Andre Ward
NO FLOYD MAYWEATHER OR MANNY PACQUIAO ON LIST!
San Francisco, CA– OK, if you haven’t noticed that the boxing season 2012, with the exception of Miguel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs)-Austin Trout (25-0, 14 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs)-Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs) in December, the year in professional boxing has no big fights left. No disrespect intended for Mr.’s Trout, Cotto, Pacquiao and Marquez, but unless Austin Trout takes it up a notch, something I think the New Mexican might just do, “Fighter of The Year” voting is on.
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
ANDRE WARD– The World super middleweight (168) champ Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KOs) only fought once this year. The stoppage of light heavyweight (175) titleholder Chad Dawson (31-1) was his lone 2012 appearance. But he is coming off wins over then once beaten Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham in 2011. The “manner” in which Ward beat on Dawson, a Ray Leonard-like performance was clearly the highlight thus far of the 2004 Olympic champ.
NONITO DONAIRE– “The Filipino Flash” has only one loss (30-1, 19 KOs). Still, with the exception of a Split Decision 12 over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in February, Nonito Donaire’s year did not have a peak. Since the Vazquez fight, Nonito has a Unanimous Decision 12 win with Jeffrey Mathebula (26-3-2) and a TKO 9 in beating the reluctant Toshiaki Nishioka (39-4-3). On December 15, it’ll be, yawn, yawn, Jorge Arce (61-6-2, 46 KOs)
DANNY GARCIA– Granted two of 140 lb. champ Danny Garcia’s wins in 2012 were over Erik Morales. The third fight Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs) took Amir Khan out with a left hook, much like he did Morales in the rematch. I credit Garcia for drilling Morales and Khan with single shots that make for highlight reel endings, especially the Morales KO because they had went the route prior.
SERGIO MARTINEZ– World middleweight (160) champ.
The Argentine who learned to fight in Spain and now resides in Oxnard, CA is (50-2-2, 28 KOs). The champ had a strong year with wins over Matthew Macklin (28-3) who can fight a little and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KOs) who can fight a little more than some thought, while Mexican fight fans are thinking he can’t seeing he lost every round except the finale with Martinez.
Sergio Martinez
CARL FROCH– This Englishman can fight! That being said, Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KOs) knocked out then unbeaten IBF guy Lucien Bute (30-0). Froch has only lost to Ward and Mikkel Kessler (2010) before Kessler was forced to surrender against Ward.
VOTE IN POLL AT LEFT OR WRITE IN CANDIDATES IF YOU WISH
I would have thrown heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko (53-3, 50 KOs) in the mix if I was on the nominating committee. He hasn’t lost since 2004 vs. Lamon Brewster, which Wlad avenged in 2007. If you want to vote for somebody not on the list, you can write their name in below in the “Leave A Comment” section.
Pedro Fernandez