27.05.07 – By James Slater: The big bill at the Fed-Ex Forum in Memphis last week certainly stirred up a lot of alternate opinions regarding the middleweight division we have today. In particular, Jermain Taylor, in his defence against light middleweight fighter, Cory Spinks, drew tons of criticism.
And deservedly so. While at the same time the unbeaten Ohio fighter, Kelly Pavlik, gained a whole lot of well earned praise for both his taking on of the extremely dangerous Columbian puncher in Edison Miranda, and his knockout victory of the same man. We just do not know who the best 160 pound fighter in the world is now, do we? Winky Wright, judged by most to be the best at middleweight, instead engages in a catch-weight fight with all-time great Bernard Hopkins in July.
While Arthur Abraham – last night seen destroying the unbeaten, yet unproven, Sebastian Demers in three rounds, Felix Sturm (beaten by Oscar De La Hoya, of course) and Jermain Taylor, make up today’s collection of world champions in one of boxing’s most prestigious and traditional weight divisions. So, who are the ten best in the world right now at 160 pounds?
Here, with no axe to grind at all, I give my choices for the ten best in the world today at 160 pounds.
1. Winky Wright. Record: 51-3-1 (25) Last fight: W12 Ike Quartey
2. Arthur Abraham. Record: 23-0 (18) Last fight: KO 3 Sebastian Deners
3. Kelly Pavlik. Record: 31-0 (28) Last fight: KO 7 Edison Miranda
4. Jermain Taylor. Record: 27-0-1 (17) Last fight: W12 Cory Spinks
5. Felix Sturm. Record: 27-2 (12) Last fight: W12 Javier Castillejo
6. Edison Miranda. Record: 28-2 (24) Last fight: KO By 7 Kelly Pavlik
7. Javier Castillejo. Record: 62-7 (41) Last fight: L12 Felix Sturm
8. Amin Asikainen. Record: 21-0 (15) Last fight: KO 6 Martinis Kukulus
9. Sergio Mora. Record: 19-0 (4) Last fight: W10 Eric Regan
10. Mariano Natalio Carrera. Record: 30-4 (21) Last fight: KO 4 Oney Valdez