TELEVISION FIGHTER OF 2008: PAUL WILLIAMS
Atlanta, GA – Paul The Punisher Williams went 3-1 with 3 knockouts this year, capturing titles in two divisions. In February he was victimized by welterweight (147 lbs) Carlos Quintana by 12-round decision in a candidate for upset of the year. He rebounded to rub out Quintana in one round in a June rematch. In September he knocked out durable middleweight (160) Andy Kolle in the first round in a knockout of the year candidate, before closing the year with a stoppage victory over Verno Phillips in November to capture a junior middleweight title. Not only did Williams fight four times in 2007, a rarity now for fighters at the top of the sport, but he spread the wealth, appearing on Showtime, Versus and HBO., Honorable Mention: Nobody else comes close. All the other candidates did their best or most notable work on pay-per-view, which might make them candidates for fighter of the year, but not my Television Fighter of the Year.
TVS FIGHT OF 2008: ISRAEL VAZQUEZ-RAFAEL MARQUEZ III
If this fight happened in November, I dont think there would be any question about it, but with several notable fights taking place between March and now, its easy to underestimate this fight. What separates this fight to me was that it was expected to be a great fight, and it still exceeded expectations. Add that to the fact that it took place on regular Showtime, and it edges out the honorable mentions.
HONORABLE MENTION
Joel Casamayor TKO 10 Michael Katsidis, Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham. Antonio Margarito TKO11 Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao W12 Juan Manuel Marquez.
TVS KO OF 2008: VIC DARCHINYAN KO 9 CHRISTIAN MIJARES
While it wasnt the sort of one-punch lightning strike that normally wins awards, Darchinyans shocking KO simultaneously victimized one of the top fighters in the sport, reestablished Darchinyan as one of the most television-friendly fighters in the world, and set up a long-anticipated showdown with Jorge Arce.
Another Honorable Mention: Kendall Holt KO1 Ricardo Torres, Juan Manuel Lopez KO1 Daniel Ponce De Leon, Joel Casamayor TKO10 Michael Katsidis.
TVS ROUND OF 2008: KENDALL HOLT-RICARDO TORRES
More like minute of the year. On a special edition of Sho Box, Holt was put down twice hard, before roaring back (with some help of a head butt) to put Torres out cold against the ropes, all in less than sixty seconds. While nothing can be truly new in a sport thats existed since the beginning of mankind, sometimes you still cant believe what youre seeing.
Honorable Mention: Round 12 of Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez III Round 4 of Tomas Adamek-Steve Cunningham.
TVS PROSPECT OF 2008: CHRIS ARREOLA
Three of Arreolas four fights in 2008 were televised, including stoppages of fellow prospects Chazz Witherspoon (technically a DQ) and Travis Walker. Arreola also appeared as part of Versus surging boxing program. The yearning for a legitimate heavyweight hero edges him past junior middleweight James Kirkland and super middleweight Andre Dirrell who did excellent work on television this year.
Honorable Mention: Kirkland, Dirrell, Yuriokas Gamboa, Alfredo Angulo.
TVS UPSET OF 2008: DACHINYAN KO 9 MIJARES
There may have been bigger upsets, but none had as big an impact. With Israel Vasquez on the shelf indefinitely, the television appeal of the lower weight divisions was reinvigorated by Darchinyans grand reemergence.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Quintana W12 Paul Williams set the table for Williams great year.
MOST ENCOURAGING IS VERSUS ROLE
Cut free from a disastrous exclusive deal with Top Rank, the network featured the kind of stars and title fights that havent appeared on basic cable in many years, including Ricky Hatton, Paul Williams, and the Adamek-Cunningham brawl.
Honorable Mention: The presumed end of Oscar De La Hoyas dominance of boxing, fans finally saying no to sub-par pay-per-views.
Lou Ciaccia
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