Amir Khan: Where Does He Rank as Among the 10 Best Pound-for-Pound Boxers?

Fresh off defeating light welterweight Zab Judah, British boxer Amir Khan stated his goal in the world of boxing.

"My aim is to move up the pound-for-pound rankings and one day be pound-for-pound champion. I want to be the best fighter in the world," Khan said.

Those are lofty expectations. Khan, 24, is certainly a promising and gifted boxer, but there are many excellent boxers today.

Here is a list of some of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, and where Khan measures up.

10. Bernard Hopkins. Age is just a number, as Hopkins has proven time and time again. One of the greatest middleweights of all-time, Hopkins has so many tools: strength, defense, a good chin, and excellent balance.

9. Andre Ward. An elite super middleweight champion, Ward is an extremely aggressive boxer, and his punches carry a lot of weight. He takes risks, but his risks pay off. His upcoming battle with Carl Froch could be a classic.

8. Amir Khan. He's about as fast as it gets. After almost losing in a memorable fight against Marcos Maidana, Khan fought back but questions persisted about his chin. Still Khan is a very technical and accurate puncher.

7. Timothy Bradley. Undefeated, but somewhat untested, Bradley is an extremely effective boxer with an incredible work ethic. Few boxers know how to outwork their opponents like Bradley. He would be higher on the list if he didn't have the reputation of head butting.

6. Nonito Donaire. This switch-hitter is effective fighting either southpaw or orthodox. Donaire's only loss was his second fight. He has completely dominated opponents, and has excellent ringmanship.

5. Wladimir Klitschko. He is the surprise pick on this list, because the heavyweight division lacks a great boxer to challenge him to see how good he actually is. But the 6-foot-6 Ukranian has been an excellent boxer over the past six years. Though he sometimes shows a lack of aggressiveness, Klitschko has tremendous balance, and might have the greatest jab amongst heavyweights over the past 25 years.

4. Juan Manuel Marquez. The lightweight from Mexico has won eight world titles in three different weight classes. Marquez, the older brother of Rafael, has very good power and all-around skills. When fighting as a lightweight, he has excellent speed. Marquez could give any fighter ahead of him on this list a run for their money.

3. Sergio Martinez. "Maravilla" is certainly the best middleweight alive and proved it with wins against Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams, the latter being hit with a Martinez left hand in a stunning second-round knockout. Ring Magazine named Martinez, "2010 Fighter of the Year."

2. Floyd Mayweather. Because "Pretty boy" Floyd has ducked Manny Pacquiao for so long, there's no way he can be listed first on this list. Mayweather's future is in doubt, as he has numerous felony counts charged against him stemming from a domestic battery report by his former girlfriend. As a boxer, Mayweather is brilliant at defending himself, and utilizing his speed with his signature double left hook. He can be mentioned with the all-time greats should he continue his success.

1. Manny Pacquiao. It's a no brainer to have him at the top of the list. Pacquiao is so good that the No. 2 guy, Mayweather, has spent the better part of two years dodging him. Pacquiao is a living legend, with great power, balance, and intelligence. Best of all, he shows little sign of slowing down.