Boxing has had quite the renaissance year in 2017, with major fights taking place, new stars rising to prominence, and the kind of action boxing fans always want, but seem to seldom actually get. In short, it was a great year to be a fan of the Sweet Science. Let’s take a look at the highlights of the year, according to the Bloody Elbow staff:
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Fraser Coffeen: For me, the Fight of the Year needs to not only be a great, thrilling fight, but it also needs to have some degree of stakes. Not everyone sees it that way, but I just can’t get behind naming some obscure fight from the sport’s fringe Fight of the Year. I need something big, and epic. And when you think big, and epic, and great, and thrilling, there’s one clear-cut winner in 2017. Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko was everything you want in a fight. From the big (BIG) fight atmosphere to the back and forth action to Joshua being forced to dig deep and show something we did not know if he had in him to the dramatic finish to the definitive changing of the guard narrative, this was the reason I watch combat sports. Not only was this the best fight of 2017, it was the kind of fight that when you are watching boxing retrospectives in 2047 you will hear people talking about. I loved everything about it. Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko
Mookie Alexander: There have been plenty of outstanding fights in boxing this year from a pure action standpoint. Badou Jack vs. James DeGale was excellent, as was Kell Brook vs. Errol Spence, the first Chocolatito vs. Rungvisai fight, and of course Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin. Hell, if you want to go extremely hipster, go watch Conor Benn’s six-rounder against Cedrick Peynaud. Ultimately, my pick for Fight of the Year is Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko. It was billed as a massive heavyweight clash, something that could get fans interested in the heavyweight division again, and it actually delivered. Four knockdowns, great back-and-forth drama, and even the more tactical parts of the fight were fascinating to watch. Heavyweight is still objectively a weak division, but it’s refreshing to see a changing of the guard play out the way it did, and that’s why Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko is my FOTY.
Ram Gilboa: Howard Cosell wrote that “Boxing is drama on its grandest scale”; and no where it was truer in 2017, than at Wembley Stadium, in the clearing of ninety thousand bodies. No fight this year presented such drama – Sorry Golovkin, I know it’s your thing; and sorry MMA – as Joshua vs. Klitschko. Everything from the story to the set to the performance was just about right. A Heavyweight classic, rare even in those days when it wasn’t. Raising my hand in agreement here. Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Fraser Coffeen: Lots of possible candidates this year, but in the end I see this as a two man race between Vasyl Lomachenko and Terence Crawford. Those also are the two men who have established themselves as the options for pound for pound #1, and they both did it with impressive years. Crawford is 2-0 for the year, but his big accomplishment was his win over Julius Indongo, which unified every major title in the division. That’s a big deal – there’s a reason it pretty much never happens. Of course, he promptly vacated some of them, but still, it was a great moment. Lomachenko went 3-0 and capped the year with an amazing drubbing of fellow P4P fighter Guillermo Rigondeaux, one of the undeniable best wins of the year (don’t let the detractors fool you). In the end, only 3 men this year defeated top 5 P4P fighters: Lomachenko, Andre Ward (who is now retired), and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. The Thai fighter’s wins over Chocolatito were very impressive no doubt, but I don’t see them being the equal of what Loma did in there and seems to be primed to continue to do for quite some time. Vasyl Lomachenko
Mookie Alexander: Truth be told, Lomachenko’s resume earning him Fighter of the Year would be largely on the back of the Rigondeaux win, which is no doubt outstanding. Miguel Marriaga moved up a division, Rigo moved up two divisions, and Jason Sosa is a good, but not great boxer. It’s the way that Lomachenko dominates his opponents that is jaw-dropping to watch. He can skillfully clown you or he can really put a hurting on you, as was the case against Sosa. Terence Crawford unifying the titles at 140 was no doubt impressive, even if Julius Indongo having two belts in the first place was a bit of an unlikely story. I am going to go against the grain and choose Anthony Joshua. Yes, Wladimir Klitschko was inactive for a year when he fought him. Yes, he didn’t look outstanding (but still easily won) against short-notice replacement Carlos Takam. But you know what was major about both fights? He sold out a 90,000 seat stadium for Klitschko, and 70,000+ for the Pulev-turned-Takam fight. That’s incredible levels of even national superstardom. He broke UK PPV record for the Klitschko fight (only to see Floyd-Conor eclipse it), and is already one of the richest men in boxing despite turning pro in 2013. Boxing is in need of long-term mega-stars to replace Mayweather and Pacquiao, and Joshua not only is the real deal as a fighter, he fits the bill as a major draw. Anthony Joshua.
Ram Gilboa: While a man of many, many quirks, Fraser Coffeen does know his Boxing. So everything he said, again: It’s a 3 men race between Ward, Crawford and Lomachenko. Ward 2017 only really consisted of the slaying of Kovalev – “only” might be a bit of an understatement here, ballads have been written on lesser feats – and between Crawford and Lomachenko, it’s probably Lomachenko, on account of more activity if nothing else. Vasyl Lomachenko
KO OF THE YEAR
Mookie Alexander: If we’re going for video game type violence, then David Benavidez’s starching of Porky Medina is the best knockout of the year. David Lemieux knocked Curtis Stevens pretty much out of the ring. However, my top knockout of 2017 is perhaps a surprise to some. When Srisaket Sor Rungvisai pulled off the shocking upset of Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez in March, it was considered a controversial decision. They had an immediate rematch, and it wasn’t even a struggle. Rungvisai was the bigger, stronger man who had the power to hurt Chocolatito, and he put him flat on his back unconscious in less than four rounds. You don’t normally see KO of the Year candidates in the smaller weight classes, but for me, Rungvisai KO4 vs. Chocolatito is the best and most significant finish of the year.
Ram Gilboa: Terence Crawford switch-southpaw left hook to the body of Julius Indongo to unify the belts at 140. Crawford, who really is an Orthodox fighter, can box a better southpaw than all but the top natural southpaws. He studies the other fella, he’ll might even drop a round or two in his process of methodical dissection. And soon enough, around round 3, Crawford’s difficulty level all of a sudden changes to impossible. Terence Crawford rd 3 vs Julius Indongo
Fraser Coffeen: Unlike my view of Fight of the Year, this is one that could have some grander significance, but I’m also fine with just giving it to pure, unadulterated violence. And for me, nothing sticks in my head this year like Lemieux’s 3rd round brutalization of Curtis Stevens. That was one of those sneaky punches that on first viewing you didn’t even really see – it wasn’t until Stevens slumped through the ropes and we saw the replay that we realized quite how spectacular it was. And it was spectacular indeed. David Lemieux R3 KO Curtis Stevens
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR IN 2018?
Mookie Alexander: The conclusion of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament is something that (annoyingly) may not have a US TV deal, but is still must-watch. Oleksandr Usyk is something of a cruiserweight Lomachenko, and it’s no coincidence that Usyk is also trained by Vasyl’s dad. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist will face Mairis Breidis in the semifinals, then the winner of Yunier Dorticos-Murat Gassiev in the final. If Usyk wins this tournament, he has a strong case for being the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He’d be an undisputed champion in one of the deepest divisions in boxing. Usyk has an excellent work rate, loves to go to the body, and is a high-volume puncher who breaks people down. Keep an eye on Usyk in 2018, because cruiserweight is a fun division, and he might be the one ruling it when all is said and done.
Ram Gilboa: WBSS is good, but right now it has to be Canelo-Golovkin II or Joshua-Wilder. I expect the former to be a closely contested affair, somewhat like their previous meeting; and I suspect the latter to be pretty one-sided from the get-go. So I don’t know. Still, probably Joshua-Wilder.
Fraser Coffeen: Rather than focus on any specific fights or fighters, I’m going to turn the spotlight on the two divisions I am most excited for in 2018. Both have a bevy of exciting fight options that we could see materialize next year, and both will have me watching all year. Up first: Heavyweight. We said the same thing at the end of 2015 when Wlad fell to Tyson Fury, but then things kind of stagnated a bit. But now, we’ve got Anthony Joshua at the helm and a whole bunch of exciting fights brewing featuring various combinations of Joshua, Luis Ortiz, Deontay Wilder, and Joseph Parker. As a bonus, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that we end 2018 with a unified Heavyweight champ. I’m not holding my breath, but I am watching. #2 is the 115 pound Super Flyweight division. Chocolatito put that division on the map a couple years back, and now HBO is building on the momentum he started. With Srisaket, Inoue, Estrada, Cuadras, and Arroyo (and maybe still Chocolatito – maybe) you’ve got an assortment of top level talents that HBO seems willing to mix up and spotlight. And if that perhaps leads to a Srisaket vs Inoue fight? Well then count me all in.