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Okay fight lovers, a subject that is sure to get you guys talking. Out of sheer interest, your writer thought it expedient to see which boxers our regular contributors regard as the 3 best “pound for pound” practitioners in South Africa at present.
When listing your Top 3, remember to say why you chose that particular boxer, eg; punching power, skill, tenacity, achievements, cleverness etc.
Clearly this is a very hypothetical issue, but since everyone has his or her personal favourites, we at GGP felt it expedient to sound out our boxing loyalists and see what type of response we receive.
Naturally the consensus of opinion in no way represents anything more than an interesting topic of debate, but since this website is normally full of lively comments from fight fans all over the country, as well as a few abroad, we’re very interested to hear your views…so go for it!
March 08, 2010 at 9:48 pm, Classy said:
I’ll start – Ali Funeka!
March 08, 2010 at 9:55 pm, Classy said:
Reasons – Record is pretty tidy. Draws came early in his career and just look at that kayo ratio 23 KO’s from 30 wins!
Lost to Nate Campbell who came in overweight and got the biggest robbery of 2009 in that draw against Guzman.
Durability – never been stopped.
On the cusp of 1 of the big 4 in the alphabet soup.
A fan favorite in the USA with a highly regarded TV friendly style – a lanky punisher!
March 08, 2010 at 10:50 pm, Britt said:
Thomas” Tommy-Gun” Oosthuizen.
March 09, 2010 at 8:10 am, Shanno said:
Klaas mboyane
March 09, 2010 at 9:45 am, Classy said:
Still struggling with the other 2 fighters. Its between Cassius Baloyi (I think he has been on the slide for a few years now), Mzonke Fana (both he and Baloyi are on the slide but they have had the better amount of big fights to compare in the P4P debate), Isaac Hlatshwayo – but that KO loss to Zaveck did nock him down quite a few rungs IMO
March 09, 2010 at 1:43 pm, Cynthia Lovett said:
toss up between Cassius Baloyi & Thomas Oosthuizen
March 09, 2010 at 2:02 pm, Emilio said:
I think Ali Funeka is the top light weight in the country right now. He gets to have a rematch with Guzman to settle a score in a couple of weeks.
Let us not forget about our up and coming star in the light weight division. Jason “BADMAN” Bedeman is our hardest hitting light weight in South Africa 13 fights and 9 stoppages to he’s name. IBO all African Champ and now WBA Pan African Champ, that is a hard working young man.
Next Tomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen a Champ of three belts in 2009, one of our fastest growing fighters in SA hard hitting and smart.
March 09, 2010 at 2:02 pm, Classy said:
I like the guy but Thomas cannot be mentioned until he has had a couple actual fights…
March 09, 2010 at 2:05 pm, Classy said:
or won a couple actual world titles…
March 09, 2010 at 2:12 pm, Classy said:
Dont fall into the trap of the popularity contest mindset guys. Although we have some good young prospects in Oosthuizen and Bederman, that is all they are, good young prospects. Hex is now a world champion packing an IBO belt, that still doesnt warrant him or the other 2 being mentioned in the P4P list talk. They have not accomplished enough in the sport to figure in the P4P talk at all.
Genuine Pound 4 Pounders are current or former world champs (holding one of the WBA,WBO,IBF or WBC crowns). They are sometimes multi-divisional fighters with long tested careers (at least over 20 fights).
March 09, 2010 at 2:17 pm, Jonatha said:
I say Jason the Badman, he showed us on the 27th of Feb that he can take a shot and come back off the canvas and give a beat down to he’s opponent in the second round. heart and will.Well done
Tommy Gun,a great young Supper midle weight.
Hekkie, what a lion big heart for a small body
March 09, 2010 at 2:26 pm, Patsy said:
My list
Jason the “Badman” Bedeman is my favourite fighter, good looks and hard left hook.
Hekkie because he is the peoples Champ.
Tommy fast hitting fighter great south paw.
March 09, 2010 at 3:16 pm, Shanno said:
I think mvhuso nedzanani is p4p the best he has fought good opponents and i current wbo africa champ he is in line For the wbo world title in mexico whatch this space….
March 09, 2010 at 4:15 pm, Simon said:
Classy I disagree with you in some ways. The best P4P fighter does not have to be a current or previous world champion. He could be fighter on the way up, meaning he should currently be able to beat any S.A fighter in his division given the opportunity. Many world champions were the best P4P fighters before they had their chances at proving it time and time again. I’ll think about it some more and give my 3 names soon. But I agree with you, this is not a popularity contest.
March 09, 2010 at 5:54 pm, Britt said:
Well first of all I don’t think you understand the concept of P4P Classy, Thomas won both super middle weight and light heavyweight world youth Belts in two divisions. He trains against heavy weights that P4P wait then he went all the way back to super middleweight to win that WBA title wait P4P yet he is one of the hardest hitting monsters to hit the South African deck P4P wait, didn’t he win the South-African championships on Middleweights P4P at amateurs?
March 09, 2010 at 7:25 pm, Classy said:
Well Paul Williams is my favorite fighter but Manny Paquiao is number 1 P4P in the world. He is a 7 weight division world champion. Paul williams is on the way up but is a 2 weight division world champion. Who has fought the better quality opposition?
Not Williams, Paquiao has.
Tommy, Hex and Bederman have not fought any significant opposition. Ali Funeka has been tested in title fights before, been tested against Nate Campbell – he came up short but so did Pacman the first time he fought Erik Morales.
Tommy may be the best super middleweight in the country but the titles he holds are insignificant rating friendly titles, not world titles.
I think I have a fair understanding of the object of the P4P list, thanks
March 09, 2010 at 8:57 pm, Ronel said:
Hi classy,
I sort of agree with you that you do understand what p4p is and agree that funeka is probably the best as he has fought the best i think we can only say tommy is the best when he fight and beats the best like andre berto, hopkins, carl froch etc. Funeka is fighting the best at the moment in the weight so for me funeka is def also the best at the moment well have to confirm it after the fight with guzman though and tommy is the wba african champ therefore he is prob the best in africa and even though hekkie won the ibo title that is not an title everyone knows and is not considered a real title in the world and i did not think hekkie won the fight against rubillar and rubillar was stopped by the ‘real’ champs of the world!
March 09, 2010 at 9:16 pm, Simon said:
Classy I can see by your comments that you have an good boxing knowledge, we just have a slightly different view on what qualifies a person as best P4P. Best 3 in S.A
1. Hlatshwayo
2. Funeka
3. Joyi
March 09, 2010 at 9:56 pm, Fan of The BADMAN said:
Jason “THE BADMAN” Bedeman is by far the most exciting and best pound for pound fighter in SA in present times! I love to watch him fight he always guarantees an exciting fight that will take you out of your seat and have you screaming at the top of your voice! When you watch The Badman you know a knock out is to come which at the end of the day is what we the viewers all anticipate and hope for!
March 09, 2010 at 10:23 pm, Classy said:
Simon, my man it was a tossup weather I included the Angel in my list. He was regarded at about 9 or 10 on the ESPN P4P list, the problem to me is that he suffered a brutal KO loss to Zaveck and Im not so sure he will be the same ever again…
I have a strong sense that Funeka will stomp all over Guzman this time and make sure of the title! March 27 in Vegas Baby!!!
March 10, 2010 at 9:26 am, Terry Pettifer said:
We all hope your “strong sense” is on the money Classy
March 11, 2010 at 8:46 pm, Taptap said:
I stil think mboyane ane nedzanani and nongqayi does good 2, wana c him and nedzanani in action i favour nedzanani
March 15, 2010 at 1:46 pm, fight fan said:
maywether maywether and maywether.that’s all I’m gonna say.
March 15, 2010 at 4:49 pm, unknown said:
Tommy!!!!!!!!!!!! forsure….
March 17, 2010 at 9:19 am, Terry Pettifer said:
I’ve said it before and hopefully I’m saying it for the last time. Gentlemen this site is for the convenience of fight fans who love discussing boxing, therefore please refrain from comments that are not relative to the game. The private lives of fighters and ex-fighters is certainly their private matter and I’d appreciate it if you could all keep that in mind.
March 17, 2010 at 12:54 pm, Martin said:
I agree with you completely Terry, this site is not the place to discuss these issues but I have to say this. We are trying so very very hard to portray boxing as a disciplined, gentleman’s sport and our boxers/ex bosers have a responsibility towards our fans (who pay our money to support them) to behave gentlemanly and appropriate in and outside the ring. These people are our heros and if they want our support and respect it should be earned.
March 17, 2010 at 4:35 pm, CHAMPION FAN said:
BONGANI MWELASI (WBF SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION) P4P BEST IN SA…