LET?s continue with our series featuring the best that 2013 had to offer with our upset of year,and knockout of the year winners.
UPSET OF THE YEAR: Johnny Gonzales KO1 Abner Mares, Aug. 24, 2013.
Coming into this fight, Mares was touted as one of the potential breakthrough stars for 2013. He was already the IBF bantamweight champion, but in May, Mares moved up in weight and knocked out the formidable Daniel Ponce de Leon for the WBC featherweight diadem.
The undefeated Mares was one of the sport?s brightest young stars and the future seemed limitless.
On the other hand, the 32- year-old Gonzales had almost reached journeyman status, with 54 wins, 8 losses with 46 knockouts. Prior to the Mares win, he had a couple of meaningless wins over unknowns like Akihiko Katagari (12-6) and EusebioOsejo (21-12).
Before that, he lost to de Leon in eight rounds for the same WBC featherweight crown.
Gonzales was a former world champion and has fought some of the best fighters in the lower weight divisions, but he was viewed as a faded force, and was expected to give Mares a couple of good rounds, nothing more.
Unfortunately, someone dropped the ball and forgot to inform Gonzales of the pre-ordained outcome.
In the very first round, Gonzales landed a sweeping left hook which landed smack on Mares? jaw and down he went like he?d been shot.
He got up at the count of eight but was clearly on queer street. A follow- up barrage from Gonzales had Mares trouble which necessitated the ref?s intervention and the fight?s denouement at 2:55 of the first round.
And just like that, Gonzales? revived his sagging career while Mares? (26-1, 14KOs) rise to superstardom is now in doubt.
Honorable mention: Marcos Maidana UD AdrienBroner December 2013
Maidana (35-3, 31KOS) was a no-nonsense banger whose take- no- prisoners approach had resulted in 31 knockouts in 35 fights. Still, he was a plodding puncher with no regard for defense, and he was expected to be easy fodder for the smooth counter-punching Bronner who had perfected the Mayweather shoulder roll defense.
Unfortunately, Broner wasn?t as good or as skilled as we perceived him to be and Maidanaexposed him.
He knocked him down twice, and had his way with him for most of the 12 rounds earning a well-deserved unanimous decision victory.
As things stand now, Maidana is now in consideration as a potential foe for Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao, while Broner has to get back in line and prove he has more steak to his sizzle.
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR. Adonis Stevenson (23-1, 20KOs) KO1 Chad Dawson (31-3, 17KOs) Stevenson was moving up in weight from the super middle weight class to the light heavy weight division. He was a big puncher but was the underdog coming into this fight against Dawson who had had two previous reigns as light heavyweight king.
But in just 1:16, Stevenson landed a short crisp left cross that deposited Dawson to the canvass. He got up but the referee determined him unfit to continue.
It was quick, brutal and unexpected and it?s our knockout of the year.
VERBATIM. ?All the stories you hear about Pacquiao is a lie,? he said. ?It?s a lie. It?s not true. If it didn?t come from Leonard?s mouth, my mouth, or Al?s mouth, it?s not true.?– Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the reported Manny Pacquiao fight.
