It is our memories that help define us, the past events that motivate how we live in the present and what we strive for in the future.
But we, in turn, can define our memories. It is how we look back at the past that will then influence what our approach is, both in the now and later.
This was not the best year for boxing. The two best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport ? Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. ? failed to get in the ring with each other, the most super of super-fights falling under due to exaggerated egos and stubborn stances.
That, on its own, threatened to cast a pall over 2010. It was the dominant story, the dark cloud looming above, producing frustrating fallout that replaced the possibility of pugilism with a perpetual punch line.
Anticipated bouts in other weight classes failed to come to fruition: There was no heavyweight fight pitting David Haye against one of the Klitschko brothers, no rematch between bantamweights Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan, no collision of featherweights Yuriorkis Gamboa and Juan Manuel Lopez.
Mikkel Kessler and Andre Dirrell dropped out of the Super Six tournament, leaving it with just three of the original six contestants and three replacements. Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank embarked on another legal battle over money and entered another cold war in which neither promoter would work with the other.
We could let those negatives define 2010. Or we could accentuate the positives: not just what didn?t happen, but what actually did; not just what fights and fighters fell out, but who stepped up.
This is not ignorance that can lead us to bliss. We should not ignore the dark clouds at all, but rather look at them as part of the greater picture.
In-between those dark clouds, there were some blue, blue skies.
Pacquiao and Mayweather did fight in 2010, with Mayweather dominating Shane Mosley and Pacquiao doing the same to Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito. Those three were big fights, but they were not so immense as to be the giant star at the center of a solar system that sucks everything else in with its gravitational pull.
Other stars were therefore able to shine: Bernard Hopkins turned back time in fighting to a draw with Jean Pascal; Juan Manuel Marquez again showed his boundless toughness and his supreme technique; Sergio Martinez received the recognition he?d long deserved. And in the lighter weight classes that are often followed only by the most hardcore, Giovanni Segura and Fernando Montiel had years worthy of acclaim.
There continued to be a distinction between the best fights and the biggest fights. The major pay-per-view main events were all one-sided, aesthetically displeasing, or both, Meanwhile, most of the best battles were waged in front of smaller audiences that were rewarded for their loyalty.
Giovanni Segura?s conquest of Ivan Calderon was broadcast on an independent pay-per-view. So, too, was Humberto Soto?s war with Urbano Antillon. The 12 rounds of action between Roman Martinez and Ricky Burns originated on British airwaves, sending those who lived elsewhere scrambling at fight time for online streams or, afterward, for YouTube or for video downloads.
Antonio Escalante and Miguel Roman battled on the basic cable of ESPN2, but neither were the usual headliners, and so some might have glossed over the 10 rounds in which two second-tier fighters provided first-rate action. Fewer fans might have missed a pair of dramatic affairs on HBO: Juan Manuel Marquez?s stoppage of Michael Katsidis, and Amir Khan?s survival of Marcos Maidana.
This wasn?t the great year that it could?ve been. Or should?ve been. We could paint the picture of the year as poorer for what there wasn?t. Or we could look at the entire canvas and appreciate the richness of what there was.
Next year, as with every year, will bring both cheers and laughter and tears and frustration. But before 2011 may begin, we must bring 2010 to its proper end. Without any further delay, part one of this year?s Freewheeling Fighting Awards:
The ?Lindsay Lohan Award,? for positive tests for banned drugs: Shannon Briggs (2009, substance not publicly identified), Jerren Cochran (diuretic), Ali Funeka (diuretic), Manuel Vargas (hydrocodone).
The ?Marion Jones Award,? for dropping a defamation lawsuit pertaining to performance-enhancing drugs: to Shane Mosley, who gave up his lawsuit against former BALCO head Victor Conte. Mosley had admitted to unknowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Conte had said the ?unknowingly? part was a lie.
The ?Trevor Graham Award,? for a trainer providing an athlete with performance-enhancing drugs: to Valerio Moscariello, a conditioning coach who received a 12-year ban from Canadian sports after admitting to giving steroids to boxer Amanda Galle. He claimed he accidentally injected her with deca-durabolin that he normally used on himself, according to The Canadian Press.
The ?GWAR Award,? for strangest musical performance: to Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao. Tyson appeared alongside Wayne Brady and Bobby Brown in a shot-for-shot remake of Brown?s 1989 single ?Every Little Step.? Pacquiao, meanwhile, showed up on ?Jimmy Kimmel Live!? and performed John Lennon?s ?Imagine? alongside comic actor Will Ferrell.
The ?Charles Dickens Failed? Award, for great expectations that weren?t fulfilled: to Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum.
Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, predicted that the May pay-per-view featuring Shane Mosley against Floyd Mayweather Jr. could do as many as 3 million to 4 million buys. It sold 1.4 million.
Meanwhile, Arum, the head of Top Rank, said there was a chance to get ?70,000 or more? people in Cowboys Stadium for Manny Pacquiao?s fight with Antonio Margarito. It wound up with 40,154 ? and, of that, 9717 seats were given away for free.
Prospect of the Year: Saul Alvarez.
He is slow of hand. He is plodding. He is young and ripe the picking for a more experienced, more skilled, more gifted boxer.
But he had the best ledger in 2010 out of all the prospects in the sport, using timing and technique to make up for his other shortcomings. Alvarez added five names to his record in 2010, stepping up the quality of opposition with each bout.
He knocked out some guy named Brian Camechis, got wobbled by an undersized Jose Miguel Cotto but came back to score a stoppage, handed measuring stick Luciano Cuello his second loss, became the first person to knock out Carlos Baldomir since 16 years ago, and took a wide decision over Lovemore N?dou.
It is strange to consider a 35-0 fighter a prospect, but that is what the 20-year-old Alvarez still is. And he is fortunate to fight at junior middleweight, a weight class where this prospect could quickly become a contender and then a beltholder.
The ?Joan Guzman Award,? for boxers who failed to make weight: to Roberto Acevedo, Ramon Adorno, Julius Alcos, Fernando Angulo, Juan Astorga, Carlos Baldomir, Paul Briggs, Henry Buchanan, Derrick Campos, Jason Davis, Raul Duhart, Anthony Ferrante, Ivan Fiorletta, Joan Guzman (TWICE!), Hugh Hinds, William Johnson, Hilario Lopez, Hank Lundy, Chris Martin, Sergio Mora, Juan Nazario, Ela Nunez, Raul Pinzon, Calvin Pritchard, Brandon Rios, Miguel Roman, Juan Jose Ruiz, Joseph Salazar, Francisco Sierra, Dorin Spivey and Jose Luis Zertuche.
The ?Tracy Byrd Award,? for most vocally annoying boxer?s significant other during a fight broadcast: to Rachel Cordingley, who was so loud in support of Carl Froch during Froch?s fight with Abraham that Showtime?s announcers sarcastically referred to her as the third member of their broadcast crew.
The ?Arnold Schwarzenegger Award,? for going from action hero to duly elected government official: to Manny Pacquiao, who won a seat on the Philippines Congress. Teddy Roosevelt had ?Speak softly and carry a big stick.? Manny Pacquiao has ?Speak softly and carry a big left hand.?
The ?Roy Jones Jr. Award,? for making the press wait: to Manny Pacquiao, who, with the opportunity for his widest mainstream exposure yet via a feature on American news program ?60 Minutes,? failed to show up on time for his interview with Bob Simon. Simon waited five hours for Pacquiao on one day, and then on the next day Simon waited another seven hours before Pacquiao finally sat down with him.
The ?Roy Jones Jr. Award,? for worst case of a boxer trying to be a rapper: to Alfonso Gomez, who rapped a cappella and en espanol, tearing into Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at a press conference prior to their fight. The bout never happened; Gomez withdrew with an injury. Either that or he signed a record deal.
The ?Roy Jones Jr.-Montell Griffin Award,? for knocking out a downed fighter: to Arthur Abraham, who got disqualified after illegally punching Andre Dirrell ? who had slipped on the canvas and was on his knees ? in the 11th round of their March fight.
The ?Arthur Abraham-Andre Dirrell Award,? for knocking out a downed fighter: to Sakio Bika, who got disqualified after illegally punching Jean Paul Mendy ? who had been knocked down and was on a knee ? in the first round of their July fight.
Upset of the year: Jason Litzau SD10 Celestino Caballero.
How much of an upset was this?
Let’s put it this way: Caballero-Litzau was one of three fights on an HBO broadcast in November, the other two being Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Michael Katsidis and Andre Berto vs. Freddy Hernandez. Marquez-Katsidis was thought to have the potential to be competitive. Berto-Hernandez and Caballero-Litzau were not expected to be so.
The two undercard bouts were expected to be showcases for Berto and Caballero. Berto knocked out Hernandez in less than a round. Litzau, meanwhile, would win on two scorecards against a man considered to be one of the most avoided fighters at 122 and 126. But Caballero-Litzau was at 130, and Litzau was about the same height as the abnormally lanky Caballero.
Caballero, 34-2 entering the bout, might have taken Litzau lightly, but Litzau earned this split-decision victory. He helped make Caballero look bad.
Litzau was a 27-2 opponent who was thought to be an entertaining but otherwise limited Midwest fighter, someone who could scrap but would never have the technique or the skills or the chin to compete at the highest level.
Litzau probably still doesn?t have any of that. But for one night, he wasn?t just more difficult than the expected easy night ? he was better than someone who had been favored 13 to 1 to beat him.
The ?Bernard Hopkins-Robert Allen Award? for getting injured after bizarrely falling out of the ring: to Kermit Cintron, who tripped over Paul Williams? feet in the fourth round of their May fight and had his momentum send him diving through the ropes. The fight was stopped, and Cintron lost by technical decision.
The ?Kermit Cintron Against Paul Williams Award? for getting injured after bizarrely falling out of the ring: to Said Ouali, who, in the second round of his December fight with Randall Bailey, went charging after his opponent, only to have Bailey duck down. Ouali leaned forward over Bailey, and Bailey responded by picking Ouali up and turning the two of them around. Ouali then leaned back and fell over the ropes onto the ringside tables. The bout was ruled a no contest.
The ?Kevin Johnson Against Vitali Klitschko Award,? for lamest performance in a heavyweight title fight: to Audley Harrison, who landed but one punch in three rounds during his November stoppage loss to David Haye.
The ?Moammar Gadhafi?s Voluptuous Blonde Ukrainian Nurse Award,? for random WikiLeaks tidbit: to Ricardo Mayorga, who, according to a diplomatic cable, was allegedly given protection in the courts for his rape trial in exchange for endorsing Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and giving him much of the money he earns.
The ?What Is This ? Soccer? Award,? for faked injuries: to Tavoris Cloud and Marcos Maidana.
Cloud pulled out of an April fight with Glen Johnson and was soon spotted ringside at an HBO card, switching his limp (according to multiple boxing writers at that fight). His ?hamstring injury? was believed to be colloquial for ?I?ve left my promoter and signed with Don King.?
Maidana, meanwhile, had a ?back injury? postpone a fight with Timothy Bradley (and later canceled it altogether), but that was just another way of saying ?managerial issues.? Maidana?s now-former manager conjured up the injury.
The ?Mark McGwire in Front of Congress Award,? for an ?I?m Not Here to Talk About the Past? moment: to Leon Lawson Sr., grandfather to Andre Dirrell, who interrupted a Showtime interview asking Dirrell about the neurological issues he was citing as reason for pulling out of the ?Super Six? super-middleweight tournament. Lawson Sr. jumped in and said he felt a lawyer should be present for the interview.
The ?Rocky in a Meat Locker Award,? for best training method involving livestock: to heavyweight Timo Hoffman, who lifted sheep while training in some tiny, tiny, tiny German village. ?I had everything I need,? Hoffmann was quoted as saying by Fightnews.com. ?Here I am man, here dare it to be!? The icing on the cake, or, well, in this case, on the sheep: Hoffmann?s trainer is named Uwe.
The ?Joe Frazier on Muhammad Ali Award,? for most tasteless taunting of a person with Parkinson?s disease: to lightweight contender Brandon Rios, who, as part of Antonio Margarito?s camp, made fun of Freddie Roach in the lead up to Margarito?s fight against Manny Pacquiao.
The ?Rodney King Award,? for ?Can we all get along??: to Sergio Mora, who, after a dreary draw with Shane Mosley, said he ?didn?t fight as hard because I have respect for Shane. I didn?t want to hurt him.?
The ?Anti-Rodney King Award,? for not wanting to get along: to Rodney King, who, after a short stint in celebrity boxing, was quoted as calling out Mike Tyson to a fight.
The ?John Daly Award,? for selling memorabilia to get much-needed cash: to Thomas Hearns, who put up for auction some boxing memorabilia and various vehicles ? as well as a Nintendo GameCube, a coffee maker and 144 AA Batteries, among other items ? to pay off money owed to the IRS for back taxes and to the bank that lent him money for his house.
Knockout of the Year: I can still hear it just as well as I can see it.
One punch, and then, like thunder confirming the lightning, the sound of that punch reverberating through the arena.
And last, with a delayed reaction, the target of that punch twisting and falling into a heap and onto the canvas.
The thousands of fans in the arena collectively breathed in. And then the thousands of fans in the arena collectively let out, standing and watching for what seemed an unnecessarily ceremonial count of 10.
Sergio Martinez had knocked Paul Williams out.
What makes a knockout the best in the category?
It must be visually pleasing. The camera must clearly capture cause and effect.
It must be surprising. The best knockouts make you instinctively yell “Oh!” in response to a big punch that nearly nobody saw coming ? not the recipient, not the audience, only the sender.
It must be worth sharing. Much of this comes from it being visually pleasing and surprising. It is going to satisfy the viewer, who will feel a jolt as he sees it, then will ask to see it again.
Martinez’s knockout of Williams was highlight-reel worthy. He had been setting up the counter left hand, throwing it again and again and landing it again and again in the first two rounds.
And then he landed it in the perfect spot at the perfect time. Williams was out before he hit the ground, unconscious even though his eyes were open.
I can still hear it just as well as I can see it. And I can still watch it, again and again, for it is by far the best knockout I’ve ever seen live, and by far it was the best knockout of 2010.
Part Two of the ?Freewheeling Fighting Awards? will run Monday, Jan. 4, 2011.
The 10 Count will return in two weeks.
David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. His weekly column, ?Fighting Words,? appears every Monday on BoxingScene.com.
Follow David on Twitter at twitter.com/fightingwords2 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fightingwordsboxing, or send questions and comments to [email protected]
