After an eventful year of boxing in 2016, it's time to hand out
some hardware. The 2016 Saturday Night Boxing Awards recognizes fighter, fight,
knockout, round, upset, trainer, promoter, network and referee of the year. I've
also listed the previous award winners. There's lots of good stuff to
commemorate from the year that passed, so let's get to it!
Fighter of the Year: Carl Frampton
Carl Frampton won two 50/50-type fights in 2016 to clinch the SNB
Fighter of the Year. In February, the Belfast, Ireland native won a deserved
split decision over rival Scott Quigg at junior featherweight. In July,
Frampton moved up to 126 lbs. to defeat Leo Santa Cruz by majority decision and
win a title in a second weight class.
Frampton didn't earn many style points for his performance against
Quigg. Boxing very tentatively on the outside throughout the first half of the
fight, Frampton successfully neutralized Quigg's offensive output. Although
Quigg worked his way into the bout during the second half of the contest,
Frampton had his best round in the fight in the 12th, which put a definitive
stamp on the victory. Against Santa Cruz, Frampton won the fight in the
trenches. His sharper combinations, superior accuracy and purposeful lateral
movement were the deciding factors in a riveting bout. The two are scheduled
to fight a rematch later in January.
Frampton beat two world-class opponents in 2016 and although
neither fight was a blow-out victory, he did more than enough to earn the two
wins. Ultimately, it was a fantastic campaign for The Jackal.
Previous SNB Fighters of the Year:
2015: Floyd Mayweather
2014: Naoya Inoue
2013: Adonis Stevenson
2012: Nonito Donaire
2011: Andre Ward
_____________
Fight of the Year: Francisco Vargas-Orlando Salido:
Sometimes a fight lives up to the hype. When the 130-lb. showdown was announced between Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido
was announced, fight fans were licking their lips in anticipation of thrilling
combat. Vargas, who had participated in the 2015 SNB Fight of the Year against
titlist Takashi Miura, had quickly emerged as one of the supreme action
fighters in boxing, and Salido had been involved in several of the best bouts
in the sport in recent years. June 4th couldn't come fast enough!
In the ring, Vargas-Salido somehow exceeded expectations, featuring 12
rounds of brutal power shots and wild swings of momentum. Both fighters fired
vicious body punches throughout the match, often in five-, six- and seven-punch
combinations. With harrowing levels of ferocious punching and expert displays
of inside fighting, Vargas-Salido was the type of combat rarely seen at
boxing's top level.
Although the fight delivered on the anticipated blood-and-guts,
the match featured several unexpected twists and turns. Both fighters tried to beat their opponent with their strengths, as well as those of their foe.
Vargas possessed the superior range and boxing skills but delivered fierce
inside combinations throughout the match. Salido won many battles in the
trenches but also consistently scored with right hooks, overhand rights and
left hooks from distance. Both employed a variety of styles in attempts to
assert themselves throughout the match. And somehow, neither fighter, despite absorbing scores of hellacious blows, hit the
canvas (Salido in particular had
been dropped with regularity in recent years).
In the end, the bout was declared a majority draw and it was a
fitting conclusion. Both fighters bent but neither broke. HBO commentator Jim
Lampley had perhaps the most apt observation of the fight: "There
are many, many professional prizefighters who never want to be in a fight like
this, even once in their career." Truer words might not have been spoken all
year. What a thrilling fight!
Previous SNB Fights of the Year:
2015: Miura-Vargas
2014: Coyle-Brizuela
2013: Bradley-Provodnikov
2012: Pacquiao-Marquez IV
2011: Rios-Acosta
___________
Knockout of the Year: Hassan N'Dam KO 1 Alfonso Blanco
Of the six fighters that I've selected as Knockout of the Year
winners, Hassan N'Dam is certainly the most surprising. N'Dam, a Cameroon-born,
French-based middleweight has been a world-level fighter for a number of
years but his power failed to manifest in title efforts against Peter
Quillin and David Lemieux. In fact, N'Dam was often regarded as feather-fisted,
beating opponents with his volume, footwork and tricky angles instead of brute
strength or power. And although N'Dam does have a respectable 57% KO rate,
you'd be hard-pressed to find a notable name on his knockout ledger.
In time, perhaps Alfonso Blanco will be another one of N'Dam's
anonymous knockout victims. Previous to this fight, Blanco was a
lightly-regarded boxer (originally from Venezuela but now living in California)
with a 12-0 record. Somehow, he was elevated by the WBA into fighting for an
interim belt.
N'Dam quickly took care of business. In the fight's opening
moments, N'Dam threw a blinding jab and then followed up with a quick overhand
right; that's all that was needed as his right hand detonated on Blanco's
unprotected chin. Blanco fell face-forward to the canvas and started to
convulse. The fight was immediately waved off. N'Dam's right hand was brutal
and unexpected. It was the type of shot that builds a fighter's legacy and
enthralls boxing fans.
Previous SNB Knockouts of the Year:
2015: Yenifel Vincente KO 3 Juan Dominguez
2014: Andy Lee KO 5 John Jackson
2013: Stephen Smith KO 5 Gary Buckland
2012: Juan Manuel Marquez KO 6 Manny Pacquiao
2011: Takashi Uchiyama TKO 11 Jorge Solis
___________
Round of the Year: Edwin Rodriguez-Thomas Williams, Jr. Round 2
Check out the scintillating round on the link below:
Similar to Vargas-Salido, when the spring fight between Edwin
Rodriguez and Thomas Williams, Jr. was announced, hardcore fight fans salivated
with thoughts of ferocious combat. Although Rodriguez and Williams may not have
been as well known as the likes of Vargas or certainly Salido, both had
established their bona fides as fantastic television fighters. Each had been in
Fight of the Year-caliber matchups before; Rodriguez won the SNB Round of the
Year in 2015 with his war with Michael Seals and Williams earned the same award
in 2014 for his shootout against Cornelius White. Both light heavyweights possessed the artillery and vulnerability to make for a spectacular
match.
In the first round, both fighters looked to end it, with Rodriguez
throwing huge right hands and Williams countering with right hooks and straight
lefts. But the second frame is where the action really started to heat up.
Rodriguez started the round with several right hands to the body. Seventy-five
seconds into the round, he landed two right hands the hurt Williams and pushed
him back to the ropes. After a brief clinch, the fighters separated and
Williams landed his own right hook-left hand combination that temporarily
turned the tables (more on that combo later). In short order, Rodriguez
rebounded and landed several hard right hands to the body and head. By this
point, Williams was on shaky legs, pushing out his punches with little authority. The
onslaught continued with Rodriguez continuing to press the action with hard
right hands.
But after the 10-second clap occurred, Williams uncorked a truly
menacing right hook-straight left hand combination that sent Rodriguez to the
canvas. Although Rodriguez beat the count, ref Wayne Hedgpeth inspected the
fighter and determined that he was in no position to continue. Williams, who
might have been just seconds away from being knocked out, was able to reverse
his fortunes with two punches.
Previous SNB Rounds of the Year:
2015: Edwin Rodriguez-Michael Seals Round 1
2014: Thomas Williams Jr.-Cornelius White Round 1
2013: Tim Bradley-Ruslan Provodnikov Round 12
2012: Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Round 12
2011: Hernan Marquez-Luis Concepcion I Round 1
__________
Upset of the Year: Joe Smith, Jr. TKO 1 Andrzej Fonfara
After acquitting himself well in a loss to Adonis Stevenson in 2014, Andrzej Fonfara's career was on an upward trajectory. He scored impressive victories over Doudou Ngumbu and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. and won a Fight of the Year-candidate over Nathan Cleverly. Needing a fight in 2016, little-known Joe Smith, Jr. was brought in to be an opponent. Smith, a construction worker by day, was fighting out of the Long Island club circuit. Although he possessed heavy hands, nothing in his resume suggested that he was ready to face a fighter of Fonfara's caliber – well, that's why they fight the fights!
During the first two minutes of the opening round, Fonfara had a
lot of success shooting one-twos behind his high guard. Smith was using his
physicality to come forward but most of his work, with the exception of a few
left hooks, wasn't landing cleanly. However, as the round progressed, Fonfara
made a huge mistake and paid the ultimate price. After landing a combination,
Fonfara stood in front of Smith with his hands down. Smith, sensing the
opening, uncorked a looping right hand that sent Fonfara to the canvas. Fonfara
beat the count but Smith closed the show like a seasoned professional, ripping
right hands and left hooks to Fonfara's body and head. The onslaught was too
much for Fonfara, who wilted from Smith's power punches. He dropped to the
canvas for a second time and referee Hector Afu waved the fight off.
Smith continued to impress in 2016. Later in the year, he was
handpicked to be Bernard Hopkins' farewell opponent. Instead of flowers or an
acknowledgment of the legend's greatness, Smith sent the grizzled veteran
through the ropes in the eighth round, another stunning knockout display. It
was quite a 2016 campaign for Joe Smith Jr., who will no longer be an anonymous
club circuit toiler.
Previous SNB Upsets of the Year:
2015: Tyson Fury UD Wladimir Klitschko
2014: (tie) James de la Rosa UD Alfredo Angulo and Tommy Karpency
SD Chad Dawson
2013: Jhonny Gonzalez KO 1 Abner Mares
2012: Sonny Boy Jaro TKO 6 Pongsaklek Wongjongkam
__________
Trainer of the Year: Shane McGuigan
Shane McGuigan helped orchestrate two of the best game plans in
2016 to earn the SNB Trainer of the Year. With his lead fighter, Carl Frampton,
taking on the two most challenging assignments of his career (Scott Quigg and
Leo Santa Cruz), McGuigan provided the direction, guidance and strategy to help
secure the victories.
Facing Quigg, who can be a pulverizing body puncher, McGuigan
stressed winning the fight at distance. Frampton constantly circled Quigg
throughout the first half of the bout, using his jab, legs and superior boxing
skill to frustrate and flummox his opponent. As Quigg started to come on later
in the match, McGuigan rallied his charge and emphasized the importance of
closing the fight in a definitive fashion. Frampton responded with his best
round of the fight, beating Quigg to the punch on the inside and at distance
and flashing the multiplicity of skills befitting a top fighter. Frampton's
performance in the 12th helped to cement his lead and his victory was well
earned.
Santa Cruz presented a whole host of different challenges for Team
Frampton. Santa Cruz was noted for his punishing work rate and constant
pressure. For this fight, McGuigan emphasized Frampton's precision and hand
speed. The bout featured several thrilling exchanges and more often than not
Frampton's surgical strikes were the telling blows.
McGuigan also had Frampton use his legs and intelligence to win
the fight. Wanting quick flurries instead of prolonged exchanges, Frampton
struck with fast single shots or two-punch combinations before leaving the
pocket. The fighter also stayed away from the ropes for most of the bout, a
geography where Santa Cruz liked to trap opponents and unload a succession of
punches. Certainly, Frampton got touched up in the fight but his efforts, and
those of McGuigan's, were enough to notch the victory.
In a final note, it should be stated that McGuigan has done some
great work in resurrecting George Groves' career. Groves had a decisive victory
in 2016 over Martin Murray, a fight that seemed to many as a 50/50 bout on paper.
However, Groves looked rejuvenated and used his work rate,
physicality, punch variety and athleticism to earn a solid win, putting him
back in title contention in the super middleweight division.
Previous SNB Trainers of the Year:
2015: Peter Fury
2014: Freddie Roach
2013: Kenny Porter
2012: Robert McCracken
2011: Robert Garcia
__________
Promoter of the Year: Matchroom Sport
Perhaps no one deserves as much credit for England's boxing renaissance as Matchroom Sport's Managing Director Eddie Hearn. With a youthful enthusiasm, a sense of showmanship and a desire to expand Britain's boxing's audience beyond the hardcore faithful, Hearn has become the face of the biggest boxing events in the U.K.
2016 saw the continued rise of heavyweight Anthony Joshua, who has
now graduated to become one of the top-five attractions in all of the
sport. Matchroom's financial muscle lured Gennady Golovkin to England for
a massive fight against Kell Brook. Although Brook, Matchroom's fighter,
suffered a defeat, the event was an overwhelming success. Hearn was also
instrumental in finalizing Frampton-Quigg, perhaps the most important British
fight of 2016.
In addition to the big events of the year, Matchroom also provided
several top fights. Dillian Whyte-Dereck Chisora might have been the best heayvweight fight in a decade. Anthony Crolla-Jorge
Linares was a fantastic lightweight battle. Even domestic fights like
Buglioni-Burton and Gavin-Eggington produced memorable fireworks. All-in-all,
2016 was a fantastic year for Matchroom Sport. No other promotional entity
consistently provided the combination of high-quality events and thrilling
action.
Previous SNB Promoters of the Year:
2015: Golden Boy Promotions
2014: Matchroom Sport
2013: (tie) Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Promotions
2012: Golden Boy Promotions
2011: Top Rank Promotions
__________
Network of the Year: Sky Sports
With its exclusive output deal with Matchroom Sports, Sky Sports televised several of the most notable events and high-quality fights of 2016. See the Matchroom Sport section above for those fights but I'd like to add a couple of points about the overall presentation of boxing on Sky Sports, which has made a number of significant improvements over the last few years.
Perhaps Sky's most notable change with its telecast in 2016 was
the replacement of its on-air talent. Gone is the two-man booth of Nick Halling
and Jim Watt. Sky has replaced that crew with its own Adam Smith on play-by
play, and several notable figures in the boxing world, including
Carl Froch, Tony Bellew, David Haye, Paulie Malignaggi, retired middleweight
Matthew Macklin and trainer David Coldwell. All have been a vast improvement
over the previous announce team. Halling was often unsure of what he was
seeing in the ring and although Watt had many fine observations, he resorted to clichés too easily and he certainly could play favorites.
Unlike the PBC, where seemingly any notable fighter has received
an opportunity to commentate, Sky's announcers have all performed
exceptionally. Whether it's Froch's understanding of fighter psychology,
Bellew's passion, Malignaggi's wit or Macklin's more cerebral observations,
Sky's new team provides a more rewarding viewing experience. The team feels
more conversant with the fighters and key players in modern boxing, resulting
in a more assured broadcast.
Another positive aspect of Sky's fight presentation is its
insistence on showing entire fight cards. The tradition in America is to focus
on the top two or three bouts on the card. For pay per views, it usually is
four. However, Sky routinely televises its entire cards. Although watching six
or seven hours of boxing might not be everyone's cup of tea, that the option is
there enhances the experience for hardcore fight fans. In addition, Sky's
philosophy provides exposure to emerging prospects and domestic-level fighters.
The upshot is that its featured boxers (and often, their opponents) are well
known before they emerge at the top of a fight card.
And yes, it looks as though Sky might be following its American
counterparts by expanding its reliance on the pay per view platform. However, this
transition is also a further demonstration of its success. Unlike HBO, which
designated several fights to pay per view in 2016 because of a lack of
resources, Sky has migrated to that forum because the size of its events have
grown exponentially; Sky has helped expand the U.K. boxing market to the point
where several events necessitate the pay per view platform, and these events
have been successful for all parties.
Still, let's hope that Sky stays judicious with its number of pay
per views. It's easy to become greedy in this sport and milk the fans with
lesser quality product. On a final note, the less we see of Johnny Nelson
on TV, the better.
Previous SNB Networks of the Year:
2015: No award given
2014: ESPN
2013: Showtime
2012: BoxNation
__________
Referee of the Year: Raul Caiz, Sr.
Sometimes the toughest part of a referee's job is to stay out of the way. Many officials in the sport find anonymity to be very difficult. Instead, they break up opponents needlessly, offer unnecessary warnings and take away questionable points. To be fair, it's not an easy job to successfully police ring action.
Consider Vargas-Salido. Most of the fight was contested on the
inside, where there was a lot of grappling, clinching, and a number of head
butts and low blows – some accidental and some...not. Now, many refs would've
lost control of the fight's flow, finding reasons to take away points,
failing to warn when infractions occurred or obtrusively breaking up the action
on the inside.
Raul Caiz Sr., a ref whose work I've not always enjoyed, performed
exceptionally during Vargas-Salido. The fight was fierce but it didn't spiral
into a dirty free-for-all. When Salido became a little too casual with head
butts, a warning was issued. Caiz gave both fighters free reign to work on the
inside but the fight didn't devolve into a clinch-fest. When the fighters
needed to be separated, he was there. And in a little-noticed decision in the
fight, Salido slipped in the 10th round during an exchange. Caiz correctly
called it as such. Had he ruled it a knockdown, Vargas would've wound up
winning a unanimous decision. Perhaps most importantly, Caiz recognized when
the fighters had a free hand to work on the inside and let them ply their trade
(very few refs know when to back off during inside fighting).
Caiz's judgment was a pivotal reason why Vargas-Salido was 2016's
Fight of the Year. Despite the grappling and inside fighting, the bout had an
incredible flow to it. Caiz's decisions to act assertively when the (in)action
dictated and to back off when both fighters were working contributed a large
part to why Vargas-Salido became an instant classic.
Previous SNB Referees of the Year:
2015: David Fields
2014: Steve Smoger
2013: Tony Weeks
2012: Eddie Claudio
Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.
Adam Abramowitz is the head writer and founder of saturdaynightboxing.com.
He is also a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
@snboxing on twitter
@snboxing on twitter
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Contact Adam at:
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com
Contact Adam at:
saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com
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