Welcome to The Queensberry Rules’ annual year-end boxing awards, continuing throughout this week. Here’s how we do it around these parts:
The major categories are Knockout of the Year, Fight of the Year and Fighter of the Year. For each category, we give five finalists, with video and/or relevant info. You tell us if our finalists and honorable mentions are lacking, and give your vote on who you think should win. Maybe you sway us to adjust the list, and maybe you sway us on the eventual winner. On the second day after a category is introduced, we’ll give you the winner and explain why.
Previously: 2016 Knockout of the Year nominees. On deck: Knockout of the Year winner and Fighter of the Year nominees.
THE FINALISTS (IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
Roman Gonzalez vs Srisaket Sor Rungvisai I (highlights)
Several things got marred here: Roman Gonzalez’s face, his unbeaten record, the scorecards and the pound-for-pound king’s reign.
Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko (highlights)
It breathed new, exhilarating life into the heavyweight division.
Juan Francisco Estrada vs Carlos Cuadras (highlights)
The best part of the best card of the year.
Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin
We finally got it, and it was worth the wait.
Miguel Roman vs Orlando Salido
So long as Orlando Salido is fighting, he’s going to be in a Fight of the Year candidate, apparently.
THE HONORABLE MENTIONS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Badou Jack vs James DeGale (highlights)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Ijsijcs7E
Leo Santa Cruz vs Carl Frampton II (highlights)
Immanuwel Aleem vs Ievgen Khytrov (highlights)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-THULa9Lkg
Miguel Berchelt vs Francisco Vargas (highlights)
Luis Collazo vs Sammy Vasquez, Jr. (highlights)
Dominic Breazeale vs Izuagbe Ugonoh
John Molina vs Ivan Redkach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-nCcCINo_g
Jarrett Hurd vs Tony Harrison (highlights)
Gennady Golovkin vs Danny Jacobs
Kell Brook vs Errol Spence, Jr.
Andre Ward vs Sergey Kovalev II (link)
Adrien Broner vs Adrian Granados
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEkefaO0a_M
Ivan Baranchyk vs Abel Ramos
Tony Bellew vs David Haye
David Benavidez vs Rogelio Medina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FpoN3MzY2E
Sadam Ali vs Miguel Cotto (highlights)
