Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:29 pm EST
Fighters of the decade
Follow Martin Rogers on Twitter at @mrogersyahoo
Yahoo! Sports' decade in review takes to the ring for a series of boxing-related top-fives.
Next up is fighters of the decade – and if you even think about arguing that the decade doesn't really end until next year then we're going to send Pacman 'round to have some harsh words. Watch out.
5. Juan Manuel Marquez
Marquez has put together a spectacular decade, racking up 20 victories while operating mainly at the elite world level.
His only defeats have come against Chris John in Indonesia, Manny Pacquiao and a much bigger Floyd Mayweather, with the Pacquiao defeat subject to a contentious points decision.
He also fought to a draw with Pacquiao in their classic 2004 encounter and has been a regular presence near the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
4. Bernard Hopkins
It is amazing to consider that 10 years ago Hopkins was already considered to be in the twilight of his career.
Years of successfully defending his IBF middleweight title had not garnered him widespread recognition – but that all changed in September 2001 when he cut down Felix Trinidad at Madison Square Garden to become the undisputed champion.
His middleweight reign, which included a spectacular body-shot knockout of Oscar De La Hoya, was brought to an end by two defeats to Jermain Taylor, but even into his 40s Hopkins was far from finished, punishing then-rising star Kelly Pavlik with a superb display in 2008.
3. Joe Calzaghe
Calzaghe came into the 2000s already a champion as holder of the WBO super middleweight title, and he continued his dominance before retiring undefeated at the end of 2008.
His last three fights were the ones that defined his career – a unification bout with Mikkel Kessler, and trips to America to beat Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.
Calzaghe's conditioning and work ethic were second to none, although he was criticized in some quarters for not testing himself in the States earlier in his career.
2. Manny Pacquiao
Just a few months before the turn of the decade, Pacquiao was fighting at 112 lbs and the boxing world could not imagine the future impact he would have on the sport.
He has risen through the divisions to win officially sanctioned belts in five divisions while being considered champion in seven, and elevated himself to the level of genuine superstar by trouncing Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.
Pacquiao drew with Agapito Sanchez in 2001, with Marquez in 2004 and lost a tight decision to Erik Morales in 2005. Apart from those setbacks, he has put together a perfect decade. No man has had a greater impact on boxing in the past two years.
1. Floyd Mayweather
No fighter has owned the 2000s like the Pretty Boy, whose sublime boxing skills have protected his perfect record and established him as the sport's leading star.
That status has come under threat thanks to the emergence of Pacquiao, and a 2010 bout between those two could be one for the ages.
Mayweather announced his retirement after beating Ricky Hatton in December 2007, but that was short-lived and he is back to cement his legacy.
Criticism that he has failed to fight the best out there persists, yet no one can question Mayweather's ability, with exceptional defense and phenomenal hand speed.
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814 Comments
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Now, here we go again... Mayweather is #1 Fighter of the Decade followed by Pacquiao at #2.
Something is definitely awry with Martin Rogers to think this way without due regard to Pacquiao's emergence as that man, discountling in the process Pacquiao's 7 titles in 7 weight classes, the first of its kind in thehistory of boxing!!!!
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By the way, the decade ends this year. This decade started 2000 and ends 2009. The next decade starts in 2010 and ends in 2019. Just like when you say "1980's," you are actually saying from 1980 to 1989, not 1981 to 1990 because 1990 is the start of 1990's.
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However that being said, the decade does not end until the end of 2010....We cannot rule out the possibility of Manny Paquiao snatching it from PBF....The PBF vs. Pacman match in 2010 will determine who is Fighter of the Decade is....
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So whatever Martin Rogers is trying to imply with the end of the decade debate....The argument Martin is presenting here is that the decade either goes from (0 to 9)....or.... (1 to 10)....Martin Rogers is probably patting himself on the shoulder for this one thinking that we bloggers will argue over when the decade ends...
The millenium officially began at 2001 right along with the 21st century and this decade....
Keep in mind...there is one thing I forgot to mention concerning Fighter of the Decade....Is that PBF was inactive for for 21 months....I am not sure if that would have any bearing on PBF's current status as Fighter of the Decade....according to Yahoo....
Besides Yahoo....there is The Ring's Fighter of the Decade yet to be determined...and I would put their assessment on who the Fighter of the Decade is anyday over Yahoo....Why.??...Because Yahoo's writers were too fickle when naming PBF # 1 P4P a couple of months ago....
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I was out in the wilderness with my ex-girlfriend camping over a nice warm fire when all the celebrating was going on...The so-called millenium party was not important to me....I prefer to keep it simple.... like I would with the decimal system...There are 9 digits to deal with...and the "0" being the " threshold " that bridges the "gap"...or 10.....Once to the other side of this "bridge" or "threshold".....We begin at "1"....
I can only imagine what the debate was in the year of..."0 "....!!!....That is...if there was a year.."Zero"...
After the "nineth year is complete...then we have this "zero thing" to deal with...before we reach...."One"....
Pretty cumbersome ehh..??!!...
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Don't bother challenging me on the math. The years don't start at 0, they start at 1 AD. When you count, you start with 1 and go to 10. That's how years work.
On Mayweather over Pacquiao, Pacquiao's had a stronger last four years but Mayweather's been on top the entire time except during his retirement/sabbaticals. Pacquiao is actually following in Mayweather's footprints.
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A decade usually starts in "0" year and end in "9" year say 1980- 1989, 1990-1999 and 2000-2009 and son on. But it can also be used to represent or specify any period of ten years.
And if we can note that the first year started at "0" year and that means started at "0" second, "0" minute and "0" hour, "0" day, "0" week and so on until we reach 364 days whch is still "0" year and until we reach 365 days when we have a full one year! It is about time. When we see our watch or clock all starts at "0" seconds until we 60 seconds to have a minute. Example is that t 59 seconds is still 0'0"59'" until have a minute, an hour or a day. Or "0" year, 364 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds.
I hope this will help.
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But others may used decades in any other form as long as we are talking of any 10-year period.
Now, again Yahoosports want to be the bible of boxing. We should wait how Ring Magazine, the old bible of sports of boxing would have to say. I keep my fingers crossed that they would have Pacquiao as its boxer of the dacade from 2000-2009 for winning three (3) Fighter of the Year Awards in 2006, 2008 and 2009; amd 2006 and 2008 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year Award.
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Anyway, as the writer and yahoosports were using and suggesting that the decade is between 2000-2009.
So we have to wait for Ring Magazine's story who will be its Fighter of the Decade.
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(1) Everybody celebrated January 1, 2000 as the start of the new millenium-- the start of the new millenium is also the start of the new decade. How can one start the new millenium and suspend the start of the decade later after one year?
(2) Ending the decade next year would add one more year for a total of 11 years to wit; 1. 2000 - start of the millenium; automatically, the decade starts here too 2. 2001 3. 2002 4. 2003 5. 2004 6. 2005 7. 2006 8. 2007 9. 2008 10. 2009 11. 2010
(3) Although mathematically we start counting from 1 to 10, this will not apply when dealing with years, decades, centuries and milleniums. TV networks, magazines, government agencies, business and all other public, private and other bodies find it easier to use the 0 to 9 counting when it comes to decades, centuries, etc. If you remember it well, TV networks and magazines would traditionally start airing their decade-reports every 9s of the decade like 1979 for 1970s, 1989 for 1980s, 1999 for 1990's. In fact, you will see a lot of news now about "Flopped Movies of the Decade," Supermodel of the Decade, etc. because it's 2009 and easier to group the years in this manner;
(4) Ending the decade next year would leave year 2000 unaccounted for if we mathematically start the decade beginning 2001 up to 2010;
(5) Mathematics is a perfect science but it is not absolute-- for example: if I was born in 1970, would I say that I belong in the 60s because mathematically, decade 60's starts in 1961 and ends in 1970?
(6) This fighter of the decade is no better than the fighter of the year recognition. The ultimate crowning glory for Pacquiao and Mayweather are their places in the all time greats list which is irrelevant as to who wins the fighter of the decade nor as to when the decade ends. So better declare the fighter of the decade now, let them fight next year and history will do the rest.
Enrique, Julyfirehorse, Sly, Sam, Banana, Davidghi, etc., I'm not trying to be confrontational here. Just stating the facts about how we sometimes deviate from the strict mathematical rules when counting years, decades, etc to arrive into an easier bracket of references.
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But I am still waiting for the Ring Magazine publish report on this matter " Fighter of the Decade" thing.
YahooSports had it 2000-2009 as the decade to wit. I hope Pacquiao will have his name in front of Ring Magazine's choice, considering it had made Pacquiao as its Fighter of the Year in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Soon enough will be the best thing to do for Ring Magazine.
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