Sergio Martinez
From: Argentina
Age: 38
Division: Middleweight
Record: 51-2-2
'Maravilla' served a lengthy apprenticeship in his native Argentina before stepping up to middleweight, where he has etched his name as a future Hall of Famer. Two fights with Paul Williams was where he finally gained recognition, losing a 12-round war before scoring a vengeful second round knockout in the return with a victory over Kelly Pavlik sandwiched in between for good measure. British pair Darren Barker and Matthew Macklin were both competitive for 11 rounds but it was the victory over Julio Cesar Chavez that secured his legacy. A slight favourite beforehand, Sergio dominated 'Junior' for 11 rounds before being tagged and seriously hurt in the final session. He got through it - somehow - to remain the man to beat at 160lb, and against Martin Murray did just enough in his latest title defence. However, at 38 how much is left in the tank?
4.Wladimir Klitschko
From: Ukraine
Age: 37
Division: Heavyweight
Record: 60-3
Heavyweights, perhaps more than any other, are defined by their era and sadly for 'Dr Steelhammer' his is undeniably a poor one. Since his defence was shored up and his suspect chin protected, Wlad has been imperious in collecting each and every belt going bar the WBC title held by big brother Vitali. Victories over former cruiserweight bosses David Haye and Jean-Marc Mormeck demonstrated just how difficult it is to come to terms with the 6ft 6in brute from Kiev. Technically gifted with a piston for a jab and a jack-hammer for a right, Klitschko continues to dispatch sub-standard opponents with aplomb. It's a shame that only his brother shapes up to Wlad in terms of size and stature - although a new brigade of huge heavys, arguably headed by Tyson Fury, are waiting in the wings.
5.Juan Manuel Marquez
From: Mexico
Age: 39
Division: Light-welterweight
Record: 55-6-1
A four-weight world champion (if you count the latest WBO interim' strap), the career of 'Dinamita' will be defined by what must surely end as a quadrilogy with Manny Pacquiao. In their first three fights, Marquez had only a draw to show for his efforts despite many critics giving the Mexican all three verdicts. But despite being six years his senior, we had already argued Marquez was holding his form better. A lop-sided defeat to the much-bigger Mayweather in '09 aside, he had dispatched Juan Diaz, Michael Katsidis and kept busy with a shutout win against Serhiy Fedchenko for that WBO bauble at 140lb. We felt a clear-cut win against Pacquiao would see him jump above his old rival in the rankings - and that's exactly what we got! Marquez will feel his stunning knockout erases the memory of the results that went before, and why not.
6.Nonito Donaire
From: Phillipines
Age: 30
Division: Super-bantamweight
Record: 31-2
Rarely do the 'little guys' get their dues in the big picture but surely the 'Filipino Flash' is worthy of a high rating after tearing through four weight classes in as many highly active years. Manny Pacquiao's successor is willing to take on all-comers, rarely backing away from a challenge. This proved his undoing when he faced the two-time Olympic champion and undefeated pro Guillermo Rigondeaux in his latest outing. Against a style that was all wrong for Donaire, the defence-minded Cuban edged a unanimous points verdict that sent the 30-year-old to his first loss since he was defeated on his second pro bout. However, despite being unable to solve this riddle Donaire stays in the list and we expect him to remain among the elite when he steps up in weight again later in 2013 having apparently struggled to make 122lb.
7.Timothy Bradley
From: United States
Age: 29
Division: Light-welterweight
Record: 30-0
Whatever 'Desert Storm' does in the ring he divides opinion, and it was still the case after securing a thrilling if narrow victory over Ruslan Provodnikov. Bradley had found it difficult to find a suitable opponent after his controversial win over Manny Pacquiao last summer, but nine months on he won over fight fans by getting off the canvas to beat the heavy-handed Russian. Previously swerved by fans and TV executives alike for his less-than-thrilling style, Bradley opted to mix it with Provodnikov despite being hurt in the first two rounds and again in the 12th. The fight of the year candidate will surely see the American's stock rise and secure further big-money contests in the future, with Juan Manuel Marquez slated as his next opponent.
8.Manny Pacquiao
From: Phillipines
Age: 34
Division: welterweight
Record: 54-5-2
Pac Man has been in more big fights than Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray combined, but at 34 the once dominant Filipino is now looking shop-worn. Not since he re-arranged the face of Antonio Margarito in 2010 have we seen the Pacquiao of old - victories over a shot Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez (contentious - again) proved little, while a highly controversial defeat to Timothy Bradley was later overturned by a WBO panel. But it was the fourth meeting with Marquez that told us how far Manny has slipped from the days when he scorched through the divisions taking out many big names on the way. And while Manny was a round up on all the cards the fact he walked onto a massive right hand suggests his star is very much on the wane. He will face American hardman Brandon Rios later this year.
9.Saul Alvarez
From: Mexico
Age: 22
Division: Light-middleweight
Record: 42-0-1
The Mexican sensation swept back into the list following his unanimous points victory over Austin Trout in April, earning him another world title belt in the process. It was a fight that 'Canelo' had to take to prove himself amongst the world elite after several title defences that did little to appease his critics. He can only do that against a higher level of opponent after 43 pro contests the time is now for the precocious 22-year-old. Against Trout he refused to be overawed as he stuck to a tight defence while landing the greater number of power shots against a tidy southpaw. It was a mature performance that whets the appetite for bigger fights to come.
10.Guillermo Rigondeaux
From: Cuba
Age: 32
Division: Super-bantamweight
Record: 12-0
The exiled Cuban makes his first appearance in the list following his decisive victory over Donaire in April. The two-time Olympic champion had won a world title in only his seventh pro fight but he was the underdog heading into the unification scrap with Donaire. However, the southpaw was all wrong for the Filipino and won the purists over - if not true fight fans - with a clinical display that saw him down in the 10th round. Rigondeaux won few supporters with this win and it remains to be seen if he will be able to advance up the list with other champions likely to avoid him like the plague.
