Burns and Groves head the BoxRec News Awards for 2010
Ricky Burns has been named Boxer of the Year in the BoxRec News Awards for 2010. The Coatbridge super-featherweight pipped Carl Froch and Amir Khan, courtesy of his pulsating WBO title win against highly-touted and then unbeaten Puerto Rican Roman Martinez in September.
The Scot had to climb off the floor in the first round and withstand some heavy punishment but it was one of those memorable nights where the underdog simply would not be denied.
George Groves was a clear winner of our Young Boxer of the Year award. Groves started his year in impressive fashion, winning the Commonwealth super-middleweight title in only his ninth professional outing. The 22 year-old from Hammersmith looked classy and completely dominated tough, experienced Ghanaian Charles Adamu, stopping him in the sixth and knocking him down twice en route. Groves overcame a tricky opening on his American debut, stopping Alfredo Contreras in the sixth before the highlight of his year, a third sixth-round stoppage on the bounce, this time of Scottish challenger Kenny Anderson. Groves, like Burns, had to climb off the canvas to notch the biggest win of his career.
Fight of the Year was June’s vacant British lightweight title showdown in Gavin Rees’ Newport backyard. In a classic battle of wills, the vastly experienced Welshman stopped Liverpool’s John Watson in the eleventh round. It was an archetypal veteran versus pretender scrap and, on this occasion, Rees’ greater experience helped him come through some tough times against the Scouser. Watson smashed Rees’ nose which caused the champion some problems but, not for the first time in his career, the diminutive Rees dug deep and dropped Watson in the tenth before stopping him with less than a minute to go in the eleventh.
Upset of the Year was a no contest in voting terms. Gary Buckland’s first round knockout of British super-featherweight champion Gary Sykes in their November Prizefighter semi-final was a very clear winner. Sykes was the favourite to win the tournament and the likelihood of him doing so seemed to increase greatly with the defeat of Choi Tseveenpurev by Derry Mathews. Most people had overlooked Buckland (his opponent was 1/4 to win the bout) and that seemed to extend to the then unbeaten Lonsdale belt holder Sykes. It wasn’t just the win which was a shock; even more so was the manner of it. Buckland crashed in a right hook through Sykes’ far too open defence and it was all over in a clinical 45 seconds.
It’s ironic that Carl Froch, just coming off the best win of his career after totally dominating former middleweight boss Arthur Abraham, should feature in our awards for the only loss of his career. The April showdown between Mikkel Kessler and Froch won the International Fight of the Year award. The fight, staged in the Danish outpost of Herning, saw the home boxer win by unanimous decision after twelve rounds of often brutal action. It was a contest which showcased everything that is good about our sport – the fighters were respectful in the build up, waged an intense war with no quarter asked or given inside the ropes, and then showed great mutual respect after the absorbing battle. Two great fighters, two great men. Out of interest, their fight just pipped Amir Khan’s enthralling victory over Marcos Maidana by a single vote.
BoxRec News’ International Fighter of the Year for 2010 is Manny Pacquiao. Pacman defended his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey in March and then picked up the vacant WBC light-middle belt against Antonio Margarito. He only dropped five points across all six judges’ scorecards in these impressive points victories.
BoxRec News Awards 2010
Boxer of the Year – Ricky Burns
Young Boxer of the Year – George Groves
(Must be under 23 on 31/12/2010)
Fight of the Year – Gavin Rees v John Watson
(Fights between two Brits)
Upset of the Year – Gary Buckland KO1 Gary Sykes
(Fights between two Brits)
International Fighter of the Year – Manny Pacquiao
International Fight of the Year – Mikkel Kessler UD12 Carl Froch
