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Post by K1power on Jan 4, 2016 11:20:29 GMT 1
 This year things will be a little bit different when it comes to the "Best Of" picks. For one, we're starting this once the previous year has actually finished. Also, before starting off with my own picks I'd like to see what you guys thought of the year. Here are some categories to help you get started: - Fight(s) Of The Year- Upset(s) Of The Year- Fighter(s) Of The Year- Breakout Fighter(s) Of The Year- Knockout(s) Of The Year- Comeback(s) Of The Year- Controversy(s) Of The Year- Event(s) Of The Year- Story(s) Of The YearYou can name a single favorite or do rankings, just let us know what your picks for 2015 are! Oh yeah; for the first time we'll be doing this not just for kickboxing, but also MMA and boxing! Let's kick this off! |
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Post by K1power on Jan 11, 2016 11:40:01 GMT 1
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Post by themagi on Jan 11, 2016 21:50:48 GMT 1
Fight Of The Year:
Kohei Kono (c) Vs Koki Kameda, 16th October
WBA Super Flyweight Title *Genuine WBA title
Whilst in no way a blood n'guts thriller that you would normally find topping these kind of lists, I chose this as no other boxing match in 2015 grabbed my attention and refused to let it go until it was over quite like this one. Indeed, the 48 minutes seemed to whizz by, like a seriously PCP'd up Usain Bolt.
But first, let me bore you: Koki and his brothers Daiki and Tomoki are all under the "advisory" banner of my old friend, Mr. Al Haymon and this bout was for no other purpose than to give Kameda a relatively easy win over a safe opponent that would also double up as a genuine world title victory, with Kono the defending WBA Super Flyweight champ. Kono won world honours at the third attempt, with his victory being seen as the 'perennial underdog finally comes good' type of triumph (and being honest, it's a minor miracle that he received three chances, his record is dotted with losses, some to real novices) but the Kameda's, especially Koki, thought of the fight as a walk in the park and treated the champ with open contempt in the run up to the fight. He was also the heavy favourite.
The fight itself was live on Spike in the US, on Haymons PBC vehicle, and I believe was the first time that two Japanese fighters had contested a proper world title fight on US soil. It had a bit of everything: knockdowns, to and fro action, controversy and the obligatory lousy-ish ref. But the fouling! When Kameda celebrated and wheeled away at one point after flooring Kono with a blatant low blow, I was up and shouting at the TV big time!
Give it a look, if you have the time:
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Post by themagi on Jan 11, 2016 22:13:12 GMT 1
Upset Of The Year
Fury-Klitschko is the hot favourite, but I went against conformity and went with......
Amir Imam is one of very few fighter's remaining on the promotional books of Don King, and is also about the only one in the last decade under the age of 25 that DKP has actually brought along in the way a prospect should (the majority, if not all, of the young fighters King has had in this time frame could not wait to get away from him, due to his infrequent shows and reluctance to let them box on other promoters events) and so was receiving the customary King promotional bluster. "The next Felix Trinidad" said old Donald. "He could beat Floyd!" exclaimed the man who once billed Mike Tyson for use of flagpoles whilst Tyson trained at a King owned facility.
Imam was scheduled for a world title shot in the second-third quarter of 2016, with Ukraine's Viktor Postol, WBC champ, the target. Then "The Young Master" was served up a platter full of trouble by Chef Adrian.
And the kicker? It wasn't even on a Don King show.
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Post by themagi on Jan 11, 2016 22:26:26 GMT 1
Comeback Of The Year
So not this one, then.
After 14 years out of action (and even then he was past his prime by at least 5 years) and at the age of 51, former heavyweight contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock returned to the ring in 2015. Why? I don't know. But I do know that he rattled off two wins (one inside schedule, one on points) against appropriately suitable opposition before the big one. A fight with one Dillon Carmen (8 wins, 2 losses) for the Canadian Heavyweight title on the (untelevised) undercard of an Al Haymon PBC show on Spike! And that's all the positive stuff that I can take from this.
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Post by themagi on Jan 12, 2016 1:48:08 GMT 1
Breakout Fighter Of The Year:
Jamie McDonnell
Upset the apple cart by going over to the U.S and turning over Tomoki Kameda not once, but twice (May and September) during the course of 2015. Taking in close to two $1m purses and being seen by over 2m people combined on primetime U.S TV, courtesy of Mr. Haymon. Going over to foreign soil twice within 5 months and coming away with 2 decision victories against the deep pockets of the PBC is some achievement. Especially more so when considering that prior to the first fight McDonnell's trainer, Dave Hulley, decided as they were boarding the U.S bound flight that he was unable to fly and thus promptly become Jamie's ex-trainer. McDonnell rang jack-of-all-trades Dave Coldwell who was able to drop everything on the spot and make the flight and plot the way to his new charge's against the odds victory.
Then when they got to Texas there's the hilarity of being stranded in the middle of nowhere after their van broke down on the way back from training and then after something approaching normalcy appeared to resume, a few days later a tornado broke out where they were based!
Can you believe that he went back to TX for the rematch!
( I must admit, I believed Kameda won the rematch convincingly.)
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Post by K1power on Jan 12, 2016 10:00:00 GMT 1
This is great stuff! Also, LOL @ Razor Ruddock as your comeback of the year.
I think I have some more traditional picks myself:
- Fight(s) Of The Year
Amir Imam VS Fidel Maldonado. This fight happened on the Wilder VS Stiverne card and had some crazy back and forth action and the pace was crazy.
- Upset(s) Of The Year
Tyson Fury defeating Wladimir Klitschko. Sure, some of us thought it was possible. You always sort of keep that door of something being in the realm of possibility open.
The fact that it actually happened is something else though, after the run Wlad had. I actually like the Klitschko's, but something like this happening - I think - opens up the division.
- (Breakout) Fighter(s) Of The Year
On a global scale I'd say Tyson Fury. You could say that he was already very much on the map, at least to boxing fans.
However, defeating Klitschko must have done a LOT to increase his 'reach'.
Also, an argument could be made for Deontay Wilder who defeated some legit competition in 2015 and is still undefeated.
- Knockout(s) Of The Year
Mairis Briedis knocking out Manuel Charr.
- Story(s) Of The Year
Mayweather vs Pacquiao - Don't get me wrong: The fight didn't deliver. We didn't expect it to either since it came about 5 years late. However, the marketing & hype machine behind it were crazy.
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