Rankings: Top promoters
The 30 boxing writers who participated in the February Yahoo! Sports boxing poll voted for 23 different fighters who represent 10 different promoters.
Ex-super middleweight and light heavyweight champion Joe Calzaghe was ineligible for the poll, since he announced his retirement before the voting commenced, which means there's a new name at No. 2.
And given that fighters are ineligible to be voted upon if they're inactive for more than a year, and if they're on suspension, that means that in the March poll, No. 3 Israel Vazquez and No. 6 Rafael Marquez will fall out for inactivity and No. 12 Antonio Margarito will drop because of a one-year license revocation assessed by the California State Athletic Commission for illegal hand wraps.
Margarito's votes were counted because voting was concluded before the commission's penalty was announced, but he will not be included again until he is legally cleared to fight and is under no penalty.
But as I compiled the votes, I began to wonder which promoter would come out on top. And so, before I get to the monthly fighter rankings, I'll provide a little promoter rankings. This isn't meant to pick the identity of the world's best boxing promoter, because I know how easily the egos of promoters bruise and I'd have at least half of them on the phone to me in the morning whining. It's only to see which promoter currently has the most fighters in the top 23 (the number of fighters who received votes in our poll).
I used the same rules as I use for the fighter poll. Since 23 men received votes, I gave 23 points for first, 22 for second on down to one point for the fighter in 23rd.
With that, here are the results of the promoter poll:
Top Rank, 91 points: Led by undisputed No. 1 Manny Pacquiao, it had three fighters in the top 10 and eight fighters receive at least one vote.
Golden Boy Promotions, 72 points: Golden Boy placed three in the top five, but it didn't have another fighter until a tie for 19th. Of its ranked fighters, the average age is 34.8 and only one, heavyweight David Haye, is under 30.
Gary Shaw Productions, 45 points: Super bantamweight Rafael Marquez has lost two straight, hasn't won since March 3, 2007, yet has continually moved up in the poll, now at No. 6. That curiosity is because he's lost back-to-back scintillating fights against one of the best in the business. Marquez is one of three GSP fighters in the top 11.
Sycuan Ringside Promotions, 21 points: Sycuan has only one fighter in the poll, but he's a doozy: No. 3 Israel Vazquez.
Goossen-Tutor Promotions, 17 points: If Paul Williams earned points for all of the weight classes he fights in, Goossen-Tutor might sit atop the list.
Chris John Promotions, 11 points: The classy featherweight Chris John promotes himself.
Team Palle Promotions, 10 points: The Danish company is represented by the outstanding super middleweight, Mikkel Kessler.
Sauerland Events, 8 points: Arthur Abraham, and not the more well-known Kelly Pavlik, just might be the world's top middleweight.
K2 Promotions, 4 points: Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is his company's only representative in the poll.
Seminole Warrior's Promotions, 1 point: Lanky super bantamweight Celestino Caballero received a single 10th-place vote in the poll.
With that, let's get on to the real poll and unveil the Yahoo! Sports top 10 for February:
Pacquiao
1. Manny Pacquiao
Points: 300 (30 of 30 first-place votes)
Record: 48-3-2 (37 KOs)
Title: WBC lightweight champion
Last outing: TKO8 over Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6
Previous ranking: 1
Up next: May 2 in Las Vegas vs. Ricky Hatton for super lightweight title
Analysis: Overall game has improved dramatically in last two years
Marquez
2. Juan Manuel Marquez
Points: 261
Record: 49-4-1 (35 KOs)
Title: Ring lightweight champion
Last outing: TKO11 over Joel Casamayor on Sept. 13
Previous ranking: 3
Up next: Feb. 28 in Houston vs. Juan Diaz
Analysis: Desperate for another crack at Pacquiao
Vazquez
3. Israel Vazquez
Points: 205
Record: 43-4 (31 KOs)
Title: WBC and Ring super bantamweight champion
Last outing: W12 over No. 7 Rafael Marquez on March 1
Previous ranking: 4
Up next: TBA
Analysis: Hopeful he can return to action from eye surgery by June
Hopkins
4. Bernard Hopkins
Points: 197 ½
Record: 49-5 (32 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing: W12 over Kelly Pavlik on Oct. 18
Previous ranking: 5
Up next: TBA
Analysis: Joe Calzaghe's retirement makes Hopkins' more likely
Mosley
5. Shane Mosley
Points: 131
Record: 46-5 (39 KOs)
Title: WBA welterweight champion
Last outing: TKO9 over Antonio Margarito on Jan. 24
Previous ranking: NR
Up next: TBA
Analysis: Looked like the Mosley of 2000 in dominating victory
Marquez
6. Rafael Marquez
Points: 123
Record: 37-5 (33 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing: L12 to No. 4 Israel Vazquez on March 1
Previous ranking: 7
Up next: TBA
Analysis: Hasn't won in nearly two years, but still moves up in rankings
Williams
7. Paul Williams
Points: 108
Record: 36-1 (27 KOs)
Title: Interim WBO junior middleweight champion
Last outing: TKO8 over Verno Phillips on Nov. 29
Previous ranking: 8
Up next: April 11 in Las Vegas vs. Winky Wright
Analysis: Is fighting at middleweight but considers himself a welterweight
Cotto
8. Miguel Cotto
Points: 84
Record: 32-1 (26 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing: TKO by 11 to Antonio Margarito on July 26
Previous ranking: 9
Up next: Feb. 21 in New York against Michael Jennings
Analysis: Legitimacy of only loss now in question after Margarito hand wrap controversy
Calderon
9. Ivan Calderon
Points: 60
Record: 32-0 (6 KOs)
Title: WBO light flyweight champion
Last outing: TD7 over Hugo Cazares on Aug. 30
Previous ranking: 10
Up next: TBA
Analysis: Quickest fighter in lower weights
Darchinyan
10. Vic Darchinyan
Points: 52
Record: 32-1-1 (26 KOs)
Title: WBA, WBC, IBF super flyweight champion
Last outing: TKO11 over Jorge Arce on Feb. 7
Previous ranking: NR
Up next: TBA
Analysis: Powerful southpaw hoping to hold titles in three weight classes in 2009
Others receiving votes: Chad Dawson 32 ½; Antonio Margarito 17; Chris John 15; Mikkel Kessler 9; Juan Manuel Lopez 8; Arthur Abraham 6; Nonito Donaire 5; Kelly Pavlik 5; Ricky Hatton 4; Wladimir Klitschko 4; David Haye 2; Fernando Montiel 2; Celestino Caballero 1.
