The Boxing Bulletin Pound 4 Pound Top 25 List: 15-11

Today we move on to numbers 15 through 11 of our end of year Top 25 P4P countdown.

On Monday, we started off with numbers 25 to 21 and yesterday continued with 20 to 16.  Tomorrow we'll be back with numbers 10-6.

#15 Ivan Calderon

Record 2007-2009: 6-0-1 (0 KO)

Previous Result: SD over Rodel Mayol

Up Next: Possibly Brian Viloria in March

Calderon is still one of the finest practitioners of the art of "hit and not get hit", but there are signs the classy southpaw is starting to slip. This past year he squared off twice against Rodel Mayol in bouts abbreviated due to head clashes, coming away with a draw on the first occasion, and a split decision win in the rematch. While he didn’t get tagged much over the two bouts, he didn’t look particularly sharp either.

If he’s to keep his P4P status it’s fair to say he’ll need to come up big in 2010, and it looks like he’ll have the chance as a 108 pound showdown with Brian Viloria is reportedly in the works for March.

#14 Juan Manuel Lopez

Record 2007-2009: 13-0 (12 KO)

Previous Result: UD over Rogers Mtagwa

Up Next: Steve Lueveno on January 23

Despite Juanma’s 3-0 record in 2009, it wasn't quite a perfect year for the Puerto Rican puncher as he narrowly escaped defeat at the hands of Rogers Mtagwa in what would have been the year’s biggest upset. He showed plenty of guts in narrowly surviving, but the bout brought to light the offensive dynamo’s flaws on the defensive end and begs the question of how well he’ll do when faced with bigger fighters he can’t blow out in a hurry.

We’ll get a chance to find out some answers soon, as he makes the move next month to 126 to take on Steve Lueveno, with plans of an eventual showdown against Cuban speedster Yuriorkis Gamboa.

#13 Carl Froch

Record 2007-2009: 6-0 (4 KO)

Previous Result: SD over Andre Dirrell

Up Next: Mikkel Kessler on April 17

After turning away a game Jean Pascal last December, the British 168 pounder kept his momentum going with a thrilling 12th round stoppage win over Jermain Taylor in April. Those two results were followed by a controversial split decision victory over Andre Dirrell in the first round of the Super Six tournament. Regardless of how one may have scored the Dirrell bout, the level of Froch’s competition compares favourably to that of any fighter in the sport.

The challenges won’t get any easier in 2010, as the determined battler from Nottingham takes on fellow Super-Six participants Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham. It will be difficult, but the opportunity is there for Froch to shoot up the rankings and cement his status as one of the world’s best brawlers.

#12 Hozumi Hasegawa

Record 2007-2009: 7-0 (5 KO)

Previous Result: TKO4 over Alvaro Perez

Up Next: TBA

It’s fair to question the quality of Hasegawa’s opposition, but the dominant way he’s handled each challenge makes his P4P credentials impossible to ignore. Only his most recent opponent Alvaro Perez made it out of the second round, and he only made it to the 4th before succumbing to the Japanese sharp shooter.

Having fought exclusively in Japan, Hasegawa is still mostly an unknown commodity to many fans, but that could soon change as he's expressed an interest in going on the road to seek bigger fights.  A potential thriller with Thailand's Poonsawat Kratiengdaeng has been mentioned, as has a possible showdown with Indonesian featherweight Chris John.

#11 Sergio Martinez

Record 2007-2009: 6-1-1 (5 KO)

Previous Result: Lost MD to Paul Williams

Up Next: TBA

Despite not officially recording a victory, it was a break through year for the Spanish based southpaw. In February, he appeared to decisively beat Kermit Cintron – first by knockout, and then surely by decision, only to wind up with an extremely controversial draw. After getting no takers on a number of challenges, Martinez jumped at the opportunity to step in for Kelly Pavlik, and gave Paul Williams all kinds of trouble in a knockdown drag out brawl.

The coming year should present some opportunities for Martinez to keep his upward climb going. He’ll likely to be looking to meet whoever emerges from the Williams/Pavlik battle, and in the meantime could do some damage back at 154.