2010 Official Boxing Thread: Soto/Antillon, 2010 Fight of the Year.
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by proshares,
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link is no good ^
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Saw this earlier. lol I would have to say that Floyd has every right to be upset. Cmon..... ID to get into his own neighborhood??? What he said was true about Maloof tho
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Exactly.Originally Posted by TCERDA
Saw this earlier. lol I would have to say that Floyd has every right to be upset. Cmon..... ID to get into his own neighborhood??? What he said was true about Maloof tho.
If you turn up the volume on your speakers you'll hear the security guard say,"I know it's you, but I need to see Id".
I'd be pretty damn mad to.
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this what he basically told Floyd, "I dont care how much money you make, U still a !@++* ... "
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picture is insane. this is so "PS" - able ...
[h1]
[/h1][h1]Martinez's monster left shook the world[/h1]
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Marty Rosengarten for Ringsidephotos.com One monster left hand was all it took for Sergio Martinez to end Paul Williams' night.
When Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams met in December 2009, they waged one of the most action-packed fights of the year. They were both knocked down in the first round and spent the rest of the fight pounding each other in an unforgettable battle.
Williams came out with a disputed majority decision victory that cried for a rematch. After each took an interim fight -- Martinez dethroned Kelly Pavlik to win the middleweight championship in his -- they met again on Nov. 20 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
The anticipation in the boxing world was at a fever pitch. The expectations were sky-high for another fight-of-the-year candidate between two of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters.
It never materialized. Instead, Martinez fired the overhand left heard 'round the world that violently drilled Williams in the second round for the utterly stunning 2010 ESPN.com knockout of the year.
Coming into the rematch, both fighters were talking a good game.
[h4]Rafael's Knockouts of the Year[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Year[/th][th=""]Fight[/th][/tr][tr][td]2010[/td][td]Sergio Martinez KO2 Paul Williams[/td][/tr][tr][td]2009[/td][td]Manny Pacquiao KO2 Ricky Hatton[/td][/tr][tr][td]2008[/td][td]Edison Miranda KO3 David Banks[/td][/tr][tr][td]2007[/td][td]Darnell Wilson KO11 Emmanuel Nwodo[/td][/tr][tr][td]2006[/td][td]Calvin Brock KO6 Zuri Lawrence[/td][/tr][tr][td]2005[/td][td]Allan Green KO1 Jaidon Codrington[/td][/tr][tr][td]2004[/td][td]Antonio Tarver KO2 Roy Jones Jr.[/td][/tr][tr][td]2003[/td][td]Rocky Juarez KO10 Antonio "Chelo" Diaz[/td][/tr][tr][td]2002[/td][td]Roy Jones Jr. KO7 Glenn Kelly[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Lennox Lewis KO4 Hasim Rahman[/td][/tr][tr][td]2000[/td][td]Lennox Lewis TKO2 Frans Botha[/td][/tr][/table]
"This one will be more brutal this time," Williams said during the buildup.
He was right, but just not in the way he had expected.
"I'm going to hurt him worse than I did in the first fight," Martinez said before the sequel. "I think I can stop Paul Williams. … Both of us need closure from our last fight. We need to know that the result is final this time."
The result was about as final as it could be.
The first round looked more like the 13th round of their first fight as they both stepped on the gas right away. Maybe we were indeed in for another barn burner. But Martinez put that notion to rest in the second round.
He had been finding a home for his left hand but hadn't landed it perfectly yet. That changed when both fighters went to throw lefts simultaneously. Williams, however, had his right hand hanging down near his waist and Martinez came over the top with a ferocious, full-leverage blow that landed clean on Williams' chin.
Williams, who usually has a durable chin, never saw the punch coming. He dropped to the mat face-first as his entire body short-circuited. First his knee hit the canvas. Then he slammed the mat with his face as he came to rest with his arms at his side. His lip was bleeding, his shoulder quivered and his blank eyes were open, but he was removed from his senses. Referee Earl Morton counted him out at 1 minute, 10 seconds. There was no reason for Morton to count. Martinez had blown Williams away for a huge knockout that harkened back to Thomas Hearns' all-time classic, one-punch, second-round KO of Roberto Duran.
"That is the knockout of the year if nothing else," HBO analyst Max Kellerman said on the broadcast. "A sensational, shocking, one-punch knockout of a normally iron-chinned, top-notch fighter!"
As Martinez and his team erupted in celebration of the gargantuan knockout, medical personnel rushed to Williams' aid to give him oxygen. After a couple of minutes on the canvas, he was able to get up on his own, but with little idea about what had hit him.
Martinez had planned for it. His trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento, had envisioned the left hand as the finishing punch and was so confident that would be the key that he jotted down his prediction for the fight on a piece of paper in the dressing room in the minutes before the ring walk. His prediction: second-round knockout on a left hand.
"We prepared for this," Martinez said while still in the ring. "We worked really hard. [In the second round] I started to attack, and when I did, we knew he was going to make a mistake because he always makes mistakes. He left me a lot of room to come in and hit him."
While Martinez was cool and confident before the fight, his promoter, the emotional Lou DiBella, was a nervous wreck.
"You know how many times he told me, 'Don't worry, I'm going to knock him out'? He kept saying that over and over," DiBella said at ringside after the fight. "I was worried like a maniac. He said, 'Relax, I'm knocking him out.'"
Martinez not only knocked him out, he clinched knockout of the year.
[h3]Other sweet shots[/h3][h3]Wladimir Klitschko KO12 Eddie Chambers (March 20 at Düsseldorf, Germany)[/h3]
Boris Streubel/Getty ImagesIt took a while, but Wladimir Klitschko finally put Eddie Chambers to sleep in Round 12.
The heavyweight champion was pummeling the smaller, overmatched Chambers, who had been taking a beating round after round. Yet, for all of his dominance, Klitschko had not put Chambers away. Trainer Emanuel Steward, well-aware of Klitschko's growing reputation for letting lesser opponents hang around in one-sided fights, begged him to pick up the pace, put his punches together and get rid of Chambers. At one point between rounds, Steward compared the fight to Klitschko's horrendously boring 2008 unification fight against Sultan Ibragimov. Even though Klitschko had won every second against Chambers, Steward was so frustrated by his lack of aggression he yelled at Klitschko before the beginning of the 12th round: "We don't need another bulls--- decision!" Klitschko finally got the message and put his opponent away, scoring a spectacular knockout with five seconds left in the fight. Klitschko creamed Chambers with a left hook that sent him staggering backward into one of the corner pads before he collapsed sideways and came to rest facedown with his body hanging over the bottom ring rope. Chambers was out cold with no need for a count. It was the epitome of a heavyweight knockout, even if it took too long for Klitschko to deliver it.
[h3]Saul "Canelo" Alvarez KO6 Carlos Baldomir (Sept. 18 at Los Angeles)[/h3]
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty ImagesCarlos Baldomir's durable chin, meet Saul Alvarez's heavy fists.
Although this was an undercard fight, a huge portion of the heavily Mexican crowd at Staples Center had come to see junior middleweight Alvarez, the 20-year-old rising Mexican star, and he sure gave them a thrill as he wrecked the usually iron-chinned Baldomir. The former undisputed welterweight champ had been stopped only once previously, and that was 16 years ago in his seventh professional fight. But the punishment Alvarez was dishing out began to mount in the sixth round, and then he landed a thunderous left hook on Baldomir's chin. He pitched forward and slammed face-first into the canvas without breaking his fall. The glassy-eyed Baldomir tried in vain to get up, rolling over onto his backside, but there was no use as referee Jose Cobian reached 10. "Down goes Baldomir on a rocket left hook," HBO's Jim Lampley barked. "That's the biggest moment of the night for the crowd! They are going wild. And the count is finished, and he knocked Baldomir out. Not a TKO, a knockout. That's what they wanted!"
[h3]Alexander Frenkel KO7 Enzo Maccarinelli (Sept. 18 at Birmingham, England)[/h3]
AP ImagesRest easy: Enzo Maccarinelli's night was cut short against Alexander Frenkel.
In his four previous losses, Maccarinelli had been heavily knocked out, but none was as devastating as this possible career-ender in which Frenkel savagely destroyed him to win the European cruiserweight title. Frenkel scored the first knockdown with 50 seconds left in the seventh round when he slammed Maccarinelli with a flush left hook to the chin. Maccarinelli's eyes rolled up into his head as he flopped to the mat on his back, with his head resting on the bottom rope. He beat the count on instinct, at which point referee Erkki Meronen should have stopped the fight. Maccarinelli was gone, but Meronen allowed it to continue. Maccarinelli staggered toward Frenkel and ate a left, a right and another titanic left that dropped him heavily again. This time Meronen immediately called it off as Maccarinelli landed like a cup of pudding being thrown to the mat, and medical personnel rushed to supply him with oxygen. Sick, sick knockout.
[h3]Dmitry Pirog TKO5 Daniel Jacobs (July 31 at Las Vegas)[/h3]
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesThat's a stretch: People were already hailing Daniel Jacobs as the future of boxing.
Jacobs, the 2009 ESPN.com prospect of the year, was the big favorite against Russia's unknown Pirog when they met for a vacant middleweight title, but five rounds later Pirog had fired a career-altering right hand. Although Pirog trailed slightly on the scorecards after four rounds, he made them unnecessary when he detonated a right on Jacobs' jaw. With his hands down and pulling straight back in an amateurish move, Jacobs was a dead duck when the shot landed. His knees buckled and he fell, coming to rest flat on his back as Pirog immediately raised his arms in victory. Jacobs lay motionless as referee Robert Byrd called off the fight. HBO's Jim Lampley with the call: "Down goes Jacobs on a perfect right hand and that may be that! No way. Robert Byrd won't even finish the count! He waives his arms and Jacobs is gone!"
[h3]Tim Coleman KO3 Patrick Lopez (Oct. 1 at Santa Ynez, Calif.)[/h3]
Dwight McCann/Fightwire ImagesTim Coleman's power saw him through Patrick Lopez.
Junior welterweights Coleman and Lopez stood in the middle of the ring trying to measure each other in the third round of this fight on Showtime's "ShoBox: The New Generation." Suddenly, Lopez threw a left hand. But Coleman dipped to the side and countered with a crushing right uppercut that landed dead on Lopez's chin. Lopez dropped to his knees before falling face-first to the mat. He made it to his feet on shaky legs, took a few steps backward, turned around and staggered across the ring until falling into a corner ring post with no idea where he was as referee David Mendoza, who tried to catch him, called it off.
[h3]Daniel Ponce De Leon KO3 Antonio Escalante (Sept. 18 at Los Angeles)[/h3]
AP Photo/Jae C. HongAnother year, another Daniel Ponce De Leon knockout worthy of honorable mention.
Ponce De Leon has been on this list before and likely will be again. He has as much pure power as any fighter in boxing and showed it yet again as he put Escalante to sleep with a left hand to the forehead followed by a short right hook to the side of the face in this featherweight title eliminator. Escalante went down flat on his back, spread-eagle, and referee Tony Crebs stopped it immediately. There was no need to count. "What a right-hand shot," HBO's Jim Lampley told the pay-per-view audience. "And we told you about the punching power. There's the example."
[h3]Audley Harrison KO12 Michael Sprott II (April 9 at London)[/h3]
Leon Neal/AFP/Getty ImagesA wise man once said: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."
In 2007, Sprott knocked Harrison cold in the third round in a knockout-of-the-year candidate. Three years later, it was Harrison turning the tables on his British countryman to win the vacant European heavyweight title. Harrison had an injured shoulder and was being roughed up on his way to what would have been a career-crippling defeat when he suddenly turned things around in the final round. Harrison backed Sprott against the ropes and launched a picturesque straight left hand that caught him on the chin. Sprott went down face-first and rolled over on his back as referee Dave Parris immediately stopped it. "What a punch! What a punch," roared British Sky broadcaster Ian Darke. "Massive left hand! It is over! Harrison, in a quite incredible finish, has dredged out the victory. … That is one of the most astonishing things you will ever see in a British boxing ring."
[h3]David Lemieux KO1 Hector Camacho Jr. (Oct. 29 at Montreal)[/h3]
Facing his first name opponent, Montreal's heavy-handed Lemieux (25-0, 24 KOs) thrilled his hometown fans with a punishing knockout in this middleweight fight. Camacho has usually shown a durable chin, but it was no match for Lemieux, who dominated the opening round. He wobbled Camacho and then forced him to back up into the ropes before drilling him with a short right hand to the face. Camacho dropped to a knee and fell backward, seemingly in slow motion. He was gone, and referee Michael Griffin stopped the fight.
[h3]Ed Paredes KO2 Joey Hernandez II (Feb. 5 at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)[/h3]
Javiel Centeno/Fightwireimages.com Ed Paredes put a South Florida rivalry to rest with a left to the chin.
In August 2009, South Florida welterweight rivals Paredes and Hernandez fought to a foul-filled draw. In that first fight, Paredes dropped Hernandez but couldn't finish him. Paredes had no such problem in the rematch on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights." Hernandez never saw Paredes' short left hand to the chin. It crumpled Hernandez, who dropped to his knees and fell forward onto the mat. He got to his knees in an effort to get up, but then fell over onto his back as referee Samuel Burgos counted him out. "Wow! Can you believe that? Mark it down, folks! Put it on the list," ESPN's Joe Tessitore barked. "Knockout of the year has an early entrant and it comes from Ed Paredes!" Don't worry, we marked it down.
[h3]Jhonny Gonzalez KO2 Santos Marimon (Nov. 20 at Monterrey, Mexico)[/h3]
Featherweight contender Gonzalez is one of those guys who gets knocked out or does the knocking out. In this case, he did the knocking out, putting Marimon, a .500 journeyman, to sleep with a left hook to the chin. Marimon, out before he hit the deck, spun sideways and dropped to his back spread-eagle as the referee immediately called it off.
[h3]Randall Bailey TKO1 Jackson Bonsu (March 19 at Antwerp, Belgium)[/h3]
It wouldn't be a knockout-of-the-year list without Bailey, one of the best pure punchers in the sport. He traveled to Bonsu's hometown for a welterweight elimination fight and made quick work of him. Bailey had scored a knockdown earlier in the round and Bonsu was wobbly. It was surprising that he made it to his feet, but he wasn't up for long. Bailey set up the spectacular knockout with a booming right hand followed by a nasty left that made Bonsu look like a rag doll being bent in half before he fell to the canvas, half under the ropes. Referee Tony Weeks immediately called it off.
Also coming: awards for prospect, round and fight of the year
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[table][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Lennox Lewis KO4 Hasim Rahman[/td][/tr][/table]
I'd take Rahman's KO of Lewis.
Upset of the decade?
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Zab's a bum though.
Barrera v. Prince is a good one but Barrera was still a very highly regarded fighter and a future HOFer.
Nice shot at DLH.
Barrera v. Prince is a good one but Barrera was still a very highly regarded fighter and a future HOFer.
Nice shot at DLH.
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Originally Posted by Proshares
Sturm over DLH
anways
i was watcing PBF VS mosley again last night
IF mosley hits pacman with them 2 bombs he hit floyd with does pacman go down?
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Originally Posted by Bigmike23
Originally Posted by Proshares
Sturm over DLH
anways
i was watcing PBF VS mosley again last night
IF mosley hits pacman with them 2 bombs he hit floyd with does pacman go down?
No. But if pacman hits Floyd with those two bombs, he will finish the fight. ijs
So apparently HBO had Lee pull out of his fight to approve him for Sergio then told them they won't approve him. Now they've given Sergio the ultimatum that they will only buy a fight between him and Dzinziruk. After they've already pushed a Cotto fight to the side on that date for Sergio.
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Manny Steward cannot be pleased with this
[h1]
[/h1][h1]Saul Alvarez is prospect of the year[/h1]
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Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty ImagesSaul Alvarez, who won five bouts in 2010 and has 35 pro wins at age 20, is our prospect of the year.
When Hall of Fame matchmaker and promoter Don Chargin speaks, people in boxing listen. So when Chargin, a beloved figure, gushes about the bright future he sees for junior middleweight Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, it's best that you pay attention.
"I like that he's developed that hook to the liver, that famous Mexican punch. And as he goes on he's getting to be more and more of a body puncher. He's a terrific body puncher," said Chargin, who has seen them all during a career in boxing that has spanned some 60 years.
Then come the words to really pay attention to.
"If there's no hiccups along the way and he does things the right way, this kid, believe me, in a year's time, is going to be the biggest thing that ever came out of Mexico," Chargin said.
When Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who works closely with Chargin, signed Alvarez in January, he called it "a historical day for Golden Boy."
That is the kind of potential that Mexico's red-headed, freckle-faced Alvarez, just 20, possesses. He also has the desire to be great.
[h4]Rafael's prospects of the year[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Year[/th][th=""]Fighter[/th][/tr][tr][td]2010[/td][td]Saul Alvarez[/td][/tr][tr][td]2009[/td][td]Daniel Jacobs[/td][/tr][tr][td]2008[/td][td]Victor Ortiz[/td][/tr][tr][td]2007[/td][td]Amir Khan[/td][/tr][tr][td]2006[/td][td]Andre Berto[/td][/tr][tr][td]2005[/td][td]Joel Julio[/td][/tr][tr][td]2004[/td][td]Samuel Peter[/td][/tr][tr][td]2003[/td][td]Jermain Taylor[/td][/tr][tr][td]2002[/td][td]Miguel Cotto[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Francisco Bojado[/td][/tr][tr][td]2000[/td][td]Julio Diaz[/td][/tr][/table]
"It's something that's within me," Alvarez said through translator and Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez. "It's natural. I was born with it. I'm someone who is very focused, and when I want something, I focus on that and I get it."
With his exciting style, Alvarez already is a major star in Mexico. De La Hoya recounted a story from early December when he was in Veracruz for Alvarez's most recent fight, a lopsided decision against former junior welterweight titlist Lovemore N'Dou.
"This kid has a rock star following. It's unbelievable," De La Hoya said. "We had the weigh-in, jam-packed outdoors, and for the first time ever I realized I'm retired and that nobody cares about me anymore. When all the little girls were following [Alvarez] and I was left behind, I was getting trampled. It was like, 'Wow, this kid is the next guy.'
"I was talking to many fans in Mexico on why they follow him. Why? He's not a world champion yet. They said he's our hope, that's why we follow him. The Mexican boxing fans, they are no dummies. They know talent when they see it. When I heard that, I was like, 'Wow, that's very powerful.' They're hoping for a representative, an icon, a hero. And he's the one."
Alvarez's popularity is beginning to grow in the United States, especially with Mexican-Americans. When he faced former welterweight champ Carlos Baldomir at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on a September undercard, it was the charismatic Alvarez who sold most of the tickets.
Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KOs) turned pro at 15 with no amateur experience and learned on the job, fighting numerous novice-level opponents while building his record.
After a standout 2010 in which he won five bouts (including four by knockout) while ratcheting up his competition, he's just beginning to come into his own. Among his victories was a ninth-round knockout of Jose Cotto in a fight in which Alvarez rebounded from early adversity; a sensational one-punch, sixth-round knockout of Baldomir; and the win against N'Dou. With power, poise and loads of potential, Alvarez is the 2010 ESPN.com prospect of the year.
"This kid is doing things I would never dream of doing, that Julio Cesar Chavez would have never dreamed of doing [at 2," De La Hoya said. "The moves he is doing now at 20, the feints, the ring generalship, he's not just your typical face-first type of fighter and 'I have power and a good chin.' No. He's a very smart fighter. He thinks.
"I really do see him as a mix of Chavez and me. He has the courage, he has the desire, he's a proud Mexican and he's smart. He's a good-looking kid. He has a following. So it's like a mix of Chavez and I. There's so much room for improvement and the great thing is, he knows it. His team knows there's a lot to be learned. And he's willing to learn. He wants to learn."
Maybe De La Hoya is laying it on a bit thick, but he made his point. Alvarez, who counts Chavez and De La Hoya among his boxing heroes, has all the potential in the world to become a major force.
But Alvarez, who dropped out of school in the Mexican equivalent of about eighth grade to box, is humble and doesn't seem overwhelmed by the expectations.
"It motivates me not only to be like them, but to surpass them and make my own name," Alvarez said. "I'm in a learning stage right now. I still feel that I have a lot more to learn. I'm a few steps away from the bigger fights. I'm very happy with the progress. Each time, I'm taking a step toward where I want to be."
Said De La Hoya: "It doesn't surprise me the composure he has and the way he handles himself. He's a very mature 20-year-old. I never experienced anything like it. At 20, he can handle everything. That's why we feel he's a special fighter. It's a matter of getting him the right fights and getting him the experience to one day throw him in with the lions. That's what he wants."
Trained by Edison Reynoso and co-trained and managed by Edison's father, Jose "Chepo" Reynoso, Alvarez hopes to fight four times in 2011 -- three times in the U.S. -- including for a world title. He has been fighting between welterweight and junior middleweight, but hopes to first win a 147-pound belt before settling at junior middleweight. Golden Boy is working on his next fight for March 5 in Anaheim, Calif., possibly against Matthew Hatton or welterweight titlist Vyacheslav Senchenko.
"He wants to move to Los Angeles and learn English and get his career going in the States," De La Hoya said. "He wants to become a superstar. The way he has captured the Mexican hearts in his country, he wants to be something special here in the States. He has skills and he will continue to work on his skills. He's progressing and learning, so he's motivated. There's really no rush with him."
Sometimes young star athletes can let the fame and money go to their head. De La Hoya believes Alvarez will avoid those issues -- what Chargin called "hiccups."
"My advice would be: Don't do what I did. Don't chase the women, don't go out partying," he said. "That's my advice. It shaved four years out of my career, at least four years. Imagine if I didn't drink or go out partying? He's a very disciplined fighter. He knows what he wants. He knows he has the talent. And he knows he can go very far."
Alvarez said there will be no distractions on his way to the top.
"I'm working because I want to be the best," he said. "I feel that I was born for this. Even before I started boxing, I used to get into fights and I did very well. So I feel I was born for this."
The rest of the Super 25 (in alphabetical order with age, division, promoter and record):
Demetrius Andrade (22, junior middleweight, Banner Promotions/Star Boxing, 11-0, 8 KOs): Andrade, a southpaw from Providence, R.I., was a decorated amateur and has pound-for-pound list potential. He was a 2008 U.S. Olympian, won a world amateur championship, two U.S. national titles and two National Golden Gloves titles. He has fantastic speed, ring smarts and, at 6-foot-1, excellent size for his division. He's a dynamic prospect who just needs experience, although he wasn't as busy as he should have been in 2010, fighting just three times. Banner Promotions' Artie Pelullo said Andrade will fight six times in 2011, a busy slate that begins Jan. 7 on ESPN2.
Natasha Chornesky/Fightwireimages.com Jose Benavidez Jr., right, got an early start in boxing and clearly is ahead of the game at age 18.
Jose Benavidez Jr. (18, junior welterweight, Top Rank, 9-0, 9 KOs): Many view Benavidez, who grew up in Phoenix and began boxing at age 6, as a sure-fire champion. Considered a prodigy, he was given a special waiver by Nevada authorities to turn pro at 17, a few months before his 18th birthday (the usual requirement). Rather than gun for the 2012 Olympics, Benavidez turned pro in January after going 120-5 as a star amateur and winning a 2009 National Golden Gloves title at 16, the youngest ever to do so. He has huge upside, great size for a junior welterweight (5-foot-11), speed, power and a smooth, seemingly effortless style. He also easily switches between right-handed and southpaw stances. He was trained by Freddie Roach (still a co-manager), but difficulties between Roach and Benavidez's father, Jose Sr., led to their breakup.
Craig Bennett/FightWireImages.com Adrian Broner won all five of his fights in 2010 by knockout, and could be on the fast track.
Adrian Broner (21, lightweight, Golden Boy, 18-0, 15 KOs): Broner's nickname is "The Problem," and he's going to be one for opponents. A pro for just two years, Broner had an excellent amateur background, winning the Silver Gloves tournament in 2002 and 2003 and advancing to the semifinals of the 2005 Junior Olympics. The Cincinnati native is aggressive, with energy to burn, has a ton of speed and unmistakable swagger that makes him fun to watch. He just needs experience and maturity. He went 5-0 in 2010, winning each fight by knockout and could move quickly.
Rakhim Chakhkiev (27, cruiserweight, Universum, 8-0, 6 KOs): Although Chakhkiev is now based in Germany, he was a star amateur in his home country of Russia, going 160-20 and winning the 2008 Olympic heavyweight gold medal. He was also the 2007 world amateur championships silver medalist. As a pro, "The Machine" has looked outstanding since turning pro in late 2009. A southpaw with power and a strong overall game, he was 5-0 in 2010 and could move quickly given his wealth of experience.
John Gichigi/Getty ImagesJames DeGale, an Olympic gold medalist, could be in line for a shot at a world title soon.
James DeGale (24, super middleweight, Frank Warren, 9-0, 7 KOs): The English southpaw won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and is on the fast track. He loves the spotlight and is as cocky as they come, but so far he has backed up his brash talk with strong skills. In 2010, he went 4-0 and won each bout by knockout while also fighting his first scheduled 12-rounder in just his seventh fight. On Dec. 11, DeGale significantly stepped up in competition, stopping dangerous Paul Smith in the ninth round to win the British title. Nicknamed "Chunky," DeGale can bore the crowd by sometimes fighting too defensively, and he sometimes showboats, but he has a ton of talent. Warren is a master at maneuvering fighters, so it won't be a surprise if DeGale fights for some kind of world title in the next 18 months.
Chris Cozzone/FightWireImages.comDanny Garcia finally faced some adversity in the ring in 2010 -- and he'll be better for it.
Danny Garcia (22, junior welterweight, Golden Boy, 19-0, 13 KOs): Garcia continues to make strides after a standout amateur career in which he went 107-13, won a 2006 U.S. national championship and just missed making the 2008 Olympic team. Professionally, the Philadelphia native has been developing slowly but surely. He oozes confidence and is a good counterpuncher. In 2010, he was 4-0 and gained valuable experience in a tough decision win against veteran Ashley Theophane in a fight in which Garcia had to dig down to pull it out. One of his other victims was Mike Arnaoutis, a former contender whom Garcia cut down in four rounds. A fight against a legitimate contender could be in the cards for 2011.
Miguel Angel "Mikey" Garcia (23, featherweight, Top Rank, 24-0, 20 KOs): Garcia has been nurtured well by Top Rank, which is king when it comes to developing prospects, and is now on the precipice of becoming a serious contender -- if he isn't already. The kid can really fight and has the look of a future champion. He had a strong but brief amateur career, going 58-7. He's fundamentally sound, has deceptive power and is poised and mature beyond his years, perhaps because he's from a boxing family. (Older brother and trainer, Robert Garcia, is a former titleholder.) He scored four knockouts in his five wins in 2010, including stoppages against quality opponents Cornelius Lock and Olivier Lontchi, which put Garcia in position for a possible title shot against Yuriorkis Gamboa. It shouldn't be long before you see him regularly on HBO or Showtime.
John Gichigi/Getty ImagesFrankie Gavin, the first British world amateur champion, has his sights set on a world title.
Frankie Gavin (25, junior welterweight, Frank Warren, 8-0, 7 KOs): In 2007, Gavin, a southpaw, became the first British world amateur champion. In 2008, he was a gold medal favorite at the Olympics, but he didn't compete in Beijing because he failed to make the lightweight limit and was disqualified. As a pro, Gavin has plowed through opponents, showing a fun style and good hand speed. In September, he claimed his first belt, the Irish title, and if all goes as planned, he hopes to challenge for a world title in 2012.
Craig Bennett/FightWireImages.comFrankie Gomez has showed power and uncommon patience in the ring for an 18-year-old.
Frankie Gomez (18, junior welterweight, Golden Boy, 7-0, 6 KOs): East Los Angeles' Gomez was perhaps the most sought-after amateur in the country when he decided to go pro rather than remain an amateur status and go for gold at the 2012 Olympics. At 17, he won a 2009 U.S. national championship at 141 pounds (defeating fellow uber-prospect Jose Benavidez in the final) and a silver medal at the world amateur championships (his first open tournament). He turned pro in April and stayed busy the rest of the year, displaying two-handed firepower. Instead of rushing to his opponent like so many youngsters, Gomez showed patience and maturity beyond his years.
Marty Rosengarten for Ringsidephotos.comFernando Guerrero, left, is already a big draw in his adopted hometown of Salisbury, Md.
Fernando Guerrero (24, middleweight, Prize Fight, 20-0, 16 KOs): Guerrero is a blue-chip prospect with strong amateur credentials that include junior Golden Gloves, international Junior Olympics, National Golden Gloves and U.S. national titles. And that's not all: He has charisma, power and is a big ticket seller in Salisbury, Md., where he has lived since childhood after moving from the Dominican Republic. With a growing fan base and improving skills, he could someday be a serious factor. He has gotten good gym work as a sparring partner for Paul Williams. A hand injury early in the year limited Guerrero to just three fights in 2010, but he won each, including the best win of his career: a decision against experienced Ishe Smith. He opens his 2011 campaign in Salisbury on Feb. 18 as the headliner on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights."
Fightwireimages.com Marcus Johnson finally is getting his just due, but he must do his part to reach his potential.
Marcus Johnson (25, super middleweight, Lou DiBella/Antonio Leonard, 20-0, 15 KOs): Houston's Johnson is built like a truck, puts his punches together well and has solid power. He was a standout amateur who made it to the finals of the 2004 Olympic trials before losing to eventual Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward. Johnson's pro career stalled early on because promoter Don King buried him and got him virtually no exposure. But after sitting for almost a year waiting for the contract to expire, Johnson signed with DiBella, who got him fights more consistently and television exposure. But Johnson fought just twice in 2010. That was his own fault. After an April victory, he tested positive for marijuana and was suspended for six months, which cost him a fight. He has all the talent in the world, but it's up to him how seriously he's going to take his career.
AP Photo/David J. PhillipMike Jones, right, keeps taking on increasingly tougher foes, but he remains unbeaten as a pro.
Mike Jones (27, welterweight, Russell Peltz/Top Rank, 23-0, 18 KOs): Philadelphia's Jones learned to box in the gym of legendary heavyweight champ Joe Frazier and spent the past few years being groomed by Peltz on small shows in Philly because the television networks largely (and inexplicably) ignored him. But the lanky Jones, who has an appealing style, has been steadily building a fan base and stepping up his competition. Now that Peltz has teamed with Top Rank, Jones is primed for a breakout in 2011. He won all four of his 2010 bouts against an increasingly better grade of opponent, including a lopsided decision against Henry Bruseles, a knockout of Irving Garcia and a majority decision struggle against Jesus Soto-Karass on the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito undercard. It was a fight that was close enough to warrant a rematch, which will take place Feb. 19 on an HBO undercard.
Robert James Hughes/Fightwireimages.comLateef Kayode has been a beast since dropping to cruiserweight, going 6-0 (all knockouts) in 2010.
Lateef Kayode (27, cruiserweight, Gary Shaw, 15-0, 14 KOs): His nickname says it all: "Power." Although trainer Freddie Roach is teaching him the finer points of boxing, Kayode is about brute strength. He's raw and needs experience, but his attitude in the ring is to go for the knockout. The Nigerian native had a good amateur career, winning various African tournaments, and turned pro in 2008 as a heavyweight. But he dropped to cruiserweight in 2010 and went 6-0, all wins by knockout. He capped his year with an impressive sixth-round knockout of Ed Perry (who had never been stopped in four previous defeats) on "ShoBox" on Dec. 3, the first time many had a chance to see Kayode.
Erislandy Lara (27, junior middleweight, Golden Boy/Blue Wave Group, 14-0, 9 KOs): Lara is as advanced as any prospect in boxing. The southpaw was a three-time Cuban national champion and a 2005 world amateur champion. He would have been a 2008 Olympics medal favorite, but he defected (his second attempt after being caught in 2007) and turned pro in July 2008. He has been on the fast track since and is on the verge of a meaningful fight. Talent-wise, he's probably ready to challenge for a world title now, but finding a top fighter willing to tangle with the technically gifted prospect is difficult. Lara racked up five wins (four by knockout) in 2010, including against the experienced Grady Brewer (the former "Contender" winner) and former title challenger Danny Perez.
David Lemieux (22, middleweight, Yvon Michel, 25-0, 24 KOs): The three-time Canadian amateur national champion surely would have made the 2008 Canadian Olympic team, but Lemieux instead had his eyes on professional glory and turned pro in 2007 at 18. Blessed with tremendous power, charisma and a growing fan base, he has moved quickly and is on the verge of fighting a world title eliminator in the first half of 2011. That follows a sensational 2010 in which Lemieux went 5-0 and knocked out four opponents inside two rounds, including modest steps up in competition against Hector Camacho Jr. and Elvin Ayala. Both were supposed to be tests. Both opponents went down in the first round. Trainer/manager Russ Anber, who has worked with Lemieux since he was 9, may have a very special fighter on his hands.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesRoberto Marroquin, right, already is making his mark as a professional on some big cards.
Roberto Marroquin (21, featherweight, Top Rank, 17-0, 13 KOs): A two-year pro, the 5-foot-8 Marroquin has good size for his division, not to mention a fan-friendly style and a strong left hook. He is being brought along steadily by Top Rank matchmaker Brad "Abdul" Goodman after a standout amateur career, in which Marroquin won the 2006 Junior Olympic nationals and made it to the finals at the 2007 U.S. Olympic trials as a teenager. In 2010, he went 6-0 and received outstanding exposure. The Dallas native boxed on both of Manny Pacquiao's undercards at Cowboys Stadium. Top Rank knows how to move its young fighters extremely well and Marroquin will benefit from that methodical approach. There's no need to rush him.
Chris Cozzone/Fightwireimages.com Seth Mitchell arrived late to boxing, but he is America's most legitimate heavyweight prospect.
Seth Mitchell (28, heavyweight, Golden Boy, 20-0-1, 14 KOs): In the desert, it's nice to find an oasis. In the land of American heavyweight prospects, it's nice to find Mitchell, one of the few bona-fide, up-and-coming big men. Although he's 28, he started boxing late because he was busy playing college football at Michigan State before a knee injury derailed his NFL hopes. He has come a long way in his two-year career and is clearly the best American heavyweight prospect. The 6-foot-2, 243-pound Brandywine, Md., fighter is fundamentally sound and has shown improvement fight after fight. He's a hard worker with a good attitude and just needs rounds and experience. In 2010, he won all five of his bouts by knockout while facing experienced opponents such as Derek Bryant and Taurus Sykes.
Shawn Porter (23, welterweight, Prize Fight, 17-0, 13 KOs): Porter began boxing at age 8 and was a standout amateur as a 2007 National Golden Gloves champion and 2008 U.S. Olympic alternate. Fast with his punches, he has been steadily earning his pro stripes, including in 2009 as a key sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao. In 2010, the Cleveland resident continued building on his success with five victories, including a quality decision against previously undefeated prospect Ray Robinson. Although many considered Porter a significant prospect from the day he turned pro, he probably improved his career outlook in 2010 by dropping from junior middleweight (where he appeared a bit undersized) to welterweight, where he looks much stronger. He's set for his first 2011 fight Feb. 18 on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights."
Ruslan Provodnikov (26, junior welterweight, Banner Promotions/German Titov Box Promotions, 17-0, 11 KOs): Hailing from the far reaches of Siberia in Russia, Provodnikov is a relentless pressure fighter with a style reminiscent of Hall of Fame former junior welterweight champ Kostya Tszyu. Provodnikov, who began boxing at 10, has good power, serious strength and loves to bang the body. As an amateur, he estimates his record was 130-20. While also attending college, he opened many eyes with some strong performances on ESPN2. In 2010, in which he went 3-0, he looked good on the network while stopping former lightweight titlist Javier Jauregui in the eighth round and Emanuel Augustus in the ninth round. You can get a look at Provodnikov on Jan. 7, when he headlines the 2011 "Friday Night Fights" season premier.
Tom Casino/Showtime Rico Ramos showed continuous progress in 2010 (four wins) and finished the year with a bang.
Rico Ramos (23, junior featherweight, Dan Goossen, 18-0, 10 KOs): Ramos, a quick and skilled southpaw from Pico Rivera, Calif., continued building his career in 2010, going 4-0 (3 KOs) while receiving excellent exposure as three of his bouts were televised on ESPN2. As an amateur, he was 97-17 and won an assortment of tournaments before turning pro in 2008 under the guidance of powerful adviser Al Haymon. Nicknamed "Suavecito," Ramos is starting to come into his own. He capped 2010 with the most impressive victory of his career, a sensational second-round knockout of battle-tested former title challenger Heriberto Ruiz in November. In four knockout losses, Ruiz had never been stopped that quickly.
Fightwireimages.comEdwin Rodriguez, left, will be a force to be reckoned with at super middleweight and above.
Edwin Rodriguez (25, super middleweight, Lou DiBella, 17-0, 13 KOs): Born in the Dominican Republic, but living in Worcester, Mass., Rodriguez had an excellent year, going 4-0 and winning each fight by knockout as DiBella matchmaker Joe Quiambao gradually stepped up his competition. Rodriguez culminated his year by stopping the more experienced James McGirt Jr. in the ninth round on Showtime's "ShoBox." Perhaps more important than the fights was the outstanding experience Rodriguez gained in the gym as he traveled to England, Canada and Australia to serve as an important sparring partner for super middleweight titlist Carl Froch, light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and middleweight contender Daniel Geale. As an amateur, Rodriguez had solid credentials, going 84-9 and winning the 2005 U.S. nationals and 2006 National Golden Gloves.
Fightwireimages.comWith some of the fastest hands in boxing, Gary Russell Jr. has had trouble finding willing opponents.
Gary Russell Jr. (22, featherweight, Golden Boy, 13-0, 9 KOs): Russell was a phenomenal amateur and the 2008 U.S. Olympic team bantamweight, but he didn't box in Beijing because he passed out on the eve of his first bout trying to make weight and was disqualified from the tournament. It was a bitter disappointment that he's trying to make up for as a pro featherweight. So far, so good. Russell has dynamic talent, perhaps the fastest set of hands in the sport and sound defense. The Capitol Heights, Md., southpaw went 7-0 in 2010 and probably would have had at least one more win, but it's hard to find opponents for him. (One fight fell out at the last minute.) It wouldn't be a surprise to see him on the pound-for-pound list in a few years.
Chris Cozzone/Fightwireimages.com Bastie Samir lost a bit of developmental time while stuck in Ghana, but his future remains bright.
Bastie Samir (24, middleweight, Golden Boy, 7-0, 7 KOs): As an amateur, Samir was 96-7 and fought for his native Ghana in the 2008 Olympics, where he displayed an exciting, aggressive style far better suited for pro boxing than the amateurs. (He even broke the headgear of an opponent in the Olympics with a powerful punch.) After the Games, Samir signed with manager Cameron Dunkin and co-promoters TKO and Top Rank, then relocated to Las Vegas. After three quick wins, he visited Ghana and wound up mired in a 20-month layoff because of visa problems. When Samir finally returned to the U.S., Dunkin secured his release from financially troubled TKO, as well as Top Rank, and took him to Golden Boy. Trained by Kenny Adams, Samir resumed boxing in August and reeled off four wins in four months. With pure strength and an outstanding body attack, Samir will be fun to watch develop.
Dominic Wade (20, super middleweight, Prize Fight, 9-0, 7 KOs): Wade, who turned pro in March 2009, was a standout amateur, having won four consecutive Silver Gloves national titles. He has all the tools, especially an exciting style and outstanding power that he has used to turn out the lights on opponents. The Largo, Md., product took up boxing at age 9 and is one of those prospects who managers and promoters talk about wishing they could work with, which says something in a sport in which competitors rarely give somebody else's fighter credit. The only knock on Wade has been a bit of immaturity and a work ethic that hasn't always been stellar. If he can button that down, the sky's the limit.
Also coming: awards for round and fight of the year.
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what does prospect of the yr mean, it meants you've been babied by your promoter... look at those last 5 or 6 names...
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Canelo is just a machine builded by Televisa... Tv Azteca had the boxing on TV on lock (they have all the big fights like Manny's, JC jr, Rafael Marquez, Cochulito) and when Televisa decided they wanted a piece of the game, there you have Canelo, marketed as a hero when he's still an unproven boxer...
You know he was doing big things over here in Guadalajara, winning things in the olympic market and doing big things on his own but now
just a marketing plan by Televisa. He ain't ready yet and they're marketing him like the new champ...
You know he was doing big things over here in Guadalajara, winning things in the olympic market and doing big things on his own but now
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Figured it'd be Canelo...
I don't know if ya'll noticed, but over the past 5 years...every prospect (Except Berto) that Rafael hypes up and gives the award goes into the next year and takes a L.
2005 - Julio lost to Quintana in 06
2007 - Khan gets KO'ed by Prescott in 08
2008 - Ortiz quits against Maidana in 09
2009 - Jacobs gets his head knocked off by Pirog
I don't know if ya'll noticed, but over the past 5 years...every prospect (Except Berto) that Rafael hypes up and gives the award goes into the next year and takes a L.
2005 - Julio lost to Quintana in 06
2007 - Khan gets KO'ed by Prescott in 08
2008 - Ortiz quits against Maidana in 09
2009 - Jacobs gets his head knocked off by Pirog
^ Well for the most part, they were the consensus prospects of the year but I get you
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[/h1][h1]Marquez, Katsidis author round of year[/h1]
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AP Photo/Isaac BrekkenJuan Manuel Marquez went down in the third round against Michael Katsidis, but roared back.
Juan Manuel Marquez knows a thing or two about drama in the ring. So, too, does Michael Katsidis.
Marquez, of course, has been in numerous exciting battles, tasted the canvas many times and always survived. He was down three times in the first round of his first fight with Manny Pacquiao before clawing his way to a disputed draw. Pacquiao dropped him again in the third round of their classic rematch and Marquez lost an even more disputed split decision. When he jumped up two weight classes to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. at welterweight, Marquez went down in the second round.
But Marquez always has picked himself up and waded back into the battle.
Katsidis has been in several hellacious battles himself and has become the closest thing boxing now has to the late all-time action hero Arturo Gatti.
So was it any surprise that when Marquez, the lightweight champ, met Katsidis, his mandatory challenger, on Nov. 27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas that they produced serious fireworks in a blistering fight?
Not at all.
Boxing fans knew when the bout was signed that it would be a rousing slugfest, and the fighters sure delivered. They waged a tremendously exciting fight, but one that will be remembered most for the exhilarating third round, a topsy-turvy three minutes and the 2010 ESPN.com round of the year.
[h4]Rafael's Rounds of the Year[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Year[/th][th=""]Fighter[/th][th=""]Round[/th][/tr][tr][td]2010[/td][td]Juan Manuel Marquez-Michael Katsidis[/td][td]3rd[/td][/tr][tr][td]2009[/td][td]Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]2008[/td][td]Kendall Holt-Ricardo Torres II[/td][td]1st[/td][/tr][tr][td]2007[/td][td]Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez II[/td][td]3rd[/td][/tr][tr][td]2006[/td][td]Somsak Sithchatchawal-Mahyar Monshipour[/td][td]9th[/td][/tr][tr][td]2005[/td][td]Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I[/td][td]10th[/td][/tr][tr][td]2004[/td][td]Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales III[/td][td]11th[/td][/tr][tr][td]2003[/td][td]Acelino "Popo" Freitas-Jorge Barrios[/td][td]11th[/td][/tr][tr][td]2002[/td][td]Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti I[/td][td]9th[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Micky Ward-Emanuel Burton[/td][td]9th[/td][/tr][tr][td]2000[/td][td]Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera I[/td][td]5th[/td][/tr][/table]
The first two rounds featured plenty of back-and-forth action, but the third round took the fight to another level. Katsidis was doing well but was behind when it began. However, 50 seconds into the round, both men went to throw left hooks. Marquez, his right hand dropped low, left himself wide open and Katsidis' punch got to the target -- Marquez's chin -- first.
Marquez went down on his back and was badly hurt, even though he popped right back up, probably on instinct.
"Tremendous shot!" HBO's Jim Lampley said excitedly. "The biggest punch Marquez has taken since he fought against Pacquiao."
Referee Kenny Bayless, who officiated Marquez's rematch with Pacquiao and is very familiar with him, gave the fighter a good look and let the fight continue. There were still two minutes left in the round and the question lingered: Would Marquez be able to survive on those shaky legs?
And then, rather than hold, the warrior spirit spilled out of Marquez, who decided to fight toe-to-toe rather than hang on for survival. If he was going down, he would go down swinging.
Australia's Katsidis knew Marquez was hurt and went for the knockout. He was winging shots, trapped Marquez along the ropes and tried to finish him right there.
But Marquez had been in this position before. He has a deep reservoir of heart and showed it midway through the round.
"Marquez is getting his bearings back," Lampley said. "He's gonna try to find an opportunity to go right back at Katsidis."
And then Marquez promptly landed a left hook. And then Katsidis wobbled him again. Back and forth they went. Marquez was landing shots up the middle and Katsidis was coming over the top with head blows as the crowd went crazy.
As the round wound down, they stood in the center of the ring trading heavy punches, with the crowd on its feet. Marquez was getting the better of it, landing what appeared to be eight consecutive shots as Katsidis whiffed on a couple.
"What a round," Lampley said. "What an amazing round Round 3 was!"
Not only had Marquez survived a desperate moment in the thrilling round, he closed it with such an offensive explosion that he had clearly taken back the momentum that would carry him through to a ninth-round TKO.
"I was surprised in the third round, but I'm a true warrior and I came back to win the fight," a proud Marquez said afterward. "He surprised me. I made an error. I dropped my hand and he caught me. It was a perfect punch, but I was in great condition and that's what helped me to get up and finish off the fight."
As soon as Marquez went down, he apparently had Katsidis right where he wanted him.
Other scorchers:
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesAmir Khan, left, always has had a questionable chin, but he proved his salt against Marcos Maidana.
Amir Khan-Marcos Maidana (10th): Khan was clearly ahead when they got to the 10th round at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay. He had dropped Maidana in the first round and was outboxing him. But after some knockdowns early in Khan's career and a memorable first-round knockout in his only loss, there have been questions about his chin. Maidana has a huge knockout record, so the question going into the fight was, what will happen when he eventually touches Khan's chin? We found out in this drama-packed frame, which was eerily reminiscent of last year's unforgettable 12th round of Juan Manuel Lopez's desperate (and ultimately successful) effort to survive an onslaught from Rogers Mtagwa in a junior featherweight title defense. As in that round, Khan played boxing's version of beat the clock. He dominated the first 65 seconds, firing fast punches and using his legs to avoid the slower Maidana. But then it happened: Maidana landed a brutal right hand to Khan's jaw, and Khan's legs turned to jelly. He was badly hurt. And then Maidana nailed him with another right hand. HBO's Jim Lampley kicked into Hall of Fame mode: "Hard right hand! Khan is tremendously wobbled! Amir should be holding on right now! Maidana clocked him big-time with a right hand. Khan was momentarily out on his feet! And he's hurt again! Maidana's got his chance. Plenty of time left in the 10th. And a left hook lands for Maidana. Khan is wobbly! Khan is almost gone!" Ninety seconds still remained and Khan, in phenomenal condition, did everything he could to survive while Maidana pursued him like a hungry dog after a piece of raw meat. Another right hand hurt Khan with a minute left. It was simply remarkable that he didn't go down. Maidana finished the round by whacking Khan around some more, but Khan found a way to survive in a thoroughly one-sided, incredible round. "This," HBO analyst Larry Merchant said, "is high drama in the desert."
AP Photo/Simon DawsonCarl Froch took a beating in the 12th, but he also doled out plenty of punishment to Mikkel Kessler.
Mikkel Kessler-Carl Froch (12th): If you want high stakes and high drama with a splash of blood to end what had already been a tremendous fight, this round is for you. Kessler and Froch laid it all on the line in a Group Stage 2 bout in Showtime's Super Six World Boxing Classic -- probably the best round so far in the tournament. The fight seemed to be on the table going into the final round. Jimmy Montoya, Kessler's trainer, certainly thought so and told him man on the stool after the 11th, "Mikkel, you want this f------ title? You go get the son of a b----!" That's exactly what Kessler tried to do. Froch, attempting to hang on to his super middleweight belt, had the same idea. The result was a frenzied and ferocious final round. It was bombs away as they basically stood in the center of the ring and tried to knock each other out. Kessler, already bleeding from a cut over his left eye from earlier in the fight, busted open a cut over Froch's left eye. And when Kessler finally backed Froch into the ropes and began teeing off with less than a minute to go, Froch fired right back. "Look at 'em! Toe-to-toe, man-to-man," roared Showtime's Gus Johnson. They traded with reckless abandon the rest of the way in an unforgettable ending to a terrific fight, which Kessler wound up winning unanimously. Turned out he didn't need the 12th round after all, but thankfully he thought he did.
Humberto Soto-Urbano Antillon (third): Soto's lightweight title defense against Antillon was such an exceptional fight that you could pick any number of rounds from it to honor. You like the first? Fine. The second? How about the sixth? The 10th, 11th and 12th were exciting as well. But we'll take the third, which featured searing action from start to finish. When the bell rang, Antillon marched across the ring and sunk a left hook to Soto's body and a right hand upstairs. Soto responded by ripping him with a couple of uppercuts, and the action never relented. While Antillon bulled toward Soto with massive pressure, Soto, the more skilled of the two, countered him beautifully. But by the second half of the round, Soto took the offensive, rocking Antillon with left hooks and body blows. Antillon was walking into shots, happy to take two or three to land one big bomb as the fighters traded in violent fashion. "This is vicious two-way action," said broadcaster Nick Charles, like a kid in a candy store.
JIJI Press/AFP/Getty ImagesHugo Cazares and Nobuo Nashiro traded combinations in a blistering final-round flurry.
Hugo Cazares-Nobuo Nashiro II (12th): In September 2009, Nashiro retained his junior bantamweight belt in a split draw in an excellent fight against Cazares. In the immediate rematch in May, which was also on Nashiro's turf in Japan, they both let it all hang out again -- but never more so than in the final mesmerizing round of combat. Cazares seemed to be ahead, but he couldn't be sure because he was on enemy ground. Nashiro seemed to know he needed the last round badly. So from the opening seconds when they met in the center of the ring until the final bell sounded, they played Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots for all three minutes, taking turns trading combinations. Both fighters landed repeatedly and neither buckled or backed down under the heavy fire. Outstanding two-way action. Cazares, by the way, got the well-deserved decision and the belt.
Juan Manuel Lopez-Bernabe Concepcion (first): Nothing like kicking off a fight with a bang, and that's just what Lopez -- defending his featherweight belt at home in Puerto Rico -- and the Philippines' Concepcion did as they both tasted the canvas in an action-packed opening stanza. Lopez, who would ultimately win via second-round knockout, is offensive-minded and sloppy on defense, which means he's usually in exciting fights. So just when it looked like Lopez might finish Concepcion for a first-round knockout, Concepcion got in his own big lick in the Showtime main event. Lopez got off to a fast start, sending Concepcion staggering into the ropes about a minute into the fight, courtesy of a big straight left hand. Thirty seconds later, he dropped the Manny Pacquiao protégé to all fours with a right hook as the crowd went wild. Lopez continued to strafe him with straight lefts and was on the verge of a knockout when Concepcion threw a Hail Mary of a left and dropped Lopez to his backside with 13 seconds left in a shocking turn of events. "Another left hand backs up Concepcion. Here comes the champ," Showtime's Gus Johnson bellowed. "Punches in bunches, 25 seconds to go! Concepcion trying to roll, trying to slip. He hit him with a left hook and dropped him! Whoah! Out of nowhere, Concepcion sends the champion to the canvas! And that quiets this crowd. What a start here in P.R. Ha-ha! And that's the end of the first round. Whew!"
Chris Cozzone/Fightwireimages.com Round 6 of the Joseph Agbeko-Yonnhy Perez rematch might be the best of the 24 they have staged.
Joseph Agbeko-Yonnhy Perez II (sixth): In 2009, Perez won a bantamweight title from Agbeko in a rousing fight. In the rematch, a semifinal in Showtime's four-man bantamweight tournament, they met again. Although they put on another good scrap (with Agbeko reclaiming his belt via decision), it wasn't nearly as action-packed as the first encounter. But the sixth round of the rematch might have been the best round of the 24 they fought. Agbeko opened the round trying to continue doing what had worked for him, which was boxing Perez and not getting into a brawl as he did in the first fight. But Perez wanted to throw down and cornered Agbeko in the early moments. That's when the leather started flying. Back and forth they went. Perez landed some hard right hands, but Agbeko came right back and the round just kept getting better and better. They really let loose in the final minute, prompting Showtime's Steve Albert to really get into it: "The action is really heating up! Nonstop, two-way action now. There's a right hand to the head by Perez. Back comes Agbeko with a straight right. Now it's Perez. They go back and forth! This is the first fight all over again, and it starts in Round 6. ... Unbelievable action! It doesn't let up! One scores then the other one does!" When this gem of a round ended, the crowd was on its feet cheering.
Giovani Segura-Ivan Calderon (fourth): Segura and Calderon met to unify junior flyweight belts in a classic Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry fight and produced a stirring battle, with this frame being the best round in one of the year's best fights. As he had done throughout the match (fought on Calderon's Puerto Rican turf), Segura, the bigger pure puncher, relentlessly pressured Calderon, the technical and defensive wizard. Segura pressed forward, looking to land anything he could while Calderon slipped shots and countered. While Segura banged Calderon's body, Calderon was trying to move side to side and use every inch of the large, 24-foot ring to evade the incoming for the first half of the round. But there was only so long he could avoid Segura before the fireworks detonated in the final 90 seconds. Segura eventually cornered Calderon and began to unload punch after punch. He must have thrown more than two dozen shots, although Calderon managed to bob and move away from most of them while countering with left hands. Still, it was very exciting stuff, and broadcaster Col. Bob Sheridan could not contain himself in the final minute: "He's letting Segura shoot it all! Look at this, folks. It's sensational action! ... The crowd is going berserk. The entire crowd is on its feet in Puerto Rico! What a fight!"
Rogerio Barbosa/Getty ImagesBernard Hopkins, a defensive fighter, let loose on Jean Pascal in the 12th -- but to no avail.
Jean Pascal-Bernard Hopkins (12th): Hopkins, a consummate boxer who possesses excellent defense, isn't known for being in action-filled fights. But this final round of one of the most exciting Hopkins fights in recent memory was just tremendous. Hopkins, 45 and looking to become the oldest champion in boxing history, knew he needed every point he could muster if he was to wrest the light heavyweight title from Pascal on his Quebec turf. So Hopkins, the aggressor throughout the fight, went right at him at the start of the round and backed him into the ropes. Pascal was trying to hold while Hopkins fired away. Eventually, Pascal also began landing some nice counterpunches as the action built. "This could really be a brawl these last couple of minutes," said Showtime's Steve Albert. Sure enough, it happened. They swapped punches down the stretch, prompting this from Albert: "Oh! They are going at it! A furious round!" As the 10-second warning sounded, the fighters traded toe-to-toe as the crowd of 16,500 went wild. Hopkins didn't make history by winning, instead ending up with a controversial majority draw that allowed Pascal to keep the title. But his effort in the fight, particularly the last round, was memorable.
Pongsaklek Wonjongkam-Suriyan Por Chockchai (10th): Wonjongkam, the Thai legend and longtime flyweight titlist, got a serious test from his countryman, including during this fierce round filled with sensational action. Wonjongkam punched well off the ropes and landed numerous uppercuts and body shots in the round. Chockchai absorbed a lot of punishment but rallied to deliver his own brutal blows when he trapped Wonjongkam on the ropes again. It was a thrilling round. It was also a sick round -- literally. At one point, in one of the nastiest and shocking things you'll ever see in a boxing ring, Chockchai projectile vomited. Hard. What did Wonjongkam do? He ripped him with a left hand to the gut while he was still puking. Seriously.
Matthew Lewis/Getty ImagesJust when Choi Tseveenpurev seemed to have Derry Matthews on the ropes, things really heated up.
Derry Matthews-Choi Tseveenpurev II (second): Sky Sports in England televises a regular series called "Prizefighter," in which eight boxers in the same division compete in a one-night tournament with each bout scheduled for three rounds. It has produced some terrific fights and some terrific rounds, but this was one of the most scintillating. England's Matthews and Mongolia's Tseveenpurev first met in 2008, when the Mongolian dropped Matthews five times en route to a fifth-round knockout. But the rematch, in the semifinals of a "Prizefighter" junior lightweight tournament, was extremely close and exciting with the second-round producing exceptional back-and-forth action. Matthews, who would go on to win the decision, had been hurt at the end of the first round and Tseveenpurev roared out for the second round to see if he was still vulnerable. Matthews was eating shots and trying to hold in the first minute, but he suddenly came back strong in the bruising battle. He hurt Tseveenpurev with a pair of right hands and an uppercut and followed with a series of shots that had Tseveenpurev against the ropes and in trouble. But Tseveenpurev rallied to wobble Matthews again with a right hand. Not to be outdone, Matthews answered back with his own rights late in the fabulous, frenetic round.
Roman Martinez-Gonzalo Mungia (third): Although Martinez ultimately rolled to a fourth-round knockout in a junior lightweight title defense, this hard-hitting round was action-packed after a pedestrian first minute. When things heated up, they spent virtually the rest of the round standing in the center of the ring and trading bombs. Martinez's shots were heavier and Mungia showed a dynamite chin to stand up to the blows. Despite getting hammered, he continued to march forward and throw right back. "Toe to toe!" roared Integrated Sports pay-per-view analyst Benny Ricardo. "This is just an absolute war here right now." Martinez ate a bunch of shots, but then he staggered Mungia just before the bell ended the blazing round while the pro-Martinez crowd in Puerto Rico cheered wildly.
AP Photo/Jae C. HongSaid Ouali, right, survived a first-round knockdown and finished Hector Saldivia moments later.
Said Ouali-Hector Saldivia (first): In a wild shootout, welterweights Ouali and Saldivia met on the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley HBO PPV undercard and got the telecast started with a fun-filled bang. Ouali survived a quick, hard knockdown and withstood a rough follow-up attack to eventually knock out Saldivia after 107 seconds of mayhem. Saldivia rushed toward Ouali at the outset and knocked him down with a chopping right hand almost immediately. Ouali survived, but Saldivia tried to finish him by dishing out punishment in a brutal follow-up assault. Suddenly, while taking shots, Ouali landed a right-left combination out of nowhere and dropped Saldivia, who was badly hurt by the punch. Ouali wasted no time, landing a right hand when the fight resumed to knock him down again. Saldivia made it to his feet a second time, but he was wobbly and staggered across the ring, prompting referee Russell Mora to call it off and give Ouali the mild upset. It sure was exciting while it lasted.
Ivan Popoca-Jose Luis Soto-Karass (fourth): Do you like watching two guys just wail on each other? This is your round. Neither fighter looms as a future champion, but these junior welterweights make fun fights -- including this especially crowd-pleasing round in a "Top Rank Live" undercard bout in Chicago. Soto-Karass dropped Popoca with a booming right hand 30 seconds into the round, and it was on. Popoca popped right back and waded back into the battle. Soto-Karass thought he might be able to finish him right then and began swinging wildly. But Popoca stood his ground and delivered his own blows. They spent the rest of the vicious round simply trading shot for shot, each man getting in his share. Both men were rocked. We cheered.
Also coming: award for fight of the year.
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AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
Now if we could get Paul Williams to make a similar move
Now if we could get Paul Williams to make a similar move
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While it certainly looks good on paper, still have visions of Jermaine & Manny. We'll see though, perhaps Taylor was just too set in his ways at that point.
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I get the feeling Chad is a little less hard headed than JT, so he should benefit more IMO. His demeanor(as opposed to Taylor's) gives me that impression.
I've always been split on that Taylor/Steward tour. I always think that Steward made him try to fight a Winky fight instead of fight like he did for Bernard and it had him getting beat to the punch for the most part for that fight. With the Ouma fight, I thought he really overtrained for that one and it was the first fight where he really tired in the second half. An easy fight with Spinks. I thought he prepared him very well for Kelly but he just wore himself out in the ring. Manny was telling him in the corner to box more and not drag it into the center of the ring.