Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao is Sports Illustrated magazine’s choice as third best pound-for-pound boxer.
Unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the popular magazine’s No.1 fighter, and Andre Ward is No. 2.
Another Filipino, 2012 “Fighter of the Year” Nonito Donaire, was ranked No. 7 by Sports Illustrated.
Although losing his last two fights, Pacquiao was ranked high by the magazine because of his sterling record of 54 victories, 38 of them via knockouts, five losses and two draws, and his winning eight titles in different weight categories.
On November 24, Pacquiao returns to the ring to face American-Mexican Brandon “Bam-Bam” Rios at the Venetian Hotel’s Cotai Arena in Macau.
If Pacquiao wins against Rios, a rematch with undefeated World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Timothy Bradley could loom next year.
The Filipino lost to Bradley by split decision in June last year and suffered a shocking sixth-round knockout in the hands of long-time archrival Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in December.
Both Sports Illustrated and Ring Magazine ranked Mayweather Jr. as the No. 1 fighter and Ward as No. 2.
Ring Magazine, however, gave the No. 3 spot to Bradley.