CHICAGO — The El Paso Times boxing column started in 2001. It’s been quite a decade.
Time to hand out awards for the best of the past 10 years. Thanks for reading.
Fighter of the Decade, Manny Pacquiao: “Pac-Man” has gobbled through a virtual who’s who of future hall-of-famers over the decade, including Erik Morales (twice), Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto in an unprecedented climb from flyweight to welterweight. There’s been multiple world titles in his run and three “Fighter of the Year” awards. He’s gone from popular to legend to god-like in his native Philippines, and is at least partially responsible for boxing’s late-decade resurgence. He’s powerful and influential, yet humble. The sport should be thankful for him. Runnerup: Floyd Mayweather Jr., who enjoyed his own dominant decade.
Fight of the Decade, Diego Corrales TKO 10 Jose Luis Castillo: The violent firestorm that was produced when Corrales and Castillo took the ring at the Mandalay Bay on May 7, 2005, was breathtaking. The two locked horns in ring center and attacked with a ferocity that had to be seen to be believed. And that was before the too-ridiculous-to-be-true conclusion. Corrales and Castillo battled as though their lives were on the line. Two years later, Corrales was killed in a motorcycle Advertisement
accident. But this fight will always be his legacy. Runnerup: Erik Morales W 12 Marco Advertisement Antonio Barrera, the first of the duo’s epic trilogy on Feb. 19, 2000. Round of the Decade, Corrales vs. Castillo, Round 10: When Castillo dropped Corrales not once, but twice, early in the 10th round, it looked like “Chico” was finished. His legs were shot and his body was beaten. But he rose from the second knockdown and summoned strength from who knows where, rocking Castillo. Now it was Corrales on the attack and, unlike Castillo, he didn’t let his prey off the hook, firing punches in bunches until referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight. It was not without controversy, as Corrales was permitted extra time to recover after spitting out his mouthpiece. But it showcased how this fight, and this round, packed a little bit of everything into 2:06. Runnerup: Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti, round 9 from their first fight. Upset of the Decade: Hasim Rahman KO 5 Lennox Lewis: Perhaps Rahman was given a puncher’s chance against Lewis on April 22, 2001, in South Africa. But most experts didn’t think the challenger was much better than the 20-1 odds against him. Not Buster Douglas hopelessness, but close. Lewis didn’t help himself by jetting in from Las Vegas at the last minute from filming “Ocean’s Eleven.” He was exhausted by the fourth round, and, in the fifth, Rahman clocked him with a vicious right that sent him to the canvas. “The Rock” was the new heavyweight champion. Runnerup: Pacquiao KO 11 Barrera. No one expected Barrera to be dominated quite like that. Comeback of the Decade, James Toney: “Lights Out” had won the “Fighter of the Year” award in 1991. But, since losing to Roy Jones Jr. in ’94, he had often wallowed in mediocrity. But he bounced back in 2003, beating Vassiliy Jirov for the cruiserweight title and knocking out Evander Holyfield in a big heavyweight upset. Runnerup: Wladimir Klitschko, who rebounded from two disastrous knockouts (Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster) to become the world’s best heavyweight again. Knockout of the Decade, Pacquiao KO 2 Hatton: Pacquiao at his ferocious best. Runnerup: Nonito Donaire KO 5 Vic Darchinyan.
Matthew Aguilar may be reached at [email protected].
