Featured Articles
Fighter of the Decade (2010-2019)
With the decade drawing to a close, it’s time to acknowledge the Fighter of the Decade. There are plenty to choose from; it’s not an easy task.
Maybe an argument can be put forth for Manny Pacquiao, but it likely wouldn’t hold up. PacMan lost four fights this decade. True, two of those losses – vs. Timothy Bradley Jr in their first meeting and to Jeff Horn – were controversial, but losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and being knocked out cold by Juan Manuel Marquez keeps him out of this discussion. Instead, let’s cut to the chase. Canelo Alvarez, Andre Ward, Gennady Golovkin, Vasyl Lomachenko, Terence Crawford and Floyd Mayweather Jr. emerge as the Big Six.
The most active fighters among these six were Crawford (25-0 with one fight pending), Alvarez (23-1-1) and Golovkin (22-1-1). Lomachenko clocks in at 14-1, Ward at 11-0, and Mayweather at 10-0.
Canelo has surged and is finishing the decade strong, albeit with controversy. There is an urge to go with the Mexican redhead, but two grueling fights with Gennady Golovkin and a KO over Sergey Kovalev may not be enough, qualitatively speaking. Moreover, many of his wins were close if not controversial (Lara, and the two GGG fights to name three) and he did lose to Mayweather. Sure, his KOs against Baldomir, Kirkland, Khan, and Kovalev were frightening, but the last one raises the question: was Canelo that good or was Kovalev that used up (in part thanks to Ward)?
As for Gennady Golovkin, a 40-1 1 record with 22-1-1 coming between 2010 and 2019, certainly gets him into the conversation. After torturing and stopping Kassim Ouma in 2011, he gained notice and then built up a 23-fight KO streak before going the distance with Danny Jacobs in 2017. But the two grueling fights with Canelo followed by an equally draining battle with “The Technician,” Sergiy Derevyanchenko, in October suggests GGG’s best days are behind him.
Qualitative
Terence Crawford may be the most talented fighter on this list, but his opponents were hardly a Murderers Row. He unified the super lightweight title, winning all four belts, but the man he defeated to unify the title, Julius Indongo, was wiped out in two rounds by Regis Prograis in his very next start. A qualitative analysis over one that is quantitative would point more to Mayweather or Ward.
Floyd Mayweather’s finishing bouts against Andre Berto and the self-promoting Conor McGregor tarnished his legacy, but in the decade that is drawing to a close, Floyd defeated four future Hall of Famers: Shane Mosley in 2010, Miguel Cotto in 2012, Canelo in 2013, and Pacquiao in 2015. But Mosley, Cotto, and Pacquiao were past their prime when Mayweather fought them and Canelo hadn’t yet hit his peak.
When it comes to dominating opponents in their prime, Andre Ward stands out. A cerebral fighter who could fight rough and tough inside or use the ring as a chess board, S.O.G., as he liked to be called, never backed down from anyone and built upon the old-school foundation and skills that earned him a Gold Medal in the Olympics and carried him to a 32-0 pro record with only one close fight on his ledger.
Unfortunately, Ward lost two years of the decade to retirement and some additional time due to promotional issues, but when he fought, he won—and most importantly, he won against other elite fighters including Mikkell Kessler (okay, that was in December of 2009, not quite in this decade), Alan Green, Arthur Abraham, and Carl Froch in the Super Six Classic. The combined record of these four in-their-prime fighters was 131-5. Add in another elite fighter in Chad Dawson who Ward stopped after the Super Six tourney and the figure goes to 162-6.
The only close fight S.O.G. was in was the first Kovalev outing when Kovalev’s name could be found on almost every P4P list. Ward quite possibly ruined Kovalev in their rematch. “Not even Floyd Mayweather has beaten a fighter of Kovalev’s pedigree twice,” wrote Brian Mazique of Forbes.
The salient point here is that Kovalev was a dominant fighter in his own right, but he in turn was dominated by Ward.
S.O.G, who was never very good at self-promotion, retired in 2017 at 33 years of age, keeping in mind that he had been fighting competitively since age 9.
“I want to be clear — I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there…If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting,” said Ward.
He retired with his health intact and many awards including Fighter of the Year by Ring Magazine and the BWAA in 2011. (However, it’s worth noting that the BWAA awarded Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fighter of the Year in 2013 and 2015.)
If it’s not Ward, it should be Floyd Jr. Two tactically brilliant boxers. And yes, there’s certainly room for debate so have at it.
Postscript: Will Andre Ward return to fight Canelo? No booze. Stays in shape. Knee has had time to recover…Style matchup totally favors him. Shocked if he doesn’t at least bring it up. — Jim Lampley
Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com
Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel
To comment on this story in The Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Results from the Chumash Casino where Akhmedov Gave a GGG-like Performance
Shades of Triple G.
Kazakhstan has another middleweight killer as Sadriddin Akhmedov overran veteran Raphael Igbokwe to win by knockout on Friday evening.
“He’s a tough guy, but I’m a tough guy too,” said Akhmedov of his Texas foe.
Akhmedov (15-0, 13 KOs) excited the crowd at Chumash Casino with a strong performance against a gritty Igbokwe (17-6, 7 Kos). The Kazakh fighter has Gennady Golovkin’s old trainer Abel Sanchez at his side.
It was evident in the first round that Akhmedov wields power, but it was also evident that Igbokwe was not going to quit. Blow after blow was absorbed by the Texas-trained fighter and he continued to press forward.
Akhmedov telegraphed his overhand rights but fired quick and accurate left hooks. Igbokwe withstood the power for round after round.
At the end of the fifth round both fighters continued to fire punches after the bell rang. It angered the two middleweights.
Akhmedov must have still been angry when the sixth round began as he erupted with a 12-punch barrage. Several big blows connected and the Texas fighter was in trouble. Though Igbokwe escaped the first barrage he was unable to avoid the second and the fight was stopped by referee Rudy Barragan at 56 seconds of the sixth round.
The Kazakhstan fighter thanked his fan support and his new trainer Sanchez.
“Every morning at 7 a.m. he wants to kill me,” Akhmedov said of Sanchez.
Other Bouts
A battle between Olympians saw Carlos Balderas (15-2, 13 KOs) knock out Cesar Villarraga (11-11-1) in the sixth round for the win at super lightweight.
A one-two combination found the mark for Balderas at 56 seconds of the sixth round. Villarraga beat the count but once the fight resumed the referee stopped the fight after Balderas connected with another right.
“My coaches told me it was there,” said Balderas of the right cross that finished the fight.
Balderas fought for Team USA in the Olympics and Villarraga for Team Colombia.
Super welterweights Jorge Maravillo (10-0-1, 8 KOs) and Damoni Cato-Cain (8-1-2) fought to a split draw after eight back-and- forth rounds.
Cain-Cato sprinted ahead for the first three rounds behind subtle pressure and focusing on the body then the head against the taller Maravillo. Then, it stopped.
Maravillo stopped retreating and used his long stiff left jabs as a probe and counter punch and became the stalker instead of the prey. It turned the fight around. But Cain-Cato was reluctant to give up too much territory and fought through a damaged left eye to keep the match tight. After eight rounds one judge saw Maravillo the winner, another saw Cato-Cain, and a third saw it even for a split draw.
It was a fitting score.
Angel Carrillo (4-0-1) out-pointed Joshua Torres (0-2-2) with combination punching and in-and-out maneuvers to win by decision. Though 14 years younger, Carrillo wore a protector near his chest. Twice he placed it far above his belly button and was never warned.
Fidencio Hernandez (3-0) was the more polished fighter and used straighter punches and a tighter defense to shut out Laguna Beach’s Josaphat Navarro (1-3-1) and won by unanimous decision.
In her pro debut Perla Bazaldua (1-0) won by knockout over Mollie Backowski (0-4) in a super flyweight contest. Bazaldua fights out of Los Angeles and has long been touted as a one of that city’s best amateur prospects. Now she is a pro.
Photo credit: Lina Baker / 360 Promotions
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Avila Perspective, Chap. 308: SoCal Rivals Rocha and Curiel Rumble and More
Avila Perspective, Chap. 308: SoCal Rivals Rocha and Curiel Rumble and More
Decades ago, battles between regional warriors were as common as freeway traffic in Los Angeles during rush hour.
Bobby Chacon repped San Fernando Valley, Mando Ramos came from the docks of San Pedro, Danny “Little Red” Lopez lived in Alhambra and Ruben “Maravilla Kid” Navarro hailed from East L.A. And they rumbled repeatedly with each other.
The boxing sphere in California has grown much larger despite the closure of boxing palaces such as the Olympic Auditorium, Hollywood Legion Stadium, Great Western Forum, the L.A. Coliseum and Wrigley Field.
Those were classic venues.
Today in the 21st century boxing continues to grow.
Golden Boy Promotions presents SoCal regional rivals Santa Ana’s Alexis Rocha (25-2, 16 KOs) facing Hollywood’s Raul Curiel (15-0,13 KOs) in a welterweight clash on Saturday, Dec. 14, at Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif. DAZN will stream the main card and YouTube.com the remainder.
Ontario is located in the Inland Empire known as the I.E.
Rocha, 27, has grown into a crowd favorite with a crowd-pleasing style developed by Orange County boxing trainer Hector Lopez. I remember his pro debut at Belasco Theater in downtown L.A. He obliterated his foe in three rounds and the small venue erupted with applause.
Wherever Rocha goes to fight, his fans follow.
“Anyone I face is trying to take food away from my family,” said Rocha.
Curiel, 29, has traveled a different road. As a former Mexican Olympian he took the slower road toward adapting to the professional style. Freddie Roach has refined the Mexican fighter’s style and so far, he remains unbeaten with a 10-fight knockout streak.
“I want to fight the best in the division,” said Curiel who is originally from Guadalajara.
Super welter hitters
Another top-notch fighter on the card is super welterweight Charles Conwell from Cleveland, Ohio. Conwell (20-0, 15 KOs) faces Argentina’s undefeated Gerardo Vergara (20-0, 13 KOs) in the co-main event.
Conwell may be the best kept secret in boxing and has been dominating foes for the past several years. He has solid defense, good power and is very strong for this weight class. Very Strong.
“I got to go out there and dominate,” said Conwell. “This is a fight that can lead me to a world championship fight.”
Golden Boy Promotions got lucky in picking up this fighter who could compete with any super welterweight out there. Anyone.
Vergara, 30, is another Argentine product and if you know anything about that South American country, they groom strong fighters with power. Think Marcos Maidana. This will be his first true test.
“I really hope he (Conwell) backs what he is saying,” said Vergara.
Marlen Esparza vs Arely Mucino
Former flyweight world titlists finally meet, but at super flyweight.
Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza fights Mexico’s Arely Mucino in a fight that should have taken place years ago. Both are both coming off losses in title fights.
Esparza has the “fast hands” as she said and Mucino the “aggressive style” as she mentioned at the press conference on Thursday in Ontario.
It’s a 10-round affair and could mark the end for the loser.
Friday Night Fights
Undefeated middleweight Sadridden Akhmedov (14-0, 12 KOs) headlines a 360 Promotions and faces Raphael Igbokwe (17-5, 7 KOs) in the main event on Friday, Dec. 13, at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif. UFC Fight Pass will stream the event.
Akhmedov hails from Kazakhstan and if you remember legendary Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin also hails from that region. Tom Loeffler the head of 360 Promotions worked with GGG too among other legends.
Is Akhmedov the real deal?
Former American Olympian Carlos Balderas (14-2) is also on the card and fights veteran Cesar Villarraga (11-10-1) who has been known to upset favorites in the past.
Fights to Watch
Fri. UFC Fight Pass 7 p.m. Sadridden Akhmedov (14-0) vs Raphael Igbokwe (17-5).
Sat. DAZN 10:30 a.m. Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1) vs Ricardo Espinoza (30-4).
Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Alexis Rocha (25-2) vs Raul Curiel (15-0); Charles Conwell (20-0) vs Gerardo Vergara (20-0); Marlen Esparza (14-2) vs Arely Mucino (32-4-2).
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Cardoso, Nunez, and Akitsugi Bring Home the Bacon in Plant City
Cardoso, Nunez, and Akitsugi Bring Home the Bacon in Plant City
The final ShoBox event of 2025 played out tonight at the company’s regular staging ground in Plant City, Florida. When the smoke cleared, the “A-side” fighters in the featured bouts were 3-0 in step-up fights vs. battle-tested veterans, two of whom were former world title challengers. However, the victors in none of the three fights, with the arguable exception of lanky bantamweight Katsuma Akitsugi, made any great gain in public esteem.
In the main event, a lightweight affair, Jonhatan Cardoso, a 25-year-old Brazilian, earned a hard-fought, 10-round unanimous decision over Los Mochis, Mexico southpaw Eduardo Ramirez. The decision would have been acceptable to most neutral observers if it had been deemed a draw, but the Brazilian won by scores of 97-93 and 96-94 twice.
Cardoso, now 18-1 (15), had the crowd in his corner., This was his fourth straight appearance in Plant City. Ramirez, disadvantaged by being the smaller man with a shorter reach, declined to 28-5-3.
Co-Feature
In a 10-round featherweight fight that had no indelible moments, Luis Reynaldo Nunez advanced to 20-0 (13) with a workmanlike 10-round unanimous decision over Mexico’s Leonardo Baez. The judges had it 99-91 and 98-92 twice.
Nunez, from the Dominican Republic, is an economical fighter who fights behind a tight guard. Reputedly 85-5 as an amateur, he is managed by Sampson Lewkowicz who handles David Benavidez among others and trained by Bob Santos. Baez (22-5) was returning to the ring after a two-year hiatus.
Also
In a contest slated for “10,” ever-improving bantamweight Katsuma Akitsugi improved to 12-0 (3 KOs) with a sixth-round stoppage of Filipino import Aston Palicte (28-7-1). Akitsugi caught Palicte against the ropes and unleashed a flurry of punches climaxed by a right hook. Palicte went down and was unable to beat the count. The official time was 1:07 of round six.
This was the third straight win by stoppage for Akitsugi, a 27-year-old southpaw who trains at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym in LA under Roach’s assistant Eddie Hernandez. Palicte, who had been out of the ring for 16 months, is a former two-time world title challenger at superflyweight (115).
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Remembering the Macho Man, Hector Camacho, a Great Sporting Character
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
The Hauser Report: Some Thoughts on Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Avila Perspective, Chap. 304: Mike Tyson Returns; Latino Night in Riyadh
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Say It Ain’t So: Oliver McCall Returns to the Ring Next Week
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
R.I.P Israel Vazquez who has Passed Away at age 46
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Golden Boy in Riyadh Results: Zurdo Ramirez Unifies Cruiserweight Titles
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Jake Paul Defeats Mike Tyson plus Other Results from Arlington, Texas
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Boxing Odds and Ends: Oscar Collazo, Reimagining ‘The Ring’ Magazine and More