2009 Boxing Awards

[Rich Rane]

Fighter of the Year: Manny Pacquiao

Captured a record 4th lineal title in May by destroying Ricky Hatton with a brutal left hook inside the second round. Captured a record 7th division title when he won the WBO welterweight title after putting on a highly entertaining show with Miguel Cotto and winning by TKO in the 12th round..
Runner-up: Shane Mosley

Fight of the Year: Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez II

On what was supposed to be Plan B after Kelly Pavlik had to back out of a scheduled fight with Paul Williams due to injury, two highly avoided fighters decided to come together and make whoever happened to be in Boardwalk Hall that night incredibly lucky. The two gave a spectacular opening round, knocking each other down, followed by 11 rounds of fighting with high boxing skill to fighting pure on heart. What came after from one of the judges was an abominable 119-110 score that saw Martinez winning one round. Both fighters probably might have to fight one another again since I don't see any other boxer calling either of them out.
Runner-up: Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz

Round of the Year: Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez Round 1

Just when you think Paul Williams may cruise with his volume punching after putting Martinez on the canvas (I thought was more of Martinez being off balance), Martinez comes back with some flush shots and finished the round with a counter right in the closing seconds to knock Williams down.
Runner-up: Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto Rounds 2, 3, or 4

Knockout of the Year: Manny Pacquiao's left hook to Ricky Hatton

In the first round, Pacquiao had knocked down Ricky Hatton twice, one by way of a right hook and the other by a combination. In what looked to be a much better round for Hatton (although he wasn't winning the 2nd on my card), he traded with Pacquiao several times to get back in the fight. In the closing seconds of the round, Pacquiao sees an opening and just as you were waiting for the bell, BOOM! (loud enough to hear over a sold out crowd). Pacquiao landed a huge picture perfect left hook to Hatton's jaw that left me wanting to know if Hatton was fine before cheering a Pacquiao victory. Ring doctors were in the ring treating Hatton as fans were left in awe looking at the television looking at several replays from different angles (along with the horror of watching Jennifer Dooley witnessing the knockout and pleading with ring officials) that put the former 140 lineal champ down.
Runner-up: Antonio Pitalua's right hook to Jose Reyes

Upset of the Year: Juan Carlos Salgado defeats Jorge Linares TKO1

Four words: Didn't see this coming
Runner-up: Shane Mosley defeats Antonio Margarito TKO 9, Koki Komeda defeats Daisuke Naito UD12

Event of the Year: Number One/Numero Uno Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez

Following a short retirement, Mayweather decided to fight the lightweight champion, Marquez. After weeks of promoting and a few delays, the fight became one of the most watched tuneups of the year.
Runner-up: Firepower: Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto

Comeback Fighter of the Year: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Had Vitali Klitschko returned this year or had Amir Khan replaced his former trainer this year, I would've easily given one of them this award. Mayweather, as expected, comes from a near 2-year retirement to shutout Juan Manuel Marquez, the former Number 2 pound-for-pound fighter.

Trainer of the Year: Freddie Roach

Came up with ultimate gameplans with Pacquiao against Hatton and Cotto. Trained Amir Khan for his 3 victories in 2009.
Runner-up: Nazim Richardson

Corporate Move of the Year: The Formation of the Super Six Boxing Classic

If there was anything wrong with this move, Showtime should've included more boxers. Seeing as getting multiple boxers into a tournament is nearly impossible, you can't fault them for that. Credit to Goosen Tutor, Gary Shaw, DBE, Hennessy Sports, and whatever boxer's promoter I forgot for coming together.

More to come...Worst Fight of the Year, Robbery of the Year, The Just Retire Award, Promoter of the Year, Fighter of the Decade

[GS Warriors 1]

Good stuff, Rich.

I'll post mine next week but I think we'll agree on fighter of the year.

[disoblige]

Mayweather Sr cant find a job anymore due to Hatton almost being killed.

[Korr]

Robberies of the year, I'm thinking Malignaggi-Diaz 1, John-Juarez 1, Funeka-Guzman.

Yeah 2 out of 3 in Texas.

[cowboyronnie]

Great list, Rich.
gimem s a sec

[cowboyronnie]

Good stuff, Rich.

I'll post mine next week but I think we'll agree on fighter of the year.

Yeah. Haha. Nothing's been less debateable.

[Rich Rane]

Great list, Rich.

But c'mon, Mosley KO Margs rd 12...how can that not be KO of the year?

I was in a bar watching the Pac - Hatton, and people went **** nuts over it. But still, the drama of Mosley finishing an indefatigable Margs in the 12th...eeeee. Beautiful punch, gutsy round, unbelievable drama.

I should clarify that. For KO of the Year, I was looking at the punch itself.

I think the energy in the crowd was still there for Pacquiao-Hatton. Chants for both fighters were among the crowd, Hatton's followers (especially the band) were deafening, all looking towards the rest of the fight and it was all silenced with one punch.

I think Caiz might have ruined that KO for me as he stepped in while Mosley was still landing before the final KD punch, which wasn't as clean as he hit some gloves...probably because of Caiz. By that time, as entertaining and exciting as it still was, Mosley was ahead by a wide margin and Margarito was beaten very good over a good amount of time so the energy wasn't as high as Pacquiao-Hatton. It was a powerful combination though, but like I said, I think Caiz ruined it. Everyone also knew Margarito, although KOed for the 1st time, was going to be alright whereas Hatton looked like he might have suffered a career ending injury.



Forgot about Viloria's right cross to Solis too.

[cowboyronnie]

I was thinking of the KO against Mayorga, full disclosure. Which wasn't Margs, was in the 12th and was in 2008. Most amazing performance for me was exactly that fight, Mosley vs Margs, I just had mistaken how the finish took place.

[KNICKS1970]

Usually KO of the year is best one-punch shot of the year, not necessarily the most significant knockout. Although I think Pacquiao's lights out left against Hatton was both. Abraham's knockout over Taylor is up there too.

[GS Warriors 1]

Fighter of the year: Manny Pacquiao

Runner-up: Tim Bradley

Fight of the year: Marquez-Diaz

Runner-up: Williams-Martinez, Lopez-Mtagwa, Berto-Collazo

Round of the year: Williams-Martinez round 1

Runner-up: Marquez-Diaz round 1, Pacquiao-Cotto rounds 1-4

KO of the year: Pacquiao KO 2 Hatton

Runner-up: Pitalua KO 6 Reyes, Viloria KO 11 Solis, Marquez KO 9 Diaz

Upset of the year: Salgado TKO 1 Linares

Runner-up: Maidana TKO 6 Ortiz, Ward TD 11 Kessler, Mosley TKO 9 Margarito

Event of the year: Cotto-Pacquiao

Comeback of the year: Amir Khan

Runner-up: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Robbery of the year: Funeka vs Guzman

2 I'll add:

HBO vs Showtime: Showtime.

Most disappointing fighter of the year: James Kirkland

Fight of the year came down to Williams-Martinez and JMM-Diaz for me. Both were great fights and I flipped a coin. It landed tails for JMM-Diaz. Bradley might be a surprising name for some but he had 2 title fight victories and 1 NC with Campbell but he looked great in that short performance. He's getting better and better, and I see big things for him in 2010.

[Rich Rane]

Worst Fight of the Year: Vitali Klitschko vs Kevin Johnson

Everyone involved should refund time for those who watched this and the runner-up.
Runner-up: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez

Robbery of the Year: Ali Funeka vs Joan Guzman

Say what you want about Malignaggi-Diaz I, but that fight could've been scored close either way (although not as bad as Gale Van Hoy had it). Funeka-Guzman was supposed to be scored incredibly easy with Guzman winning 3 rounds at the most and the fight ends up in a draw.
Runner-up: Paul Malignaggi vs Juan Diaz I

Worst Scoring Card of the Year: Pierre Benoist 119-110 to Paul Williams vs Sergio Martinez
I'm not sure how he scored the first, but he could have had Williams winning 10-11 rounds. Are you kidding me?
Other people who should also never be allowed to be judges: Gale Van Hoy 118-110 to Juan Diaz against Paul Malignaggi; Alan Davis and Benoit Russell's 114-114 Draw for Ali Funeka against Joan Guzman

The Just Retire Award: Roy Jones Jr.

When the decade started, Roy Jones Jr. was on top of the boxing world. Considered by many as the Number 1 pound-for-pound boxer of the 90s, he started the 2000s picking up light heavyweight titles and jumped to heavyweight and grabbed another alphabet title by beating John Ruiz. Right after the first Tarver meeting, his stock plummeted with three straight losses. A loss to Tarver, a loss to Glen Johnson, and one more to Tarver again. Fought in obscurity until he defeated another boxer whose stock was down, Felix Trinidad to only lose to Joe Calzaghe. All fairly big names he lost to until while fighting in obscurity, was KOed cold by Danny Green within the first minute. There comes a time where you need to save your legacy and prevent further damage to it, and more importantly, yourself. An Olympic silver medalist (should've been gold), a multi-Golden Gloves winner, a middleweight titleholder, super middleweight titleholder, three belt titleholder along with lineal title at light heavyweight, and a heavyweight titleholder along with numerous awards from several boxing publications, Roy Jones Jr. has one of the most decorated careers in boxing history, but is really on the bad side of 40.
Runner-up (might as well call it a three way tie): Jermain Taylor; Evander Holyfield

Round of the Decade: Diego Corrales vs Jose Luis Castillo I Round 10
Watch and be struck in awe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imZaiGJgbsw
Are you kidding me?!!!
Runner-up: The Personification of Mexican Boxing: Israel Vasquez vs Rafael Marquez II Round 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw9Hntr9M7g

Fight of the Decade: Diego Corrales vs Jose Luis Castillo

It would be an injustice to simply talk about the fight. I encourage everyone to look for it online.
Runner-up: Israel Vasquez vs Rafael Marquez I, II, & III; Micky Ward vs Arturo Gatti I

Fighter of the Decade: Manny Pacquiao

In terms of titles, let's review what Pacquiao has done this decade:
- Held titles, both alphabet and lineal, in 6 divisions that span from 122-145
- Held a lineal title at featherweight, super featherweight, and junior welterweight
- Broke the record with 7 titles in 7 divisions in his career
- Holds the record of 4 lineal titles
He went 23-1-2 in the decade, avenging his only loss to Morales with 2 KOs. He's constantly looking for the best challenges and makes those fights exciting. After Oscar De La Hoya's retirement, he's the one constantly bringing new boxing fans with every fight (or preventing them from leaving). He even has a punch named after him in MMA. He's certainly the most popular and he's the pound-for-pound best and is certainly working to keep his title, unlike his predecessor.
Runner-up: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

[Blame Rasho]

I am going to work on mine... I have not gotten the pics or gif ready...