Ranking the Great Pugilists

The victory of Manny Pacquiao proved that he is the alpha dog in the super featherweight division. Barrera is too old, Marquez appears to be legit though, and others are well below Pacquiao's abilities. I consider boxing as my favorite individual sport because of the physicality and bloodshed involved. Through the years of watching boxing matches, I have been enamored by some and captivated by many. Paquiao is one of the best, but let's see if he belongs to the greatest boxers that I have seen.

10. Marco Antonio Barrera..... He has the uncanny ability to make comebacks and get up while being down. Plus he has the coolest monicker in boxing - "The Baby Face Assasin".

9. Felix Trinidad..... Before he decided destroy his career by challenging Bernard Hopkins, King Felix was amazing. His unbeaten streak is well publicized including his win over De La Hoya.

8. Oscar De La Hoya..... After capturing Olympic Gold, De La Hoya slowly paved his legacy. Despite all the losses, he still managed to change the world of boxing.

7. Evander Holyfield..... It is hard to find a physically challenged boxer such as Holyfield who dominated his division. Unsurprisingly, he did it using his wits.

6. Joe Calzaghe..... The guy is one of the most underrated boxers I have seen. All he did was to defend his title 20 times and stay unbeaten after 43 fights.

5. Julio Cesar Chavez..... I was beginning to grasp the sport of boxing when Chavez was at his prime. He was mesmerizing crowds then and destroying opponents in his path.

4. Bernard Hopkins..... After spending time in jail and getting beat by Roy Jones, Hopkins quickly learned the ropes. At present he is a partner of Golden Boy and manages to win.

3. Lennox Lewis..... Defeating Mike Tyson cemented the career of Lewis. Even before that fight, he was such a monster in the ring.

2. Roy Jones, Jr..... Watch Roy Jones and you will definitely be entertained. He has the capacity to give opponents boxing lessons and give a whole lot of beating.

1. Mike Tyson..... If you plan to watch Mike Tyson fights, you have to be glued on the TV screen. Just one blink and you will miss the entire match.

I would like to extend my apologies to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Winky Wright, and Erik Morales. It is noticeable that Pacquiao is absent in the list. Well, he never was an undisputed champion, he never had a sterling amateur-to-prime career, and he is one-dimensional. There will come a day when Manny will become part of the best. If only he can focus on boxing and knockout his political ambitions.

Belting the 10th Octave

I have always been attracted to great singers. Looks never matter, but the voice definitely will. There are several artists that I admire because of their vocal prowess. Aside from the power singers, good old fashioned artists with angelic voices will fit in my list.

10. Carrie Underwood..... She looks like Reese Witherspoon and a classic country girl. Behind those looks, her voice melts my heart.

9. Norah Jones..... Her songs are masterpieces. The best thing about her is that she can cure my deficiency in sleeping.

8. Shania Twain..... The classic version of beauty with a voice. I like her when she wears sexy clothes and sing those country songs.

7. Kelly Clarkson..... America's darling can definitely sing. After winning the inaugural season of American Idol, she vindicated most of the people who voted for her.

6. Barbra Streisand..... Classic music and tunes are like flowers that eternally bloom. Indeed, Barbra is an all-around performer.

5. Celine Dion..... Voice power coupled with control is her main forte. She has mesmerized millions of hearts and those include mine.

4. Beyonce Knowles..... I have to say that she is the most complete artist aside Barbra Streisand. I have always wished that I am Jay-Z.

3. Charlotte Church..... This is where the angelic category falls in place. At the tender age of 13 she has already rocked my world.

2. Whitney Houston..... Her current problems will never overshadow the accomplishments she had made. Also, she is probably the best singer ever.

1. Christina Aguilera..... The most technically gifted singer alive. When she sings, life becomes profound and meaningful. Fascinating!

I realized that I made several omissions in my list. In this post, however, it is always my call. Period!