Another year has come and gone. And for boxing, 2007 was a good one. It turns out that the game?s ultimate demise was greatly exaggerated, and it looks ahead to what could be a very eventful and promising 2008. But before we turn the calendar, we look back and highlight the best and worst of the past 12 months.
So without further ado, we present the 2007 K9 Awards.
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
1- Kelly Pavlik: At this time last year he was still a relatively unknown prospect that was thought to be a Top Rank creation. It turns out they had created a middleweight monster. After dispatching of Jose Luis Zertuche to begin the year, he would then starch Edison Miranda – who was thought to be the hottest middleweight in the world at the time – and then Jermain Taylor for the title. Coming into both bouts, he was believed to be the underdog.
Not only did he capture the middleweight crown, he seems to have captured the hearts of those in the Midwest, who long ago seemed to have forgotten about boxing.
2- Floyd Mayweather: He always said he was a superstar, and based on the events he was involved in this year, it’s hard to disagree with that. He didn’t just beat two high-profile opponents in Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, he significantly raised his own profile in the process.
3- Miguel Cotto: There’s no doubt about it, with his victory over Shane Mosley in November, Cotto has to be given recognition as one of the game?s best welterweights and a pound-for-pound performer. His bouts against Mosley, and Zab Judah before that, at Madison Square Garden also marked him as a legitimate ticket seller.
4- Juan Diaz: For a long while he was just another belt-holder, but with decisive wins over Acelino Freitas (for the WBO title) and then Julio Diaz (for the IBF version), he has cemented his claim as the game?s best 135-pounder.
5- Joe Calzaghe: With his decisive win over the respected Mikkel Kessler, he secured his legacy as one of the greatest super middleweights ever. Even his long-time skeptics in the United States finally gave him his due in 2007.
ROUND OF THE YEAR
1- Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez II (rd.3): In perhaps the best round since the tenth stanza of Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I, Vazquez would serve notice that his rematch with Marquez would have a much different ending than their original encounter. He would stun Marquez early in the round, but just when it looked like he would perhaps floor him, Marquez would valiantly battle back with a series of power shots that stemmed the tide.
Both men were still winging punches at each other as the bell sounded to end the stanza.
2- Michael Katsidis-Graham Earl (rd. 2): It’s not often that you see a towel being thrown in on behalf of a fighter, only to see that same fighter floor his opponent, which is precisely what happened as Katsidis – after decking Earl – seemed to be on the verge of a stoppage. As a towel came flying in from Earl’s corner, it was summarily kicked away by referee Mickey Vann.
A few seconds later, a counter right hand would have Katsidis on the seat of his own pants. Earl would bravely fight back and get back into the fight, only to be vanquished by Katsidis a few rounds later.
3- James Kirkland- Allen Conyers (rd.1): After eating a big right hand from Conyers and hitting the canvas, Kirkland would dust himself off and proceed to thrash Conyers with his all-out aggression. He would score his own knockdown and as the final seconds ticked away in this first round thriller, Conyers? legs would ultimately betray him, leading to the stoppage of this Shobox insta-classic.
4- Kelly Pavlik-Edison Miranda (rd.2): Coming into this bout, Pavlik had promised everyone that he would step right into the cauldron and bang away with Miranda, which is precisely what took place in Memphis.
He would step right up and land clean rights on Miranda, who bravely hung in there and landed his own leather. The action reminded you of middleweight scraps of the past.
5- Sakio Bika-Jaidon Codrington (rd.1): There’s nothing quite like a round when both boxers hit the canvas and haymakers are thrown throughout, which is precisely what happened in the season three finale of ‘The Contender’ in Boston.
Bika would rush Codrington early and send him down. As he moved in wildly to finish him off, the straighter punches of Codrington would clip Bika on the chin, depositing him to the canvas.
It set the tone for a wild donnybrook eventually won by Bika.
– Honorable mention: Anthony Hanshaw-Jean Paul Mendy (rd.11), Eromosele Albert-Daniel Edouard (rd.4), Rubin Williams-Antwun Echols (rd.11), Chad Dawson-Tomasz Adamek (rd.11), Cristian Mijares-Katsushige Kawashima (rd.7), Darrell Woods-Samuel Miller (rd.3), Miguel Huerta-Kid Diamond (rd.5), Antonio DeMarco-Nick Casal (rd.10), Juan Manuel Marquez-Marco Antonio Barrera (rd.7).
THE ANDREW BYNUM AWARD (Prospect of the Year)
1- James Kirkland: After being nurtured on ShoBox for the past year, there’s no doubt about it, Kirkland is poised to take on the best that the jr. middleweight division has to offer.
When he’s on his game, he’s an exciting two-fisted banger that makes for good fights.
2- Victor Ortiz: ‘Vicious’ finished off the year with a flourish, halting spoiler Carlos Maussa in one. He seems to have all the tools to be a player at 140 pounds and above. He’s strong, has good speed and is southpaw, to boot.
3- Alexander Povetkin: Not sure if he’s really still considered a prospect but he showed in 2007 that he is currently the best young heavyweight hopeful. While his American counterparts like Malik Scott and Kevin Johnson are still facing no-hopers, Povetkin was steadily moved up the ladder and will face Eddie Chambers next for a shot at Wladimir Klitschko.
4- Andre Berto: Continues to develop his hard-punching style. The only question is how will he handle a true welterweight that can really punch?
5- Andy Lee: Has blown out a string of overmatched foes. Emanuel Steward says by the end of 2008 he’ll be ready for Kelly Pavlik. But doesn’t he need some quality rounds under his belt first?
– Honorable mention: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Juan Manuel Lopez, Miguel Garcia, Argenis Mendez, Abner Mares, Yurikokis Gamboa, Mike Jones, Juan Garcia
TRAINER OF THE YEAR
1- Jack Loew: No, he doesn’t have a laundry list of champions like many other trainers, but there is something to be said about developing a fighter from scratch, like he did with Pavlik.
After years of work that went unnoticed, his payoff came in 2007.
2- Enzo Calzaghe: Most father-son unions don’t work in this game. But his partnership with his son Joe has produced a Hall-of-Fame career.
3- Rudy Perez: Long overshadowed and overlooked in the corner of Barrera, he proved his worth with the subtle – yet important – changes he implemented with Vazquez prior to his rematch with Marquez. Boxing insiders have taken note of his training acumen.
TEX RICKARD AWARD (Promoter of the Year)
1- Top Rank: Yeah, other companies made more money, but no promotional outfit put on as many fan-friendly shows as Bob Arum’s. And they have a roster that includes Pavlik, Cotto and Manny Pacquiao.
In Pavlik and Cotto, they proved once again that nobody can cultivate fighters quite like them. Top Rank is the truest promotional company around today. With or without the assistance of any network, they continue about their business.
Now, if they would do something about their series on ‘Versus’.
2- Golden Boy Promotions: When it comes to the bottom line, with events like ‘the World Awaits’ and Mayweather-Hatton, they had a banner year. And by coming to a truce with Top Rank they allowed some of this year?s biggest fights to take place.
3- Frank Warren: Say what you will about him, the man knows how to build an attraction and create big events. He’s one of the reasons why the European boxing market is alive and well.
SPIDERMAN III AWARD (For Box-Office bonanza)
De La Hoya-Mayweather: Not only did it set a pay-per-view mark with 2.4 million purchases (adding up to over $120 million in revenues), it set the all-time record at the gate in Las Vegas, with $19 million.
Honorable mention: Mayweather-Hatton, Cotto-Judah
CAIN VS. ABEL AWARD (Worst brother relationship)
Roger and Floyd Mayweather: If they were 20 years younger you get the sense they would lace em’ up and box. Y’know, they’d probably do that right now if you gave them the opportunity.
NIGHTLINE AWARD (Most memorable coverage of an event)
Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore, during the final moments of the bludgeoning that was taking place between Nate Campbell and Ricky Quiles on March 2nd on ESPN2.
It seemed the only person that didn’t agree with them that this bout should’ve been halted was referee Jorge Alonso. It’s hard to believe that he couldn’t hear their protests from ringside.
ROSIE VS DONALD AWARD (Feud of the Year)
1- Willie Savannah and Don King: These two didn’t send each other Christmas cards, that’s for sure. In all this hatred, will Juan Diaz be the ultimate victim?
2- Golden Boy and Top Rank: They finally figured out that in this Cold War, nobody won. But the vitriol between Arum and Richard Schaefer was memorable while it lasted.
3- Dino Duva/Sam Peter/Ivaylo Gotzev/Don King and Dennis Rappaport/Oleg Maskaev: Can Peter finally rid the game of Rappaport, please?
VAN HALEN AWARD (For reunion that wasn’t)
Floyd Mayweather Jr and Sr.: Well, it at least made for a good episode of 24/7.
LES MILES TO MICHIGAN AWARD (For story that wasn’t)
Manny Pacquiao vs. David Diaz: Many reported that this was a done deal over the internet. Again, isn’t it more important to be correct and factual than first?
Pacquiao will face Marquez on March 15th.
SUN RISING IN THE EAST AWARD (For predictability)
Fernando Vargas-Ricardo Mayorga: Wait, they exchanged insults, they scuffled and everybody ate it up!?!?
No, you don’t say.
PARIS AND NICOLE AWARD (No longer BFF’s)
1- Arturo Gatti and Buddy McGirt: Seriously, does anyone know what happened between these two guys?
2- Kendall Holt and Dino Duva: OK, I’m still not sure, are these guys working together or not?
A-ROD BACK TO THE YANKEES AWARD (For reconciliation)
1- Golden Boy and Top Rank: With these two uber-promotional forces working together again, bouts like Cotto-Mosley and Pacquaio-Marquez are a reality.
2- Joe Goossen and Joel Casamayor: The only problem for Goossen is that the fighter he got back wasn’t the fighter he had taken away from him a few years back.
3- Ronnie Shields and Juan Diaz: He was in, then Shields decided to work with Holyfield for his bout with Sultan Ibragimov, instead of Diaz’s bout with Julio Diaz, but now he’s back in the ‘Baby Bull?s corner.
THE NICOLE RICHIE AWARD (For run-in with the law)
Mike Tyson’s DUI: I believe they spent about the same amount of time behind bars.
MIND OF A MARRIED MAN AWARD (Worst show on premium cable)
1- Wladimir Klitschko- Ray Austin: One of two mismatches for Klitschko on HBO this past year.
2- Showtime’s December 1st telecast: Danny Santiago as the opponent on the main event? That about says it all. It was an early X-mas gift for Antonio Tarver.
THE MICHELLE WIE AWARD (Failed prodigy)
Francisco Bojado: Oh, what could’ve been.
THE CURSE OF THE BILLY GOAT AWARD
The month of September: Seriously, was there anything besides Labor Day that wasn’t postponed this month?
THE BRITNEY AWARD (Worst comeback)
Tommy Morrison: His first bout was so farcical that Arum wouldn’t even allow it to be shown on his ‘Versus’ telecast.
WWE AWARD (For staged theatrics)
The Bernard Hopkins-Winky Wright weigh-in: the Nevada State Athletic Commission would fine Hopkins $250,000 for shoving Winky Wright. Hopkins would admit this was all done to drum up interest in this promotion.
He should’ve been fined for taking part in this unwatchable fight.
NEW COKE AWARD (For worst idea)
Open scoring: If you saw how the drama was sucked out of the fight between Jean-Marc Mormeck and O’Neil Bell, then you know why open-scoring is a terrible idea for professional boxing. What should’ve been a great ending was made anti-climatic by the four-corner tactics of Mormeck, who knew that all he had to do to regain his cruiserweight title was to stay upright.
What are really needed are more competent judges, not an overhauling of the current system.
ROOTS AWARD (best mini-series)
24/7 on HBO: Yeah, it’s more infomercial than true documentary, but there’s no doubt that it helps drum up interest in whatever they are pushing.
If Roger Mayweather ever gets his own reality show, he should thank HBO.
