The SaddoBoxing Honors List 2012

As a boxing writer, you often look at boxing in a more complex, analytical way than just about anyone else. The most simple example would be that a “punch” by a fighter isn’t just a punch. It may be a chopping short right-uppercut to the body, or maybe a sharp left jab that gouges his opponent’s right eye. It’s a different prospective. That is how I make my judgments here. These are the official year-end honors for one of boxing’s top sites, Saddoboxing.com
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Fight of the Year: Brian Viloria TKO10 Hernan “Tyson” Marquez

I know, I know…Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado was a war, and Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 4 was adrenaline pumping but please: Tyson Marquez’s (34-3-0 25 KO’s) TKO 10 loss to the “Hawaiian Punch” Brian Viloria (32-3-0 19 KO’s) was a much different and more entertaining situation.

Let’s say you are a movie critic, rating an action movie for a yearly award. Would the movie with the twisty, voluminous story line and highly entertaining graphics win or the one with just wild, somewhat repetitive combat take the cake? That’s what I thought, and Marquez’s unstoppable assault combined with the guts and sturdiness of Viloria and his excellent counter punching was highly dramatic and in my opinion, simply unthinkable as a fight. These warriors should be proud.

The fight was wide on the score cards, but make no mistake, even going down twice, once when he had Viloria badly stunned and desperately falling back counter punching, “Tyson” Marquez came close to finishing things often.

But, we were always surprised by the tenacity Viloria presented in the tightest spots. This gave the Flyweight title unification between Viloria and Marquez my honor. Runner ups include the wild action fight between Rios and Alvarado, plus the gutsy showing of Juan Manuel Marquez in flattening Manny Pacquiao.

Fighter of the Year: Nonito Donaire

This isn’t about one particular thing that”Filipino Flash”, Nonito Donaire, (31-1-0 20 KO’s) did this year, but a four punch combination in defeating most of the big-little guys at Super Bantamweight, gaining multiple title belts in the process and lining up a potential 2013 superfight with Abner Mares.

If it wasn’t for Donaire’s determined activity to make up for a slow 2011 start, he likely may not have appeared on this list. But this year, he truly showed why he is the best guy in the divisions between Bantamweight and Featherweight and why after Manny Pacquiao and Floyd “Money” Mayweather are gone, how Donaire will reign supreme as a top pound for pound fighter.

These four impressive wins included a one-handed 12 round decision win against talented Puerto Rican son-of-a-legend Wilfredo Vazquez Jr, a grinding victory over lanky South African contender Jeffrey Mathebula, plus in the second half of the year a tremendous stoppages against five time world champion Jorge Arce of Mexico and former WBC champion Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan, retiring both fighters.

Credit to Nonito, he is showing willingness to improve as a fighter, gradually developing into a superstar. I cannot wait to see him in one to two years. It’s a bright future for the fan favorite, I assure you.

Knockout of the Year: Juan Manuel Marquez KO6 Manny Pacquiao

I guess I wasn’t dreaming as Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1 40 KO’s) put Pinoy great Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (54-5-2 38 KO’s) to sleep like a sick dog in this important fourth fight between the two sure-fire hall of famers.

Marquez knocked down Pacquiao in round three before Pacquiao rallied to score a knockdown in the fourth and bust the Mexican legend’s nose in round five but no one saw Marquez’s flush right hand coming like a missile to the face of an oncoming Manny Pacquiao in the sixth.

As with all big knockouts, this will stay in the heads, and perhaps and hearts, of boxing fans for years to come, whether a controversial fifth fight is made or not.

Round of the Year: Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Manny Pacquiao 4

In the sixth round of their fourth fight, Pacquiao was stampeding the battered Juan Manuel Marquez like a bull, walking through counter punches for three minutes with ease, snapping Marquez’s head back.

As the round was winding down, Marquez landed a significant right hand to the jaw of Manny, temporarily halting the Filipino’s attack. If that was the warning shot, seconds later there came that overhand right from Marquez that ended the night. It is rough to call a winner in this category, but this round was most entertaining of all, in my opinion.

Prospect of the Year: Trevor McCumby

First, we must clarify; what defines a prospect? To me, it is a green fighter, still learning the ropes and holding no legitimate belts. That condition controversially scraps hard-hitting heavyweight David Price from the list.

Also, American prospects Gary Russell Jr, Demetrius Andrade, Michael Finney and others only fought once or twice this year and that’s not enough to take the cake.

McCumby fought six times, stepping up scoring knockout after knockout and compiling a 9-0 8 KO’s record. His fights were mostly on Top Rank Boxing undercards and this assured me that McCumby has a vast future ahead of him.

That defines the term “prospect”. Look out for this 20 year old over the next couple of years. He is one of the best American fighters to break out in 2012.

Upset of the Year: Sonny Boy Jaro TKO 6 Pongsaklek Wongjongkam

The king is dead! Flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wongjongkam (87-5-2 46 KO’s) of Thailand was universally recognized as a pound for pound super star and the best Flyweight in the world. That changed when fringe contender Pinoy Sonny Boy Jaro (34-11-5 24 KO’s) came along and beat him down over six rounds.

This was quite honestly more of “Pong” being aged far past his physical best rather then Jaro, who lost his Ring Magazine and WBC straps months later, being highly talented.

Who knew? In the previous two years, Wongjongkam was outpointing top contenders such as Koki Kameda and Edgar Sosa and all of a sudden, an unknown Filipino crushed him at home in Thailand. It is what it is as Wonjongkam was beaten again by losing record journeyman Ray Migreno months later, retiring peacefully afterward.

As this year concludes, interesting turns present themselves on the landscape again. I hope you enjoyed this quick article. Congrats to all the fighters and happy holidays. Be sure to return to Saddoboxing in the new year for our articles, more news and massive forum.

Corey Quincy is a boxing writer for Saddoboxing, Blboxing.com and others. Follow him on Twitter at Quincyboxingfan and like his page on Facebook at Boxing Legends!