Top 10 Boxing Pound for Pound Lists: ESPN, Ring, Teddy Atlas, & I

On August 31, ESPN's updated pound-for-pound pug list saw an update. Terence Crawford was said to had ''made a move,' in the list and its title's subtitle. Coming off a dismantling of the streaking Julius Indongo on the 19th a' that month, it made sense for "Bud" to have done-so. Where to? #4. Huh? I thought thoughts of Ward, Golovkin, ... who else was answered in a voice sounding more like Teddy Atlas' than mine in my own head: Lomachenko. Right there at three. At 9-1 and coming off a gloating over-whelming of one Mr. Miguel Marriaga.

ESPN, the beneficiary of HBO's boxing collapse, is apparently dead-set of forwarding the oft confusing to I agenda of hyping Loma no matter the cost. Spear-headed, of course, by Teddy Atlas as Andre Ward eye-rolls toward his general direction. It is my hope boxing fans can see through these fabricated shenanigans, as Vasyl Lomachenko readies himself to provide proof of his all-time greatness through defeat of the much smaller Guillermo Rigondeaux on December 9th, coming. It's all so absurd... but if repeated 'nuff, like lies -- absurdity becomes true. To some.

Here is the ESPN P4P list:

1. Andre Ward
2. Gennady Golovkin
3. Vasyl Lomachenko
4. Terence Crawford
5. Roman Gonzalez
6. Saul Alvarez
7. Kieth Thurman
8. Guillermo Rigondeaux
9. Sergey Kovalev
10. Manny Pacquiao

Hold the phone. Why the big gap twixt GGG (2) and Canelo (6)? The way I see it is September 16th's victor has as good a claim as any to the #1 slot. But one shant vault six spots in one go, no? Again, to pick on the obviously and admittedly insanely talented Loma -- no one can convince me he's that above Cinnamon. And keep holding that phone: Manny Pacquiao, in the wake of his Jeff Horn Australian loss, appears here how-so? Questions. I got questions???

Teddy's answers in the form of his own top 10 -- Atlas made ME shrug? In a strange turn of literary events. Here's how he sees it:

1. Vasyl Lomachenko
2. Terence Crawford
3. Andre Ward
4. Keith Thurman
5. Sergey Kovalev
6. Roman Gonzalez
7. Guillermo Rigondeaux
8. Canelo Alvarez
9. Manny Pacquiao
10. Errol Spence Jr.

No Triple G. Loma at numero uno with 10 professional bouts under his Everlast. Did I mention GGG is the lone remainder back at HBO from whenst Bob Arum orchestrated that exodus to ESPN. Teddy Alas toeing the company line with ham-hock fists, pumped in double-time? Here in his Teddy Atlas: Why I left Gennady Golovkin off my pound-for-pound list confounding write-up, he tells ya why and spins his spin. He knows boxing better than this, gentlepersons. Don't buy Teddy's ShamWow pitch.

What's my list?

MY LIST:

1. Andre Ward
2. Terence Crawford
3. Gennady Golovkin
4. Canelo Alvarez
5. Errol Spence Jr.
6. Keith Thurman
7. Guillermo Rigondeaux
8. Mikey Garcia
9. Roman Gonzalez
10. Shawn Porter

In the interest of well-roundednesses, here too is The Ring's latest list:

1. Andre Ward
2. Gennady Golovkin
3. Terence Crawford
4. Roman Gonzalez
5. Vasyl Lomachenko
6. Guillermo Rigondeaux
7. Sergey Kovlev
8. Canelo Alvarez
9. Mikey Garcia
10. Naoya Inoue

Better. Much better. But Gonzalez lost and I'm not one for over-riding official results. Plus no way Krusher ranks after two straight Ls. Who's Naoya Inoe? Sounds like a light-hitting utility infielder for a west coast MLB team. Gentlpersons, I'm about to turn this into my mostest conversational post yet. What do YOU think. Tell me in the comments below... Best comment gets a coveted No-prize. Am I right? Wrong? Handsome? HUH?

LISTEN:

"Mild Trauma" Kaplowitz Radio: September 3, 2017

GoFundMe. DONATE. Help keep me going.

Cornelius & Anthony Venganza - Cigar Review

Cornelius & Anthony Venganza Judge 552 Robusto

NOTES:
Burns hot/fast with lagging top-leaf/binder causing vague tunneling threats hither and thither. Line stays even/wide, offers-up dryly jagged ash. Draws smoothly to the left of medium tension'd. Sinewy back-bone could use more meat up-on it. Toasted smokiness exhibits charcoal tendencies. Balance is a tick off, moderately complex.

• Leather, charred
• Black pepper
• Mesquite/hickory/spiced cedar
• Coffee bean, full city+ roast
• Chili powder
• Black walnut
• Baking chocolate
• Anise
• Barnyard
• Charcoal
• Burnt matchstick

FINAL GRADE: B+

A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F 0-59

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano

BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan

STRENGTH: Full
ORIGIN: Erik Espinosa's La Zona SA , Esteli Nicaragua

SHEMPTEMBER!!!
"Kapathon 2017" Kaplowitz Radio: September 1, 2017

DONATE just 5 bucks or-so, and keep me going...

18 Sabbaths Cattle Baron Bull Cigar Review: 18th Sabbath

Cattle Baron Cigars
Bull 4 1/2 x 58

WRAPPER: Nicaraguan Habano
BINDER: Dominican
FILLER: Dominican Seco, Nicaraguan Viso

STRENGTH: Medium-Full
ORIGIN: De Los Reyes, Dominican Republic
NAME DROPS: Phil Zanghi, Debonaire House

HERE is a write-up of the Cattle Baron blend in its Trail Boss vitola.
HERE is me talking about the Cattle Baron blend in its Stockyard vitola.

Find out more about this, my 18 Sabbaths project, by clicking HERE.

& now without any further ado, adon't or amaybe -- the final of 18 Sabbaths with this offering. In the interest of putting a proper and oh-so pretty ribbon on this serie, I shall smoke it 'cause I got it. Then write writ large as to the over-all experience, start to finish, of the 18 goes. In 50 words.

HERE GOES:
Construction and combustion perform consistently high. Not a bad one in the 18. What began as a piquant experience, became somewhat muted with raised milk chocolate sweetnesses. Then a returning sour-laced white pepper-spice. All along notes of malty cedar, mulling spice with a orange-cum-lemon mulling spice. Car-a-mel latte. Dirt under-belly.

"To-day's the Day!" Kaplowitz Radio: August 30, 2017

You Can't Spell "Rebuiltings" Without T-I-G-E-R-S

Gentlepersons, please to pardon the stretch of a headline, for it is late and I am tired.

As we all know by now if we all care to do-so, 13-year Tiger Justin Verlander followed two-year Tiger Justin Upton straight outta De-troit 8/31 11:59pm. With a minute to spare under the dead-line. According to ESPN, "In exchange for Verlander, the Tigers received pitcher Franklin Perez, catcher Jake Rogers and outfielder Daz Cameron, the son of ex-MLB outfielder Mike Cameron. Houston will also get a player to be named later or cash considerations."

The future Mr. Kate Upton looks to add much luster to the Houston rotation, which it doth do need. Apparently, before settling on becoming an Astro, Verlander wanted to see where the Cubbies sat. Where they sat was without 'nuff farm system jewels to close the deal. Is Houston the Junior League team-to-beat then, with the righty Verlander joining the southpaw Dallas Keuchel? That depends: are the Cleveland Indians still planning on playing the rest of the season? Then, nah.

The earlier part of the Motor City Exodus was the aforementioned Justin Upton deal which saw the slugging outfielder head to LA of the AL for pitcher Grayson Long and either a player to be named later or cash. Before these moves, Detroit was a terrible team with a terrible farm system. Now we'll see what takes root in the soil.

Listen to my  "To-day's the Day!" Kaplowitz Radio: August 29, 2017: