CSN - Top 25 toughest fighters on the planet

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

http://www.comcast.net/sports/top25fighters/slideshow/view/1/

1. Anderson Silva, UFC - Middleweight

When you need less than five full rounds to walk through every major contender in the UFC’s middleweight division, you’re one bad dude. And what’s really scary, he looks twice as strong at 205.

2. Manny Pacquiao, Boxing - Lightweight

Pacquiao may be the most exciting fighter in the world to watch right now. He’s a torrent in the ring and he hits like a Mack truck.

3. Fedor Emelianenko, Affliction Banned - Heavyweight

The fact that Emelianeko made this list was a given. The man is an MMA legend.

4. B.J. Penn, UFC - Lightweight

If you live, eat, and breathe Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you’re familiar with the name B.J. Penn. He’s the No. 1 lightweight in MMA—hands down—and arguably the best pound-for-pound lightweight in the world. The dude can submit you from the warm-up room.

5. Georges St-Pierre, UFC - Welterweight

Currently ranked by many as the No. 1 welterweight in the world, GSP is at the top of his game. He’s young, fit, and in the prime of his career.

6. Urijah Faber, WEC - Featherweight

There are few fighters in MMA right now that can hang with Urijah Faber. “The California Kid” and WEC golden boy is easily the best pound-for-pound featherweight around. If the UFC had a featherweight division, he’d be an even bigger household name.

7. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, UFC - Heavyweight

How can you not like a guy whose walk-in music is The Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”? “Big Nog” has taken flack for being a “one-dimensional” fighter, and maybe (big maybe) he is. But, being better than everyone else at one thing is hard to deny.

8. Joe Calzaghe, Boxing - Super Middleweight

In boxing, records can be as meaningless as the Olympic scoring system. But there’s something to be said about a fighter who goes 45-0. Calzaghe is the real deal and has been for years. If the majority of his fights hadn’t gone down across seas, his marketability would be much higher.

9. Antonio Margarito, Boxing - Welterweight

If you don’t know Margarito’s name, it’s time you crawled out from beneath the rock you’ve been under. He’s coming off an impressive victory over former WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (an incredible fight), and he’s hungrier than ever. Finally, for the first time in his battle-tested career, he’s calling the shots. Fighters can dodge him no more.

10. Miguel Torres, WEC - Bantamweight

Torres is the most dangerous Bantamweight fighter in combat sports, and his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is in a league of its own—over 60 percent of his fights end via submission.

11. Kelly Pavlik, Boxing - Middleweight

I used to wonder why they called Pavlik “The Ghost”? Then I saw him pass through every contender he’s faced, including young lion Jermain Taylor.

12. Paulo Fihlo, WEC - Middleweight

If Anderson Silva says you’re the best middleweight in MMA, then you must be. Undefeated at 16-0, Fihlo is the reigning WEC middleweight champion, with wins over Kazuo Misaki, Amar Suloev, and Chael Sonnen.

13. Chris John, Boxing - Featherweight

At 41-0, there’s no questioning “The Indonesian Thin Man’s” belongs here. The reigning WBA featherweight champion is considered by some the best ever in his division, and his unanimous decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez backs the hype.

14. Wladimir Klitschko, Boxing - Heavyweight

The American public is hurting for a native heavyweight. Holyfield is a has-been, and James Toney is, well, James Toney. Until a bright big star shines (sorry Calvin Brock), heavyweight fans have “Dr. Hammer” to rally behind. Despite a questionable chin, he’s currently dominating the division, apart from No. 21.

15. Carlos Condit, WEC - Welterweight

The reigning champion is taking the WEC's welterweight division by storm. Condit has defeated tough opposition in Frank Trigg, Brock Larson, and Renato Verissimo. His war with Hiromitsu Miura was a dazzling fight. And what’s really frightening: he’s only 24.

16. Juan Manuel Marquez, Boxing - Junior Lightweight

What can’t be said about Juan Manuel Marquez? The guy has moxie. He’s the former WBA and IBF super featherweight champion. He’s only lost 4 of his 53 career bouts, and he’s one of only three men to have prevailed over rising star Manny Pacquiao.

17. Forrest Griffin, UFC - Light Heavyweight

“I am not a super-talented guy; I'm just a dude who will fight you tooth and nail." That’s what Forrest Griffin said after stripping “Rampage” Jackson of his UFC lightweight title. Truth be told, it’s hard not to like a fighter who smiles, then fires right back at you after you’ve socked him in the eye.

18. Rashad Evans, UFC - Light Heavyweight

When you knock the master of knockouts into next week, there’s no denying your potential. Evans’ second-round KO of Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell was one of the hardest one-punch shots in UFC history. He’s on the cusp of MMA greatness.

19. Miguel Cotto, Boxing - Welterweight

Don’t be fooled by Cotto’s first and only knockout loss to reigning WBA welterweight champ Antonio Margarito. Styles make fights; it was a bad matchup for Cotto. Margarito was just too big, too strong, and the better fighter...that night.

20. Israel Vazquez, Boxing - Junior Featherweight

Vazquez is a hard-hitting hombre with a devastating left hook and a solid chin. The current WBC champ is well known for his brutal wars with Rafael Márquez (No. 16’s kid brother)—a trilogy of fights widely considered the best in recent boxing history.

21. Samuel Peter, Boxing - Heavyweight

“The Nigerian Nightmare” is 30-1, the reigning WBC champion, and one of the hardest-hitting heavyweights in the division. There’s no in between with Peter’s punching power. If he connects, you go to sleep; 23 of his bouts have ended by knockout.

22. Ricky Hatton, Boxing - Junior Welterweight

He may not be the flashiest or the cleanest puncher in the game, but “The Hitman” has heart a mile long. At his finest, he made one of the greatest junior welterweights in Kostya Tszyu quit on the stool. That’s enough to land him a spot on this list any day.

23. Rich Franklin, UFC - Light Heavyweight

You can hate on “Ace” all you want to, but the guy is a solid fighter. He demolished Matt Hamill at UFC 88, and apart from his two losses to the reigning king of MMA, he dominated the UFC's middleweight division for nearly five years.

24. Joan Guzman, Boxing - Super Featherweight

Every list needs a sleeper. Guzman is mine. You don’t get the nickname “Little Tyson” for pitter-patter boxing. He’s undefeated at 28-0, with 17 of those wins coming by way of knockout. He recently vacated his titles and jumped scale to challenge defending WBA, WBO, and IBF lightweight champion Nate Campbell on September 13.

25. Oscar De La Hoya, Boxing - Super Welterweight

Is De La Hoya still one of the best in the business? Many other fighters could have taken this slot. But even if “The Golden Boy” loses his farewell bout with Manny Pacquiao (and I suspect he will), he’s done more for the sport of boxing than Don King could do in three lifetimes.

[StillUnknown]

De La Hoya shouldn't be on that list.

i wouldn't put Wladimir Klitschko on that list either. i have a couple issues with the rankings, but i agree with most of the figters on that list.

it would've been better if they included K-1 & Muay Thai fighters though.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

De La Hoya shouldn't be on that list.

i wouldn't put Wladimir Klitschko on that list either. i have a couple issues with the rankings, but i agree with most of the figters on that list.

it would've been better if they included K-1 & Muay Thai fighters though.

Agreed about De La Hoya and the limitation to just boxers/mma fighters. Also, Rich Franklin should be replaced by Rampage Jackson. Rampage's title fight with Forrest was too close to call, yet the loss drops him below Rich Franklin? Franklin might very well be able to take Rampage at 205, but until it happens (or until Wanderlei KO's 'Page), Rampage should stay on this list.

Remember, it took 'Page a couple minutes to do what #18, Rashad Evans, did in 2 1/2 rounds. Rashad does deserve to be on this list for almost killing Chuck Liddell, but he hasn't won the belt and defended it like Rampage.

[BigMike619]

manny is like 110 pounds...my son weighs that much. and i can whoop his ass and DO every chance I get.

then after i beat his ass I make him stop crying...

they should have put clubber lane and thunderlips on that list..

[China]

The one thing I find annoying about MMA is that there are too many leagues. UFC, WEC, Affliction, EliteXC IFL, Xtreme, TKO, Strikeforce, not to mention all the various events like DREAM, Adrenaline, etc.

They need to consolidate these into fewer organizations.

[TorresA]

manny is like 110 pounds...my son weighs that much. and i can whoop his ass and DO every chance I get.

then after i beat his ass I make him stop crying...

they should have put clubber lane and thunderlips on that list..

Watch it now.. dem be fighting words.. you call out Manny you call out the whole Filipino nation

Clubber Lane is nothing...Ivan Dragoff would have something to say if you put Clubber on there

[ACW]

The one thing I find annoying about MMA is that there are too many leagues. UFC, WEC, Affliction, EliteXC IFL, Xtreme, TKO, Strikeforce, not to mention all the various events like DREAM, Adrenaline, etc.

They need to consolidate these into fewer organizations.

Ditto for boxing and the boxing weightclasses.

[expensivegift]

Samuel Peter is a joy to watch

[#98QBKiller]

I say it's a toss-up between Fedor and Anderson for the #1 spot

[Destino]

I say it's a toss-up between Fedor and Anderson for the #1 spot

Overall it has to be Fedor. 29-1 (21 ended in the first round) is amazing. Recently however Anderson has to be given the upper hand, he has had almost twice as many fights as Fedor since 06 (9 with a 10th coming up next month compared to Fedor's 5). In that time no one has made it to the 3rd round against him.

[Opiate-Zeo]

The one thing I find annoying about MMA is that there are too many leagues. UFC, WEC, Affliction, EliteXC IFL, Xtreme, TKO, Strikeforce, not to mention all the various events like DREAM, Adrenaline, etc.

They need to consolidate these into fewer organizations.

MMA is a booming business right now, so a lot of people are trying to get their hands in the pot. This will work itself out eventually.

[heyholetsgogrant]

No Kimbo Slice?

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

No Kimbo Slice?

This list isn't the top 250.

Kimbo would probably lose to BJ Penn, the #4 guy on the list, a lightweight.

He IS one of the most marketable fighters in MMA, if not THE most, because of his Youtube popularity. Most of the time when people find out I like MMA, they say, "man that Kimbo Slice is a bad man." Relatively speaking, no he isn't.

He fights in EliteXC, which is hardly "Elite". On top of that, he's fighting washups. His last fight should have been stopped when he was getting hammered on the ground, but the higher-ups told Mr. Ref to turn a blind eye. Commend Kimbo for bringing popularity the sport, but you won't see him on this list.

[BigMike619]

Watch it now.. dem be fighting words.. you call out Manny you call out the whole Filipino nation

Clubber Lane is nothing...Ivan Dragoff would have something to say if you put Clubber on there

Clubber trained in the GHETTO and had cool sayings...Ivan used steroids and dissed James Brown.

I saw Manny fight Erik Morales in Vegas a few years ago. It was probably one of the best fights I have ever seen. And you are SO correct; the entire Filipino nation was there I think. And so was half of Mexico..