And the Winner Is… Our Year-End Awards

It’s the end of the year, and that means awards. But rather than serve up the usual categories–Fight of the Year, Best Fighter of the Year, etc.–we decided to deliver something different. Below, you’ll find a list of non-traditional honors for often unsung achievements. It’s the kind of stuff that makes boxing such a uniquely exciting sport but that often gets overlooked. Remember: awards are meant to be debated, so feel free to leave a comment below.

GUTSIEST PERFORMANCE: Foreman Fighting Injured Against Cotto

The fight between then SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION YURI FOREMAN AND MIGUEL COTTO had all the makings of a classic. Both Foreman and Cotto are compelling figures. In addition to being undefeated and Israel’s first world title-holder, Foreman was studying to be a rabbi. For his part, former champ Cotto was looking for a comeback win after he lost his welterweight crown to pound-for-pound king MANNY PACQUIAO. Then there was the venue: Yankee Stadium. The Foreman-Cotto fight not only was the first boxing match in the new baseball park, but also the first fight in either the old or new Yankee Stadium since Ali stepped between the ropes in 1976.

While the fight got cut short in the seventh round, it lived up to the hype. Cotto put in a strong showing in the early rounds, but the speedier Foreman worked his way back into the fight in the middle rounds. Then came the seventh. Foreman aggravated an old knee injury, and even though he stayed in the fight, he wasn’t the same. While Foreman hobbled and hopped around the ring, wincing in obvious pain, Cotto began landing clean, hard shots. Eventually, Foreman relented, but not before solidifying his status as a bona fide warrior. Respect due.

BIGGEST CAREER-CHANGING WIN: Rios Trouncing Peterson

Boxing is a see-saw sport: One minute you’re up, and the next you’re down. So it went for undefeated contenders BRANDON RIOS and Anthony Peterson. The former wasn’t picked by many people to beat the latter, who had consistently dominated the competition throughout his career. But when these two lightweights clashed on the undercard of the YURIORKIS GAMBOA-Orlando Salido title bout in Las Vegas, those betting against Rios learned a lesson about the topsy-turvy nature of boxing.

 

Rios (center) after beating Peterson/Photo by Chris Farina.

So did Peterson. Before the fight, he’d expressed confidence in his ability to knock Rios out in the later rounds. And in the opener, Peterson looked as if he might do just that. But Rios had other plans. An aggressive, come-forward fighter with a deceptively strong defense and a ferocious inside game,RIOS WENT RIGHT AT HIS MAN. Soon, an obviously frustrated Peterson fired one too many low blows, and was disqualified. It was a major win for Rios, who emerged from the shadows to LAND A TITLE SHOT IN 2011.

BEST ROUND OF THE YEAR: Juanma vs. Concepcion – Round 1

 

 

Lopez drops Concepcion/Photo by Jose Perez.

This was a SHORT BUT EXHILARATING FIGHT. As soon as the opening bell rang, Puerto Rican featherweight champ Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez came out guns a’blazin’, knocking down MANNY PACQUIAO protégé Bernabe Concepcion twice. Concepcion had his revenge before the end of the opener, however, when he dropped Juanma with a left counter strike which was as hard as it was shocking. Juanma went on to win by knock out in the second, but nothing could top the surprising, action-packed opening round.

BIGGEST NON-WORRY: Pacquiao’s Training Camp in the Philippines

 

Pacquiao works out with trainer Roach/Photo by Chris Farina.

There are too many distractions. He’s not taking Antonio Margarito seriously. Even Freddie Roach has concerns.

All of the worry about MANNY PACQUIAO’s lackluster training camp in his native Philippines turned to be much ado about nothing. The pound-for-pound king went on to pulverize the much bigger former three-time world champ Margarito in front of a 40,000-plus crowd at Cowboys Stadium. Indeed, the PacMan’s victory–which earned him a historic eighth title in eight divisions–was so impressive that many of boxing’s most prominent analysts began comparing him to all-time greats. That infamous training camp seems destined to be but a footnote in Pacquiao’s epic story.

MOST AWE-INSPIRING SPECTACLE: 50,000 + Fans Doing the Wave at Cowboys Stadium

Yes, yes: Manny Pacquiao’s demolition of Joshua Clottey March 13 at Cowboys Stadium was a praise-worthy feat. Once again, the pound-for-pound king was facing a bigger, stronger opponent, and once again the Filipino phenom proved that his superior speed and firepower can clip a guy down to size.

But, man, did you see that crowd? They were going cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs for the entire 12 rounds. And they did so despite the fact that Clottey barely peaked out from behind his defensive shield. (And after seeing what Pacquiao did to Margarito, who can blame him?) And they did the wave! The frickin’ wave-at a boxing match! Which hasn’t been done in modern times since … well … who knows?

So, props to Pacquiao for another big win-and props to the crowd for the inspiration.

BIGGEST UPSET: Segura’s Win Over Calderone

 

Segura/Photo by Chris Farina.

Ivan “Iron Boy” Calderone is a technical master. He’s a wily, elusive fighter who drives his opponents nuts-they simply can’t get a bead on him long enough to land a punch. Calderone is on his way to the Hall of Fame, and will be known as one of the best little men in the history of the sport. But even the best of the best-if they fight long enough and are unafraid to take on all comers-eventually meet an opponent he can’t triumph over. And on August 28, Calderone encountered just such a man in the form of the flashy Mexican Giovani Segura.

Calderone.

Segura came out firing on all cylinders, applying relentless pressure that was fatiguing just to watch. Calderone held up well under the assault overall, but Segura’s bone-cracking body blows and sheer willpower eventually wore him down. And in the eighth, Calderone finally relented. No one can say the champ didn’t give everything he had-he went out a true warrior to the end. Similarly, few can say they expected Segura to file such a dominating-and entertaining-win.

BEST STATEMENT WIN: Chavez Jr.’s Domination of Duddy

 

Chavez Jr. connects against Duddy/Photo by Rafael Soto.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.’s name is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it gives him instant recognition. And on the other, it prompts critics to charge that he’s nothing but his legendary father’s son–that he’s not a quality fighter in his own right. Chavez Jr. knows this comes with the territory, and he further knows that the only way to silence the critics is to win fights.

Although Chavez Jr. came into his fight Aug. 28^th against Irish brawler John Duddy undefeated, he still hadn’t done enough to stop the negative babble. But by the final bell, the top-rated contender sucked much of the hot air from the room. Chavez Jr. so thoroughly dominated Duddy in their exhilarating encounter at the Alomodome in San Antonio, Texas that none could deny any longer that Chavez Jr. was a first-rate fighter in his own right. It was a career-defining victory which opened the doors for even bigger fights.

BEST TRICK MOVE: Donaire Going Southpaw Against Marquez

Donaire swings at Marquez/Photo by Jose Perez.

Rising Filipino star NONITO DONAIRE JR. CAME INTO HIS BOUT WITH MEXICO’S HERNAN MARQUEZ with a hip injury, which forced him to fight southpaw for the first four rounds. The change in Donaire’s power, his speed, and overall steadiness was evident; the smaller, less skilled Marquez gave Donaire a run for his money.

But once Donaire switched to his standard orthodox stance in the fifth, the scales immediately tipped the other way. Donaire was able to knock Marquez down once and would have done so a second time if a wobbly Marquez had clung to him. By the eighth, a badly weakened Marquez went down after Donaire walloped him with a three-piece combo.

The bottom line: Donaire didn’t need to give Marquez so much leeway by going southpaw–a fact made manifest by the three rounds Donaire fought from his natural stance.