5 Boxers Who Could Replace Floyd Mayweather Jr. As Pound-for-Pound Best

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If you want to believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. fought his last fight when he won a unanimous decision over Andre Berto on Sept. 12 and improved to 49-0 (26 KOs), that’s fine. You’re entitled to do so. What is dubious is anyone that doesn’t believe “Money” was the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world over the last decade. He was. Believe it.

Many had their issues with Mayweather. The excuses run the gamut. Some claim he hand-picked his opponents, though he fought the best that were available in their respective weight classes, from the time he beat the legendary Genaro Hernandez in his 18th fight to chewing up Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao in three of his last seven fights. He is a boring fighter, went another mantra, which he is, because he’s so vastly physically and technically superior than most if not all the men he ever faced.

Yes, Mayweather certainly has his critics. He may, however, be more appreciated as his legacy evolves than when he was fighting. Here is the dilemma with which boxing is faced: Who replaces “Money” as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world?

Here is one person’s opinion on who fills the void:

1. Gennady Golovkin | Middleweight (33-0, 30 KOs)

This undefeated middleweight titlist from Kazakhstan better move fast. He is 33 and fun to watch, but he’s 33 and has yet to have a signature crossover fight. This year, we will see. “GGG,” who has 20 straight knockouts, is believed to be the most fearsome fighter in the world today. He is actually the only one in the vicinity of Mayweather’s weight class that may have a shot of even beating him, which would be a fight fan’s nirvana. Too bad we’ll never see it. Within days of “GGG’s” announced fight against David Lemieux in an HBO pay-per-view on Oct. 17, 15,000 seats were sold in minutes. The fight Golovkin seeks will be the mega-event of 2016, when he faces the winner of Alvarez-Cotto.

2. Canelo Alvarez | Junior Middleweight (45-1-1, 32 KOs)

Any day now, the redheaded Mexican superstar will interrupt a media session, begin speaking in a thick Irish brogue and tell everyone it has all been a big put-on and that his real name is Shamus McGillicuddy. All jokes aside, he’s learning English, and he has already established himself as a pay-pay-per view attraction at the ripe old age of 25. However, like Golovkin, and many on this short list, Alvarez needs that punch-through-the-threshold fight to reach the top spot. Beating a shot Shane Mosley in the latter stages of his career certainly wasn’t it. He blew his first chance to get the top spot by losing convincingly to Mayweather. He’ll have another crack at it against Cotto on Nov. 21.

3. Sergey Kovalev | Light Heavyweight (28-0-1, 25 KOs)

Unlike most on this list, the Russian expatriate, now living in Los Angeles with his wife and son, has a name victory on his resume: future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins, who, despite his age, is still among the best light heavyweights in the world and remains very formidable. Adding to that is Kovalev’s devastating power. Prior to going the distance with Hopkins, “The Krusher” had a nine-fight stoppage streak. He’s building another with TKO victories over Jean Pascal and Nadjib Mohammedi. He fights in Russia on Nov. 28. There are a few must-happen fights for Kovalev in 2016, with either super middleweight titlist Andre Ward or linear world light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson. Ward seems the greater possibility. Stevenson appears to be literally afraid of “The Krusher,” despite what he might say publicly.

4. Roman Gonzalez | Flyweight (43-0-0, 37 KOs)

If you say you have a tough time watching the little guys, give this man a chance. “Ring Magazine” has already anointed him as its pound-for-pound best. “Chocolatito” may actually have the strongest argument on this list, considering his longevity -- 10 years, despite being 28 -- and the fact that he has stopped virtually every major opponent he has faced. Gonzalez has a big test in Brian Viloria on the Golovkin-Lemieux undercard on Oct. 17.

5. Keith Thurman | Welterweight (26-0, 22 KOs)

The Clearwater, Fla.-based welterweight has accomplished the least on this list, though he possesses the highest upside. He has a great outlet, Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series, through which to build a solid fanbase. He just needs to tap into those riches at 147 pounds, like Kell Brook, Amir Khan, Tim Bradley, Shawn Porter, the shopworn Pacquiao or the underrated Danny Garcia. It’s all there for Thurman’s taking. He has graduated from beating former titlists like Luis Collazo. Thurman could rule 2016. All he needs is just of those prime names with which to dance.

Joseph Santoliquito is the president of the Boxing Writer's Association of America and a frequent contributor to Sherdog.com's mixed martial arts and boxing coverage. His archive can be found here.