Ever since the inaugural Player Bout (last October), we've seen many great competitors rise and fall. Take, for instance, the Rio Forge Sport, our very first lightweight champ. Well, every dog has its day, and this dog's day ended with the release of slicker, more compact players (not to mention that Rio recently went out of business--but that's another story).

Meanwhile, further up the scale, we've witnessed underdogs like the Creative Zen Micro climb to the top, while the unquestionable hard drive champion, Apple iPod, has been knocking 'em out since day one. Let's recap the Player Bouts by looking at the current leaders in each division.

Apple iPod (20GB)

Predictably, the Apple iPod has held the prestigious heavyweight title since its first fight on November 23, 2004 (against the Creative Zen Touch). What's its secret? Answer: the scrollwheel. Player Bout history shows that the iPod takes the early lead in the first round (navigation) with its seamless menu and scroll system. After that, its contenders have a hard time coming back. Some players do damage in the compatibility round; however, iTunes' power moves have led to high ratings in that category (round) as well.

Creative Zen Micro (5GB)

With devices in every division, Creative confidently picks the Zen Micro as its flagship player. The California-based company has some impressive players on its roster, such as the Muvo Micro, yet the Zen Micro is the overall crowd-pleaser. Even with the budding amount of color-screen players out there (read: iRiver H10), people seem to gravitate more toward the colorful choices of the Zen line. It's hard to say "no" to colors like citrus orange, pink, and lime green.

Sony NW-E407 (1GB)

Virtually overnight, Sony went from not making MP3 players to being a major force in this flooded market. The NW-E407's combo of innovative design and solid build are precisely the functions the judges look for. With two draws so far, the lightweight bouts have been the most controversial of all the divisions. Matches like Sony NW-E105 vs. iPod Shuffle have proven that the flash market is very competitive. So, although the NW-E407 holds the belt now, it better watch its back, because there are some strong players moving up the ranks.