This is Ted Sares? ninth consecutive edition of his annual boxing awards and he always issues them in mid-December risking the possibility and embarrassment of a late fight or incident that should have warranted inclusion.
Venue of the Year
The card on November 4 in Kazan, Russia featured several great fights and three major upsets. Whoever put this one together should be given Stolichnaya Elit and Petrossian Caviar as visiting fighters from Argentina, Poland, Nigeria, the UK, and Kansas (yes Kansas by way of Nigeria) fought some of the best Russia had to offer including fearsome Dmitry ?The Russian Hammer? Kudryashov (who got hammered and nailed by an unknown Kansan by way of Nigeria), surging Alexander Povetkin, Rakhim ?The Machine? Chakiev who was dismantled by the well-traveled but dangerous Ola ?Kryptonite? Afolabi, and the always exciting Denis Lebedev who won as expected. Argentinian Cesar Cuenca (48-0 coming in) also was on the card and was shockingly TKO?d by Eduard ?The Eagle? Troyanovsky (23-0) who thus won the IBF World super lightweight title. The Russian Eagle landed. The combined won-loss record of those fighting on this marvelous show was 283-15-8. What this venue lacked in flash, it more than made up for in substance and thrills.
Knock Out of the Year
Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez?s KO of James Kirkland when Canelo deceptively looked at a wobbly Mandingo?s midsection, but then delivered a crushing right to his head and knocked him out cold in the third round. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LehQX1bbGQk
Close second was Gabe Bracero?s KO over Danny O Connor. It was quick (41 seconds), scary and totally unexpected in front of a silenced and shocked pro-O?Connor crowd in Lowell, Massachusetts. See: http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Video-Gabriel-Bracero-Scores-a-Knockout-of-the-Year-Candidate-at-PBC-on-NBCSN-93853
Both were lethal and concussive, but in the broader scheme of things, Canelo?s was more important.
Boxing Personality of the Year
Tyson Fury. It?s one thing to bluster; it?s quite another to back it up.
Fighter of the Year
Nicaraguan ?Chocolatito? Roman Gonzalez?s three solid wins all by stoppage helped him reach the top of the PFP list as he moved his record to 44-0. And that is as high as you can get. When Brian Viloria was asked if he had ever met anyone with more power, his answer was a quick ?no.?When asked if he was the best fighter he had ever faced, his answer was ?yes.?
Others: Gennady Golovkin won three by KO, while surging Alexander Povetkin (30-1) became Deontay Wilder?s premier challenger.
Fight of the Year
WBO champion Marco Huck vs. Krzysztof Glowacki-August 14
Undefeated and mostly unknown cruiserweight Krzysztof Glowacki stunned the boxing world when, after being dropped in Round 6 and being controlled in the middle rounds (though much the action was back and forth and competitive), Glowacki caught up to K?pt?n Huck with a right hook in Round 11 that sent him down hard. Huck recovered and made it back to his feet, but a follow-up volley of pure menace knocked him through the ropes. It was a thrilling and definitive win for the new champion. This occurred just when it appeared Huck might be able to escape with a hard-fought victory.
Also high on my list were the following:
Jorge Linares vs. Kevin Mitchell- May 30
This was a vicious and dramatic bout that featured all-out carnage with a game but badly bloodied Mitchell being stopped late while he was ahead on the cards. The loss may have ruined Mitchell.
Lucas Matthysse MD Ruslan Provodnikov- April 18
This one was no less than the all-out back and forth war everybody expected.
Michael Seals vs. Edwin Rodrigues?November 13
This incredible under-the radar fight at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi featured the winner, Rodriguez, being decked twice in the first round and the loser hitting the canvas thrice before being stopped. It was 384 seconds of pure violence. It was furious and concussive. It was marvelous.
Fonfara vs. Cleverly warrants a strong mention. It featured great back-and-forth action, record breaking punch volume, and will and determination.
Round of the year
Round one: Edwin Rodriguez vs. Michael Seals-November 13
The heavy-handed, free-swinging Rodriguez (28-1) dropped Seals (19-0) early in the fight with an overhand right-left hook combo, but as Edwin trapped Seals along the ropes for the kill, Seals was ready and caught and decked ?La Bomba? with a short right and floored him.. He then decked Edwin again near the end of the round and this time Edwin was on Queer Street one punch away from disaster, but the bell rang just in time to save him and his career.
Trainer of the Year:
Floyd Mayweather Sr. guided his son to two important wins in 2015. It?s difficult to argue with success as Senior served as Patriarch of Junior?s corner dispensing sage and low key advice and keeping things on cruise control.
Upset of the Year
Tyson Fury dethroned Wladimir Klitschko?s dominate ten-year reign as the best fighter in the heavyweight division, en route to a twelve round, unanimous upset decision at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, in front of 55,000 mostly pro-Klitschko fans
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year:
Cuban southpaw Luis ?The Real King Kong? Ortiz seemed to come out of nowhere. While it?s difficult to call a fighter with a 24-0 professional record and 350 amateur fights a breakthrough figure, he was not that well known except by serious fans, However, by stopping fellow-heavyweight Bryant Jennings on December 19, he put himself in a great position in the suddenly up-for-grabs heavyweight division.
Second: Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KO). At 6?6?and with a Gold Medal in his amateur background, this heavyweight holds the WBC International heavyweight title and the Commonwealth (British Empire) heavyweight title. And within a context of personal animosity, he TKO?d undefeated Dillian Whyte on December 12 to leave little that he may be destined to become the next Lennox Lewis.
Third is Oleksandr Usyk ? This gifted Ukraine cruiserweight has gone nine for nine, all wins coming by way of knockout and against decent opposition. With a remarkable amateur career, Oleksandr seems headed for a world title shot perhaps as soon as next year.
A bumper crop of others include Artur Beterbiev, Felix Verdejo, Errol Spence, Eduard Troyanovsky, and Gilberto Ramirez Sanchez
Female fighter of the Year:
Belgium?s Delfine Persoon (35-1, 16 KO?s) extended her winning streak to 26 and successfully defended her title for the third time, beating the France and EBU title holder Maiva Hamadouche (9-1, 8 KO?s) by unanimous decision at Zwevezele in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium on November14. Persoon hasn?t lost in five years, and the former WIBF/WBF/WIBA belt holder has now fought four times this year, scoring two knockouts and two decision wins.
Most Ill-advised Comeback
Donovan ?Razor? Ruddock
Best Comeback
Robert Helenius bouncing back nicely from injuries.
Best Retirement Decision
Bronco Billy Wright (49-4) retired at age 51 with 20 wins in a row, several regional heavyweight titles, and all of his marbles intact.
Most Bizarre event:
?Holiday Hump? staring Yusaf Mack
Ted Sares is one of the world?s oldest active power lifters and holds several world and North American records. He enjoys writing about boxing.
