This past week MyBoxingFans brought you #25-#15 in the BCS-Boxing standings and before September gets rolling this weekend with great boxing and football, here is the # 14 – #1 rankings, hail to the victor!
14. Clemson-Lucas Matthysse
Lucas Matthysse may be the best 140lb in the division however with highly questionable losses to Devon Alexander and Zab Judah it seems as though Matthysse has to win by knockout every time out to get a fair shake. Clemson whose stadium is known as Death Valley is one of the loudest stadiums in the nation, house a team that while are consistently top 25 have fell short of making it to a BCS national championship game. In 2011, Clemson made it to the Orange bowl only to get blown out by West Virginia. While Matthysse has not been blown out, the national championship seems to be harder to get a hold of for the Argentinean. This September he looks to inch closer to the title shot as he faces Ajose Olujsegun for the interim WBC belt. Matthysse like Clemson is looking for more than an ACC title. The September he looks to get the shot against Juan Manuel Marquez or perhaps newly crowned champion Danny Garcia.
13. Michigan State-Zab Judah
Michigan State has beaten their in-state rival Michigan the last 4 consecutive years, however they have only had one Big Ten title in the last 22 years. The Spartans are better known for having great rivalries than for national championships. Zab Judah who was once considered a pound for pound contender is far from the pedigree he once was these days. A fighter who is known for exciting fights but fails to live up the hype in big time fights. From his TKO loss to Kosta Tsyzu, his one sided thrashing against Mayweather and “below the belt” loss to Amir Khan, Judah is a fighter that is seems to be more about the business and money involved than the titles he could win. While he may be able to beat a Vernon Paris and look sharp, there is also the Judah that looks intimidated in losing to an Amir Khan. His mental lapses are similar to those of Victor Ortiz. All the talent in the world, a great combination of speed and power but as Ortiz, sometimes when the fights get a little tougher than he had in mind Judah goes into a shell and forgets how to box. However he still has a recognizable name and he is coming off a win against Paris to set him for to have another decent payday. A fight that should have been made was Paulie Malignaggi against Judah. The opening of the Barclays center in Brooklyn, New York would have been the perfect opening of the arena with boxing yet from sources Judah was asking for too much. As Michigan and Michigan State play one another every year in a heated battle, Goldenboy and Judah failed to deliver an all New York fight for the opening of the new arena.
12. Wisconsin-Mikel Kessler
Wisconsin. Consistent. That is the one word that would describe the badgers over the last 20 years. Making it to 17 bowl games and the Rose bowl game 4 times since 1994. While the Rose Bowl is almost exclusively for the Big Ten champion vs. the Pac 12 champion, it’s similar to Kessler and the light heavyweight division. Always one win away from winning a belt. Kessler has been a permanent fixture in the division as well as the super middleweight division for the past decade. While Kessler has won the Rose bowl a few times every time he has attempted to try for the national championship he has been shut out. First by Joe Calzaghe and then a surprising loss to at the time relative unknown Andre Ward in the 1st round of the Super 6 tourney. However just a Wisconsin is consistent, Kessler has moved up the ranks and picked up WBC silver belt since his loss. The Rose bowl is his bread and butter belt.
11.West Virginia-Yuriorkis Gamboa
Yuriorkis Gamboa a Cuban defect who won gold at the 2004 Olympics is a man fighting without a large fan base in the states. West Virginia is entering into the Big 12 conference. A conference that primarily has teams from the Midwest including, Texas, Baylor, Kansas, Iowa State and Oklahoma. Which means their closest game is roughly 870 miles away. This new conference will definitely take its toll on the traveling mountaineers. However, while lacking a good amount of countrymen or alumni at his fights has not stopped Gamboa from being one of the hottest and most exciting fighters in the game today. Which means he is gaining more and more stateside fans with every fight and in the end no matter how far away he may be from home, he always has his country or school in his heart.
10.Arkansas-Paulie Malignaggi
Few, if any other teams in the nation are more overrated than the Razorbacks. While every college fan believes that their school has a shot at the national championship, Arkansas fans take it to the next level. They are not even the best in their own conference yet talk as if they are ten points better than Alabama or LSU. Paulie the “Magic Man” Malignaggi is Arkansas. A fighter who has never been the best in his weight division yet hear him talk and he is the best fighter in his division or any weight division. To his credit, Paulie has made quite a career for himself, he is the current owner of the WBA welterweight belt, a belt he earned overseas in an entertaining bout. However while he may be able to win or tie for the SEC west title, he is far from the top. That does not matter, because he is a great showman, a specialty that many fighters cannot do, Paulie makes it look easy and no matter where he actually may rank in his division, in his own mind he’s the best and to be a boxer you better believe you’re better than the guy across from you in the ring.
9.South Carolina-Danny Garcia
Before the arrival of head coach Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier to South Carolina the gamecocks were relatively a bottom dweller in the SEC conference making only one bowl game from 1988 to 1995. USC is not the first team that comes to people’s mind when they think of a college football juggernaut. Danny Garcia a fighter who until this past July was a decent fighter with an undefeated record. That all changed when he stepped in to face Amir Khan in Las Vegas this past July. A fight that was supposed to be more of a tune up for Khan turned out to be much more. Garcia blasted Khan in 4 rounds to claim the WBC and WBA belts. Garcia in his last three fights has defeated Khan, Kendall Holt and Mexican great Erik 
Morales. Garcia now has a rematch with Morales and more importantly the recognition that he did not quite have before his TKO against Khan. If USC can win the SEC east title then Garcia can be a light welterweight champion.
8.Michigan-Bernard Hopkins
History, throwback. Two words that describe the Michigan Wolverines and Bernard Hopkins. Michigan, a team with their classic helmet, jersey and iconic stadium are the standard in college football. Bernard Hopkins, a former middleweight champion who held the middleweight strap for a record 20 times before losing to Jermaine Taylor in 2005, a streak that spanned over 12 years. Hopkins is the embodiment of a throwback fighter, from his stingy defense, to his clever tactics in the clinch, Hopkins will be remembered for his longevity of lasting in the hurt game. A 47, Hopkins is still facing the best in boxing; since his 40th birthday Hopkins has faced the likes of Taylor, Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright, Joe Calzaghe, Kelly Pavlik, Jean Pascal and Chad Dawson. Certain other middleweight champions are finally taking on a challenge at half Hopkins age. Hopkins just as Michigan is viewed in the history of college football are one of the same. While they may not be on top now, their history and body of work has already sealed their status among the great teams or fighters of any generation.
7.Florida State-Nonito Donaire
Honestly, there is little correlation between Donaire and the Seminoles.
6.Georgia-Brandon Rios
Georgia Bulldogs, locally known as the red coats (so I’ve been told) are similar to Arkansas. However while they do own a couple national championships, the last one came 32 years ago. Georgia is a team that while they may not flashy or over the top, they get the job done. Brandon Rios gets the job done in the ring. The hard hitting Cali fighter is as exciting as it gets. His courage and willingness to exchange punch for punch is unmatched, a fighter that because of fearlessness in the ring may not be around long enough to be appreciated in the long run. Rios just as Georgia sometimes gets overlooked in the SEC can surprise you once and a while. However just as he can surprise fans, he may get his own medicine when he gets in the ring Oct.13th.
5.Oregon-Manny Pacquiao
Yes, Pacquiao is still Oregon. Nike sponsored. Check. Built around speed. 
Check. Pac and Oregon are one of the same. While Oregon may not have a title quite yet, they have built around the idea they are on the cusp. They have some of the best facilities in the nation, Pacquiao has the best trainer in boxing. Oregon is being investigated for recruiting violation, Pacquiao has been plagued with PED use for the past few years. Pacquiao may have lost his last fight, but just as Oregon may lose a game early in the season, it’s how they finish that really matters. Last time Pacquiao lost, he came back and dismantled Erik Morales, twice. His next fight, will only bring him one step closer to his return to a national championship.
4.Oklahoma-Sergio Martinez
The Oklahoma Sooners were a perennial powerhouse in the 80’s, however in the 90’s they lost a little of their luster. Then they hire Bob Stoops and in the past 12 years, the Sooners are national contenders every year. They have a national championship for 2000 and have been to numerous BCS games in the same time span. Sergio Martinez, a fighter who like Bob Stoops was a relative unknown fighter in the US has become one of the best fighters in the game today. His first loss came at the hands of Antonio Margarito in 2000, his first fight in the states. Since then, he has went on to win 34 of his 35 fights. Picking up the WBC middleweight belt, fighter of the year and knockout of the year. As Oklahoma has their neighbor state rivalry with Texas in the red river shootout, Martinez has his own shootout with his next opponent Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. An opponent that Martinez shows little respect or care for, much the same way Texas and Oklahoma are. Question is, will Martinez dominate as Oklahoma did in 2000 by beating Texas 63-14 or will he get dominated by the young champion as they did when they were upset by Boise State?
3.Alabama-Vitali Klitschko
There will always be a debate, which Klitschko brother is the best. Vitali, the older at first was thought to be the better one but a loss to Chris Byrd in 2000 made people think twice about Vitali. At the same time his little brother Wladimir was reeling off stoppage after stoppage. The shift turned to the little brother as many thought Vitali was not the one. It would take another 3 years before Vitali would get another shot at a major belt. The fight against Lennox Lewis was his redemption. He proved in the Lewis fight that the stoppage to Byrd was a fluke and for 6 rounds Vitali and Lewis would exchange punch for punch. The fight was stopped due to a severe cut Klitschko would experience. However Vitali was still willing to continue if it meant he would win the belt. It was not meant to be. At the same time, the younger brother Wladimir was showing serious questions of his fighting ability as he would get knocked out twice in a little over a year add the fact the Vitali just went against Lennox Lewis and stood up for 6 rounds. A feat many could not do against Lewis. While little brother may be ranked higher, big brother is the better team. Alabama is a team that you may beat once, but as head coach Nick Saban showed, beating them twice is a daunting task. Vitali is the same, since his loss in 2003, he has not lost since. Nearly dominating all of his opponents with all but 2 being stopped. Vitali has worked on his craft and his defense, his reach and massive size has been proven difficult to overcome. As Alabama again looks like it is the team to repeat as national champions, Vitali is looking to seal his legacy and record with another win this weekend.
2.LSU-Wladmir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko, the little brother to Vitali and whom many consider the better of the two is similar to LSU. While many football fans flop on if LSU or Bama is the better team, the same goes for the Klitschko brothers. The brothers are similar in many ways, defense, size, boxing style, yet only one can be on top. As LSU beat Alabama in the regular season last year when it came to the national championship it was apparent Bama was prepared to shut LSU down. They did just that and claimed their 2nd national championship in 3 years. Wladimir and Vitali are interchangeable, however, Vitali is the more polished and battle tested brother, while both have been stellar the past 7-8 years, Vitali has not been knocked out by subpar opposition. Wladimir is one hard shot from lights out, which could happen if Manny Steward his trainer fails to prepare him as LSU Coach Les Miles failed to do this past January.
1.USC-Floyd Mayweather
Southern California Trojans. At their height, they were almost unbeatable with depth 
and talent, USC was 20 points better than any other school in the nation. They had the tradition (USC fight on song) iconic stadium (LA Coliseum) and a line of celebrity fans. The non USC is just waiting for the Trojans to lose, rooting for whoever is playing USC to beat them. That is the trade off to be the Trojans; add the fact that many are not fans of head coach Lane Kiffin and it’s like Floyd Mayweather in a USC uniform. Mayweather, a fighter who is known for as much as he does outside of the ring as he does inside. His excess of cars, money. Entourages and celebrity friends (50 cent anyone) Mayweather is USC in human form. USC was on a 2 year post season ban similar to Mayweather’s brush with the law that landed him in 90 days in jail. Constantly being plagued by lawsuits and allegations of a number of things, from arguments with his home sub-division security team to shootings outside of an ice rink, no matter what, trouble seems to find “Money May” both Mayweather and USC are a loss away from making a lot of people very happy.
Honorable Mention
Notre Dame- Erik Morales
The Fighting Irish, a team that at one point was the most coveted schools to play for has seen better days. However, despite the fact that they have not been to a national title game since 1988 and have only won 2
of their last 12 bowl appearances they consistently get national attention and consideration in the top 25. Yet with all that, they are still an independent team that has a seat at the BCS committee table and TV rights with NBC. If their name was not Notre Dame, NBC would have had that teams TV contract thrown out. The same can go for Erik Morales. A fighter that can lose 4 fights in a row and still face the best fighters in the world. Morales lost to Marcos Maidana in a fight many thought was a massacre waiting to happen turned out to be a spirited loss to Maidana. The loss actually helped Morales as he was then able to face current champion Danny Garcia; Once again another loss and no matter what, Morales has a rematch with Garcia. Notre Dame can have consecutive losing seasons and the networks and college polls would only drop them one or two spots.
Notre Dame and Morales are teams that no matter how bad they get, will always be considered one great fight or game away from being on top once again.