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Staff at the BBC Sport website have banged their heads together and compiled a list of the world's top-10 boxers, pound-for-pound. Taking weight out of the equation, this subjective list factors in fighters' recent results, as well as their style, resilience and punching power. The list will be updated periodically and should be treated as a talking point. Let the debate begin!
POUND-FOR-POUND TOP 10
1. Manny Pacquiao - Welterweight
Philippines (50-3-2, 38KOs)
Pacquiao destroyed Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas to cement his place at the top of the pound-for-pound tree. Floyd Mayweather should be next, and what a fight that could be.
2. Floyd Mayweather - Welterweight
United States (40-0, 25KOs)
'Pretty Boy' returned from a 21-month hiatus with a bang, outclassing Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas to raise the prospect of a mouth-watering clash with Manny Pacquiao.
3. Bernard Hopkins - Light-heavyweight
United States (50 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw, 32KOs)
Hopkins is still churning out wins six years shy of his 50th birthday, and now wants to fight Britain's world heavyweight champion David Haye. Fellow American Chad Dawson is more likely.
4. Shane Mosley - Welterweight
United States (46-5, 39KOs)
Mosley outclassed Antonio Margarito at the age of 37 and will fight young pretender and WBC champion Andre Berto in January. No-one will be surprised if the old man comes out on top.
5. Juan Manuel Marquez - Lightweight
Mexico (50-5-1, 37KOs)
Marquez was destroyed by the returning Floyd Mayweather in September, but size was clearly a factor. Ricky Hatton says Marquez is top of his wish list, that fight could happen in 2010.
6. Miguel Cotto - Welterweight
Puerto Rico (34-2, 27KOs)
Was demolished by Manny Pacquiao, and the suspicion is he has been damaged goods since his defeat by Antonio Margarito, who was subsequently banned, last year.
7. Paul Williams - Middleweight
United States (38-1, 27KOs)
Williams was involved in one of the best fights of 2009 against Sergio Martinez, and surely two-belt world champion and fellow American Kelly Pavlik must be next.
8. Israel Vazquez - Super-bantamweight
Mexico (44-4, 32KOs)
Vazquez reclaimed his WBC belt from Rafael Marquez in 2007 and nicked the rubber last March. Guess what? He's fighting Marquez for a fourth time in May.
9. Chad Dawson - Light-heavyweight
United States (29-0, 17KOs)
What Dawson lacks in box-office, he makes up for in ring smarts. Beat former world champions Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson in 2009 - surely Bernard Hopkins is next?
10. Juan Manuel Lopez - Featherweight
Puerto Rico (27-0, 24KOs)
The unbeaten former super-bantamweight world champion has amassed a formidable record and he will step up to challenge WBO featherweight champ Steven Luevano in January.
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