My five favorite Puerto Rican fighters

1. Felix Trinidad
Tito carried one of the big knockout punches in welterweight and junior middleweight history. He counts 35 knockouts among his 42 wins and he beat some of the biggest names of our generation, including Oba Carr, Fernando Vargas, Pernell Whitaker, Yori Boy Campas and Oscar De La. Trindad, who fights Roy Jones Jr. at 170 pounds on Jan. 19, commands respect because of his determination and willingness to mix it up. He lost fights to Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright, both of whom were established at higher weights. But in his prime, Trinidad was fun to watch and I'll always remember the Whitaker and Campas fights because he was taking the next step up in his career and he passed those tests. Against Whitaker, he was fighting a crafty veteran and against Campas, he fought a great Mexican warrior that had power and was unbeaten at the time. In fact, Trinidad came off the floor to beat Campas.

2. Miguel Cotto
The current welterweight is 31-0 and is closing the gap on Trinidad in terms of his popularity on the island.
Cotto is a fast-paced machine and he's proven that he is a game fighter. He isn't always perfect, but he finds ways to win. He beat veteran Shane Mosley in a close fight in November and he's also beaten the likes of Carlos Quintana, Zab Judah, Paul Malignaggi and Ricardo Torres. Cotto is a great inside fighter and while his chin has failed him at times, he has shown great recovery powers. He has a bright future ahead of him with possible fights against Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Kermit Cintron and Antonio Margarito.

3. Wilfred Benitez
How good was Benitez? At the age of 17, he beat 74-9-3 Antonio Cervantes for the WBA junior welterweight title. He later beat Carlos Palomino for the welterweight title before losing to Sugar Ray Leonard in 1979 in a ferocious battle of unbeatens. The Benitez/Leonard fight was one of the all-time classics between two great, young fighters. Benitez held his own and pushed Lenoard before getting stopped in the 15th round. He went on to beat Roberto Duran for the junior middleweight crown, before giving it up to Thomas Hearns. Benitez was as smooth as it gets as a defensive fighter, but his love for the good life was sometimes too much for him. But nonetheless, he will always be regarded as one of the toughest fighters ever to come out of Puerto Rico.

4. Edwin "Chapo" Rosario
Rosario was a heavy-handed fighter, who finished with 47 wins and 41 knockouts in his 53-fight career. There was no doubt that Chapo was flawed in some ways, but his power with his right hand was undeniable. Had big wins over Jose Luis Ramirez (won lightweight title), Howard Davis Jr., Franke Randall and Livingstone Bramble. Losses came to Hector Camacho (split decision), Ramirez and the great Julio Cesar Chavez. It was never a dull moment for Rosario when he fought and people forget he had a decent left hook as well.

5. Wilfredo Gomez
Won titles at super bantamweight, featherweight and super featherweight divisions. Won 44 of of 48 fights, winning by knockout on 42 occasions. Two of his losses were to greats, Azumah Nelson and Salvador Sanchez. Had wins against Carlos Zarate, Juan LaPorte, Rocky Lockridge and Lupe Pintor.

— Felix