Rafael Marquez closing in on the 'top 3'?

[Kev]

I don't think he's nunber 3 yet. Vazquez wasn't a p4p fighter imo.

In almost EVERYONE'S list (excluding yours) he was at number 7 or 8.

I predicted before the fight it would be very one sided and apart from the flash knockdown in the third it was.

The fight was NOT one sided or pretty one sided either, Marquez was just edging out the rounds and Vasquez is never out of a fight regardless how many rds. hes down.... Flash knockdown, are you serious? I was ringside it was everything BUT a flash knockdown that punch caught Marquez right on the jaw if it was a flash knockdown belive me Marquez would not have wobbled that way he did when he got up.....

I'd still put Floyd, Pacquiao, Winky, Barrera, Hopkins, Taylor and maybe Calzaghe ahead of him

PBF, Winky, Pac I agree. MAB I can see the arguement there.... BUT Hopkins, Taylor & Especially Joe hell no!!!!

I mean come on people Vazaquez isn't any better than a Lacy or a Tarver

Yes he is and I'll tell you why he was able to reign and become the IBF, Ring and WBC Champ. in his div. @ Super Bantam.
He stoped Larios in 3, Pac didn't stop Larios he wen't all 12.....
He had a great bout with Jhonny (Who was another very close P4P at the time they met) where he was loosing and whom he also stopped......

Tarvers inactivity and his last loss IMO, drops him off the P4P list....
Lacy is on his way back up, I just don't see how you think Lacy & Vasquez match up. Lacy was the IBO champ. Vasquez was the Ring Champ. those belts are Worlds apart.....

What top 10 p4p ranking lists are you referring to that Vazquez was in?

He was never in the Ring magazine's top 10 p4p.

He was never in Boxingtalks' top 10 p4p.

The ring magazine now rates Marquez as number 7 behind PBF, Pacquiao, Wright, Taylor, Hopkins and Barrera and one ahead of Calzaghe.

Thats the only rankings that count and I agree with them completely

My mistake, thought you were reffering to Marquez..... :P
You are right Vasquez was not top 10 P4P, but Marquez was 7 or 8 in some lists.....
After this win IMO, he leaps up to #3.

Ah no problem, yes I definitely think Marquez is p4p but not yet top 5 as I feel Floyd, Winky, Pacquiao, Barrera and Taylor have done more. I'm a big fan of Hopkins and will keep him at 6 until he loses or retires. I think the Ring rankings right now are spot on, Mosely has made an entrance at 10 as well which is about right.

The reason I don't think Marquez is top 3 is because prior to the Vazquez fight he was at best number 10 or 11 p4p probably about 12th. Again thats not me, thats the Ring and Boxingtalk the only official rankings that I ever follow.

Just by beating Vazquez he doesn't jump 8 or 9 places to be top 3 in my opinion. Beating Vazquez was no better than Hatton beating Tyszu and Hatton is barely in the top 10 right now.

It's an exciting time for both the Marquez brothers right now and both could continue to climb up the rankings, but lets not put them amongst the very elite 2 or 3 fighters in the world until they have earned it.

Mayweather is a 4 weight world champ, unbeaten and has been in the p4p for the past 5 or 6 years, the last 12 months as number 1, Winky has been sensational over the past few years beating Mosely twice, shutting out Trinidad and in many people's eyes beating Taylor last year. Pacquaio has knocked out Barerra once and Morales twice, he's a two weight world champ and is regarded as the man at super feather although he's still yet to win a title there.

R Marquez hasn't done enough to gatecrash that group in my opinion.