I'm excited to announce that I have joined Ring magazine's Ring Ratings Panel. The panel compiles Ring's divisional rankings and pound-for-pound list. It's an exciting opportunity and I feel honored to have been asked to join.
Errol
Spence wastes nothing in the ring. All punches are purposeful. Movement is
contained. Even his body language remains consistent. Observing his facial
expressions, it would be difficult to determine if he were winning or
losing. Despite the considerable punishment he administers – and make no
mistake – it is considerable, there's a serenity in his ring performances.
Nothing seems to rattle him or get his blood to boil.
On Saturday I watched what was close to a perfect performance.
Spence featured all of his signature attributes in his dismantling of
welterweight contender Lamont Peterson. The body punching with his straight
left and right hook was destructive. His combinations had pinpoint accuracy.
Spence's footwork was flawless. His left uppercuts were punishing. Even in
the third and fourth rounds where Spence took two good left hooks and a
straight right hand, he absorbed the blows without any indication of panic; he proceeded like nothing of note had occurred and continued to dominate the fight. In the fifth round, Spence connected with
a sublime three-punch combination (left uppercut, right hook, left hook) that
sent Peterson to the canvas. By the end of seventh round, Peterson would have
nothing left to offer.
Courtesy of Amanda Westcott/Showtime
After leaving Barclays Center, I immediately flashed back to last
May in Sheffield, where Spence stopped hometown champion Kell Brook, a fight
that was certainly more difficult than Saturday's was. Spence lost give-or-take
half of the opening eight rounds of the bout, yet he continued to fight without
any hint of consternation, alarm or desperation. Did Brook have faster hands?
Sure. Was he a better athlete? Quite possibly. But Spence wasn't fazed by
whatever Brook had to offer. Spence maintained his steady composure and as the
fight continued, more and more of his power shots started to land. Eventually,
Brook would yield.
Spence is at peace in the ring. Perhaps not since prime James
Toney has a fighter seemed so comfortable in the pocket, plying his trade.
There's a Zen-like tranquility to Spence as he goes about his business, dishing
out hurt and power punches. This isn't to suggest that he's robotic or
one-dimensional. Spence is a fine athlete and a multi-faceted fighter. But it's
his unflappability, his unexcitability that separates him from his peers; it's his
defining characteristic and it extends far beyond "poise".
Spence's chief rivals have by now revealed themselves in the ring.
Terence Crawford is something of a sadist, delighting in slicing up an opponent
with ruthlessness. Keith Thurman wants to assert his athletic and intellectual
superiority. Shawn Porter wins with brute force and pressure. Danny Garcia
patiently waits to ferret out a mistake. These characteristics help lead to
victories but they can also be turned into weaknesses. Brook stood up to
Porter's bullying and was victorious. Crawford can be lured into a slugfest.
Danny can be outworked. Thurman often relies too much on movement at the expense of
winning rounds.
But what does Spence give opponents? What are his mistakes? Yes,
he can be hit and he might not have the best reflexes in the sport but to this
point he seems to be able to take a good punch without relinquishing his game
plan. And he also makes the right adjustments. Peterson did get a few solid shots in
but after the fourth round, Peterson's hook was no longer in play. Brook had
early success with his jab but eventually Spence's right hook and straight left
neutralized it. Ultimately it's going to take a special fighter to disrupt
Spence and to this point, two top-ten welterweights haven't even begun to crack
Errol's unique code.
After Saturday's fight, promoter Lou DiBella was asked if Spence
had the ability to become a boxing superstar. DiBella noted that over 12,000
showed up to Brooklyn and it wasn't as if Spence was a local draw. In short,
boxing fans understand that Spence is the goods. DiBella's answer reminded me of
conversations that I had with a number of Brook's fans in Sheffield after that
fight. Despite rabid support for their local hero, to a man, all whom I
spoke with left Brook-Spence with a deeply held respect for Spence. They
understood that Brook had been beaten by a supreme talent.
DiBella also pointed out that there's not one way to build a star
in boxing. He illustrated Sugar Ray Leonard's prominence in the sport as an
example of a fighter who galvanized the public without tawdriness or infamy.
DiBella (who was the promoter of record for Saturday's event but doesn't have a
long-term contract with Spence) believed that Spence's sublime ring
performances would create a significant demand among fight fans. Furthermore,
if Spence can continue his mastery against top opponents, full-fledged stardom
was certainly possible.
Similar to all boxing promoters, Lou is not immune from hyperbole
– it’s part of his job description – but I believe that he's correct in his
baseline assumptions regarding Spence. Although American boxing in its present
manifestation may not be big enough to yield a superstar of Leonard's caliber,
Spence's underlying talent and his run of knockouts could become infectious.
Peterson was barely competitive in the ring on Saturday yet I'd wager that very
few fight fans left the arena disappointed. They had witnessed a special
performance by a top fighter in peak form. I'm certain that they'd spend money to see Spence again.
In the ring, Spence remains an enigma for opponents. Displaying no
real weaknesses, either physically, technically or emotionally, he'll keep
opposing trainers up for nights on end hoping to find some fleeting tactic that
could lead to disrupting his in-ring serenity.
Courtesy of Amanda Westcott/Showtime
Spence, not given to over-intellectualizing boxing, may not
fully grasp how his ring demeanor provides him with a significant edge over opponents.
But in his press conference he referenced calmness as something that he and
trainer Derrick James focused on in training camp, which almost seems unfair to
others in the sport. That would be similar to Tommy Hearns claiming that he
needed to work on his right hand more because it wasn't powerful enough. Calm
is what Spence does. His tranquility is one of his chief competitive advantages
in the ring and even if he's not aware of how unique this attribute really is,
serenity under the fiercest of combat conditions is a giant separator among
fighters, an intangible that can help defeat opponents who seemingly have
physical and technical advantages over him.
It remains to be seen who emerges from the current welterweight division, with Spence, Crawford and Thurman being the leading candidates (not necessarily in that order), but safe to say, that victor answers the question of who will be the biggest American fighter after Mayweather. Spence, Crawford and Thurman are all undefeated, in their physical primes, have significant punching power, and give hope to American fight fans that boxing will remain in good hands for another generation. The three are fresh blood and can help transfuse a sport that often shies away from its core principle of determining supremacy.
Spence might crack a wry smile at the Mayweather line. With his low-key humor and slow Texas drawl, he'd skillfully deflect such a comparison. But despite his easy-going demeanor, he takes his craft very seriously and knows that he's among a grouping of special fighters. But unlike so many in the sport, he doesn't fear risk. He wants the big fights and is ready to prove himself. He's not in boxing for its trappings; he's there to win.
Long-term prognostication in boxing is a fool's errand and the
sport doesn't lend itself to conjecture beyond an immediate set of opponents.
Injuries, judges, complacency, stylistic match-ups, boxing politics and life
changes can all play a role in determining where a fighter may one day end up.
But right now, Spence is in the pocket, a place where he's comfortable in his
own skin, where he can apply his pastoral artistry, and where opponents don't
often hear the final bell. For Spence, the ring represents his garden of tranquility but his opponents don't share those placid sentiments. Facing Spence is a hell they would rather soon forget. Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com
He's a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
The
physical dimensions of lightweight titleholder Robert Easter Jr. intimidate.
At 5'11" and with a 6'4" wingspan, Easter has height and reach
advantages over every other top foe at 135 lbs. He's an exceptional athlete for his size with good hand and foot speed. Although he might look a little
lanky if one uses the eye test, don't mistake his long limbs for a lack of punching power. On the contrary, Easter is heavy-handed
and his left hook and straight right hand are real weapons.
But at the
world-level, Easter's knockouts haven't
necessarily followed, which is curious. And perhaps even more concerning, he's had two fights in his last three, against Richard Commey and Denis Shafikov, that he could have conceivably lost
(ignore two of the cards in the Shafikov fight, Henry Eugene Grant and
Jamie Garayua turned in their scores without feeling compelled to watch the action). Now there's no shame in having competitive dustups with Commey
and Shafikov; both are pros who can handle themselves in the ring. But let's
say that they are on the B-plus or A-minus level – guys who could win a title
here or there but aren't necessarily dominating talents.
Does this mean Easter has reached his ceiling at this level?
Courtesy of Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
After
a solid amateur career that included a record of 213-17 and an
alternate spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, Easter turned pro and quickly positioned
himself as a fast-rising prospect. In just his 16th pro fight, he knocked out
former champion Argenis Mendez and he was successful in capturing his first
title in his next bout against Commey. Easter, however, will be turning 27
next week, an age that puts him squarely in his physical prime. It's certainly
possible that he could put a few more pounds on his frame in the coming years
but it's unlikely that he will develop additional physical dimensions;
physically, what he is now is most likely what he will be in the ring.
However, Easter is not necessarily done improving as a fighter. He has two potential areas of growth that are within his grasp and could lead to his further ascension in the sport:
1. Better utilizing his physical advantages, and
2. Finishing off hurt fighters.
These are the types of high-Ring IQ attributes
that can be learned, although mastering them, especially at such an advanced
stage of a career, might prove to be exceedingly difficult.
This
week Easter acknowledged that he is attempting to address one of these areas of improvement. In an interview with Boxing Scene’s Keith Idec, he said,
"I have to use my feet a lot more and use my jab a lot more. I tend to
fight like I'm 5'6" or 5'5". Sometimes I forget I'm tall because I
want to get in there and bang. But I plan to stick with the game plan and use
my length and my height and my reach and my speed."
It's
clear that Easter and his father/trainer, Robert Sr., have diagnosed the
problem, and that's a significant step in the right direction. Against Shafikov, Easter had
advantages of six inches in height and almost eight in reach and yet Shafikov,
who hadn't been blessed with significant foot speed, consistently found his way
on the inside against Easter. In addition, Shafikov featured a fairly limited
offensive arsenal, an awkward, looping left hand
and a right hook. On paper, Easter should have beaten that fighter with ease, yet
he had significant struggles in the bout. Easter was too content to mix it up
on the inside and spent much of the match engaging in the type of close combat that Shafikov preferred. And while Easter certainly had a good case for winning, the bout was a classic example of one fighter not fighting to his
strengths. If Easter boxed-and-moved more, Shafikov would have been far
less competitive than he was.
However, knowing
that a problem exists and correcting it are two different propositions. Easter
needs to unlearn several bad habits. As with a number of boxers on their way up, his machismo often overwhelms his desire to fight intelligently. Why jab when he can exchange bombs! And he doesn't yet understand that he's allowed to hit and not get hit in return; he stays in the pocket far too long after engaging.
Easter's
other big area of concern is his approach to finishing
opponents. Yes, his power will always lead to some one-punch KOs, but in
fights against Commey and Luis Cruz, Easter had opponents that were ready to go
but he couldn't put punches together to land the finishing blow. Smothering
himself against the ropes, loading up with big shots, head-hunting, allowing
himself to get tied-up, Easter made a series of mistakes in trying to end those
fights. And it almost cost him: Easter won by only a split decision against
Commey. With different judges, he certainly could have lost that fight.
There
are times where a fighter needs a knockout to win and it's unclear as of now if
Easter can depend on his considerable power to save him in such a circumstance. Commey was essentially out on his feet in the 12th round,
surviving on muscle memory and toughness, yet he heard the final bell. Cruz
was significantly overmatched but he hung in there with guile and veteran delay tactics.
On Saturday, Easter will fight Javier Fortuna, a former secondary junior lightweight titlist who has recently moved up to 135 lbs.
Fortuna will present Easter with some interesting dimensions. A short
(5'6"), highly athletic southpaw with explosive combinations, Fortuna is a
type of fighter that Easter hasn't faced in the top levels of the
sport. Fortuna might very well have advantages in both hand and foot
speed.
However, Fortuna's limitations, chin and defense, play
into Easter's hands. In
2016, Fortuna was stopped by Jason Sosa and was also sent to the canvas by
Omar Douglas, (Fortuna was fortunate to win that one). He punches so
wildly that an opponent with poise can land between his offerings. Fortuna
takes seemingly forever to return his hands to a responsible defensive
position. If his chin were unbreakable then his aggressive, daredevil style could suffice; however,
that's certainly not the case (think of Fortuna as a southpaw, less-polished version of Yuriorkis Gamboa). Left hooks have been Fortuna's biggest problem
and Easter can hit pay dirt with that punch if Fortuna gets too reckless.
Fortuna
is essentially a trap opponent for Easter. If Easter is switched on, fighting with poise
and focus, then he should win relatively comfortably. However, if Easter is
caught between styles and isn't confident with his ring identity then Fortuna
could become a threat. Fortuna throws a lot of hard, unconventional shots and
combinations. He jumps in and out unpredictably. He's assured in the ring and if Easter exhibits hesitancy or an irresoluteness, he could have some real problems.
Although left hooks have troubled Fortuna, Easter's
jab might be his best weapon on Saturday. That punch will disrupt
Fortuna's timing and rhythm. In addition, Easter needs to sacrifice some power
for accuracy against Fortuna. Easter has enough natural thump in his punches that he doesn't
have to land his best to hurt Fortuna, but he does need to connect. Taking a
little off his hook and right hand will pay dividends. Fortuna's clumsy
footwork, poor balance and dentable chin will help Easter if he's accurate with his punches.
In
short, if Easter fights smart, he'll win. To this point in his career, he has been
successful without necessarily besting foes in a battle of wits. Against Fortuna, however, Easter should be setting traps, letting his physical
dimensions and Fortuna's limitations work in his favor.
Saturday
will be an opportunity to see if Easter really is in finishing school. Will he
fire his jab 15-20 times a round or unnecessarily slug it out in a wild affair?
Will Easter tie up on the inside or allow his opponent to get good work done?
Will he place his punches instead of gunning for the knockout? If he can hurt
Fortuna, can Easter think his way through to get the stoppage?
Although
Fortuna won't be the best opponent that Easter will face in his career, he does
represent a bellwether for Easter's progress. If Saturday’s performance
showcases the same-old, same-old for Easter, it's unlikely that
he will ascend to the next level in the sport, the one beyond
"titleholder". However, if Easter can dispatch Fortuna in an impressive
fashion, using his brains as much as his brawn, perhaps it's still too soon to write the final book on Easter. Let's hope that finishing school is still in session for Easter. And as part of his matriculation, if one day he learns how to finish, watch out.
This week's Punch 2 the Face Podcast was our 2017 Awards
Extravaganza. Brandon and I handed out our praises to some of the best
performers from 2017, and had some scorn for those who failed to distinguish
themselves. We also brought out our crystal balls, looking forward to what to
expect in 2018 – what we're most excited about and fights that need to
happen.
A
boxing year that delivered numerous high-profile matches and exciting fights,
2017 will be remembered as a strong year for the sport. After such an enjoyable
boxing campaign, it's time to hand out some hardware. Here is the seventh annual Saturday Night Boxing Awards. Similar to past years, awards have been
given for Fighter, Fight, Knockout, Round, Upset, Trainer, Promoter, Network
and Referee of the Year. Without further ado, onto the awards!
Fighter of the Year: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
Courtesy of HBO
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai entered 2017 as a virtual unknown to all
except the hardest of the hardcore boxing cognoscenti. In 2014, he had given
Carlos Cuadras a very tough fight before that bout was stopped due to a cut,
resulting in Srisaket losing a technical decision. After that match, he resumed his career toiling in anonymity in his home country of Thailand. This
past March he had another opportunity for a big fight, going up against Roman
Gonzalez, the reigning pound-for-pound king in boxing. The oddsmakers didn't
like Srisaket's chances. He was listed on some sites as more than a 10-1
underdog. (But that may be a case of the bookies not doing their homework,
which happens every now and then.)
Immediately Srisaket made his presence felt in the fight by dropping Gonzalez
in the first round. Gonzalez, known as a relentless offensive dynamo, was now
in deep trouble as Srisaket peppered the defending junior bantamweight champion
with a barrage of straight left hands and right hooks.
Eventually Gonzalez settled into the fight and started landing his own damaging
punches. Most of the middle rounds were Gonzalez's and it looked as though he
was successful in staving off Srisaket's early threat. Srisaket, however, had
no intention of yielding. He held his ground in the second half of the fight,
matching Gonzalez's ferocity and intensity. Although Gonzalez was out-throwing
and out-landing Srisaket in many of the latter rounds, Srisaket's hooks and
crosses certainly did their share of damage. Gonzalez rallied to have an
outstanding 12th round and the fight went to the cards.
Srisaket was declared the winner by majority decision, which was unpopular in
boxing circles. Scores were 114-112, 114-112 and 113-113 (Srisaket was docked a
point in the 6th for a head butt). Many boxing observers had Gonzalez
comfortably ahead in the fight. I scored it a draw, giving Srisaket credit in a
number of latter rounds because I believed that his blows were more
damaging. I didn't see the scores as a robbery, but in my estimation, Srisaket
could only have won seven rounds at best. Two of the judges gave him every
possible benefit of the doubt.
As is often the custom in boxing, controversy leads to a rematch.
In September, both fighters returned to the ring to settle the score. This time
there was no doubt about the outcome. Srisaket was easily the fresher fighter
of the two and consistently attacked in the opening rounds. Gonzalez remained
cautious; he was non-committal about applying pressure, not a formula for
success considering that he was the fighter who needed to win at close range.
By the fourth round, Srisaket continued to unload with power shots, detonating
massive hooks for which Gonzalez had no answer. Srisaket scored a knockdown and
then moments later ended things with a pulverizing right hook. Gonzalez never
saw the shot and remained supine on the canvas.
By beating the pound-for-pound champion in such a conclusive fashion and
performing extremely well in his initial bout with Gonzalez, Srisaket was the
clear choice for me as Fighter of the Year. Although a number of boxers had
impressive resumes in 2017, no one matched Srisaket's success against such a
high level of competition.
Previous SNB Fighters of the Year:
2016: Carl Frampton
2015: Floyd Mayweather
2014: Naoya Inoue
2013: Adonis Stevenson
2012: Nonito Donaire
2011: Andre Ward
_____________
Fight of the Year: Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko:
Courtesy of Esther Lin/Showtime
When last in the ring in November of 2015, Wladimir Klitschko
turned in a listless performance against Tyson Fury. He was dominated over 12
rounds and couldn't pull the trigger. As a result, he lost his title belts and
his position as the top heavyweight in the world. 2016 was full of dead ends
for Klitschko. A rematch against Fury was announced and cancelled twice as Fury
had an assortment of problems outside of the ring that resulted in his
inability to fight.
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua, the British heavyweight star, won a title
belt (one that had been stripped from Fury) in April of 2016. Joshua continued to
mow down lesser fighters such as Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina but what he
really needed was to defeat a top opponent, which would confer legitimacy on
his heavyweight reign. Klitschko, looking to reestablish himself as the top guy
in the division, volunteered his services, creating the type of mega-fight that
the heavyweight division hadn't seen since the Tyson days. 90,000 fans packed
Wembley Stadium to see if Joshua would emerge as the true heir apparent in the
heavyweight division. Would he defeat an old master, confirming a new
heavyweight era, or would the proud former champion teach the upstart a lesson?
Immediately from the opening bell, Klitschko demonstrated that he had far more
in the tank than he had displayed against Fury. Even though he was fighting at the almost
ancient age of 41, he was light on his feet and used the ring to control the
action. Overall, the first four rounds were tense and well-contested, as both
fighters had periods of success. Klitschko scored at times with his jab while
Joshua found a home for right hands and left hooks.
The fifth round brought the fight into a new echelon as Joshua floored
Klitschko early in the frame and, in a huge surprise, Klitschko went on the
attack after the knockout, successfully hurting Joshua by the end of the round
(see Round of the Year below for more details). In the sixth, Klitschko landed
his patented one-two. Joshua tasted the canvas and was hurt. Klitschko got wild
going for the knockout later in the round, missing with some huge left hooks, which
gave Joshua needed time to tie-up.
Klitschko continued to win the next few rounds while Joshua tried to
recuperate. Klitschko jabbed and controlled the action, but in a controversial
tactical decision, he didn't go for the kill. By the ninth round, Joshua caught
his second wind and started to go on the offensive. After 10 rounds, it was
still anyone's fight.
The momentum changed once again in the beginning of the 11th round. Joshua
landed a blistering right uppercut. Somehow, Klitschko remained on his feet,
but the blow had done its intended damage. Within moments, Joshua's follow up
assault had knocked Klitschko down again. Klitschko beat the count but his legs
were shaky. Shortly thereafter, Joshua unleashed a beautiful right
uppercut-left hook combination that sent Klitschko to the canvas for a third
time in fight. Showing tremendous bravery, Klitschko made it to the feet;
however, he had little left to offer. Joshua continued to fire power punches
and referee David Fields had seen enough – he waved the fight off (see Referee
of the Year Award below for more on Fields).
Everyone associated with Joshua-Klitschko realized the enormity of the moment.
The crowed showered Joshua with rapt and frenzied affection; he officially was
their new heavyweight hero. Joshua was gut-checked in a manner he had never
experienced in his professional career and demonstrated a stunning resolve.
Klitschko, despite winding up on the losing end of the fight, exited the arena
as a gallant warrior, going out on his shield in a crowed-pleasing war. In a
poignant moment, the British fans in Wembley gave Klitschko a rousing ovation
for his performance during his post-fight interview. In the end, the night was
a victory for all.
Previous SNB Fights of the Year:
2016: Vargas-Salido
2015: Miura-Vargas
2014: Coyle-Brizuela
2013: Bradley-Provodnikov
2012: Pacquiao-Marquez IV
2011: Rios-Acosta
___________
Knockout of the Year: Zolani Tete KO 1 Siboniso Gonya
Zolani
Tete scored the Knockout of the Year with his first punch of the fight. Facing
Siboniso Gonya, a fellow South African, Tete, a bantamweight world champion,
lowered his eyes as if he was going to shoot a straight left to the body. This
move forced Gonya to bring his hands down. Then Tete came back upstairs with a
short right hook that landed perfectly on the chin. And with a snap of a finger
the fight was over. Gonya remained on the canvas for several minutes. With a
clever feint and perfect execution, Tete scored the signature moment of his
career.
Previous SNB Knockouts of
the Year:
2016: Hassan N'Dam KO 1 Alfonso Blanco
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: Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko Round 5
Courtesy of Esther Lin/Showtime
The most surprising aspect of the fifth round of Joshua-Klitschko
was not that Joshua knocked Klitschko down. Klitschko had been a frequent
visitor to the canvas in his earlier years. That Klitschko made it to his feet
after the knockdown should also not shock. Sam Peter dropped Wlad three times
in their first fight, but Klitschko kept getting up. Before his bout was
mercifully stopped against Corrie Sanders, Klitschko literally resembled one of
those inflatable plastic punching bags. He was sent to the floor repeatedly but
would rise just as fast. No, the most surprising aspect of the fifth round of
Joshua-Klitschko was that after being hurt Klitschko attacked Joshua with a
ferocity rarely seen throughout his career.
Klitschko has never been known for his aggression. Despite two knockout
weapons, he has been defined by his patience and caution. Most often he jabs to
break down an opponent. Eventually he finds opportunities to land his straight
right and left hook.
But Klitschko briefly abandoned caution in the fifth against
Joshua. Scoring with powerful left hooks and right hands, Klitschko deftly
turned the tables on Joshua, who may have been temporarily punched out after
scoring the knockdown. Klitschko was even throwing uppercuts and body shots,
tactics rarely used throughout his long title reign.
By the end of the round, Klitschko, the old fighter who had just hit the
canvas, was gunning for the victory with a youthful enthusiasm while Joshua,
the supposed fresh face of the division, looked like a truck had run over him.
It was a truly unexpected turn of events. This round featured great work from both
fighters, resulting in three minutes of sublime action – boxing at its best.
Previous SNB Rounds of the Year:
2016: Edwin Rodriguez-Thomas Williams Jr. Round 2
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: Caleb Truax MD James DeGale
Courtesy of BoxNation
Caleb Truax was selected as James DeGale's opponent for a few
reasons: 1. Like DeGale, he was affiliated with Al Haymon. 2. He was in the top
15 of the IBF Rankings. 3. He wasn't considered to be a threat. A middling
super middleweight, Truax didn't offer much in terms of knockout power and had
always lost at the world-level. To DeGale, Truax was seen as a tune-up
opponent. Nevertheless, DeGale-Truax demonstrates why fights aren't contested
on paper.
DeGale entered the ring against Truax coming off an 11-month
layoff. His previous fight was a bruising draw against Badou Jack, where DeGale
required shoulder and oral surgery after the fight, and also had a ruptured ear
drum.
From the start of DeGale-Truax, DeGale didn't look to be at his
best. Although he possessed significant athletic advantages, he refused to
remain in the center of the ring and consistently retreated to the ropes, which
provided opportunities for Truax to land his power shots. Truax had big rounds
in the fourth and fifth, hurting DeGale with straight right hands and
uppercuts. DeGale was able to survive and win a few rounds as the fight
progressed but Truax did the better work throughout much of the bout. Although
DeGale won a few scattered rounds, the judges preferred Truax's consistent work
rate and power punches. Truax would win via a majority decision.
The betting houses gave Truax little chance of winning the fight.
He was anywhere from a 15-1 to 30-1 underdog. Some gamblers claimed they saw
him as much as a 40-1 dog. Nevertheless, for one night, Truax put it all
together. Executing a terrific game plan and jumping on DeGale whenever the
action was along the ropes, he defeated one of the best super middleweights in
the world. For whatever else happens in Truax's career, he can one day retire
knowing that he had been a world champion.
Previous SNB Upsets of the Year:
2016: Joe Smith Jr. KO 1 Andrzej Fonfara
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: Derrick James
Courtesy of Amanda Westcott/Showtime
Dallas-based Derrick James achieved tremendous success in 2017
with two of his main fighters, Errol Spence Jr. and Jermell Charlo. In his
highest-profile bout of the year, James helped guide Spence to a win over
welterweight champion Kell Brook in Brook's hometown. Despite disadvantages in
hand speed and world-level experience, Spence methodically broke down Brook on
his way to earning an 11th-round stoppage. James's game plan of working the
body and sacrificing quantity to land hard power shots paid off handsomely
during the fight. By the second half of the match, Spence was clearly the
fresher of the two fighters. James would return to America with a new world
champion.
Charlo had left Ronnie Shields for James, which was mildly
controversial at the time in that his brother remained with Shields. Jermell
had been regarded as the lighter-hitting puncher of the two Charlo brothers and
perhaps the lesser talent. But Derrick James refused to believe in the scouting
report. Instead of relying on cute boxing, Jermell's style changed under
James's coaching. Charlo now sat down on his punches more frequently and fought
with a more aggressive temperament.
The results were stunning. Charlo destroyed Charles Hatley in
three rounds in April. In October, Charlo scored one of the knockouts of the
year by stopping highly-touted prospect Erickson Lubin with a sweet double
jab-right uppercut combination in the first round.
Spence dethroning a world champion and Charlo's metamorphosis into
a feared puncher represented a spectacular year for James. The trainer stresses
poise, power punching, punch placement and intelligent pressure. His results in
2017 suggest that he's a force to be reckoned with in the upper levels of
boxing.
Previous SNB Trainers of the Year:
2016: Shane McGuigan
2015: Peter Fury
2014: Freddie Roach
2013: Kenny Porter
2012: Robert McCracken
2011: Robert Garcia
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Promoter of the Year: K2 Promotions
Tom Loeffler, who has been the Managing Director of K2 Promotions,
has helped to turn an upstart company into one of the best promotional outfits
in boxing. Without a deep roster of talent, Loeffler has played a significant
role in cultivated boxers who have become international stars. He also believes
in making big events whenever possible. In 2017 K2 Promotions helped to make a
number of the best fights of the year, from Joshua-Klitschko to Gonzalez-Sor
Rungvisai to Canelo-Golovkin.
Although most of K2's top boxers experienced setbacks of one
degree or another in 2017, no promotional company rivaled its willingness to
make the best events of the year. K2 also put together the wildly successful
Superfly card in September, which featured Gonzalez-Sor Rungvisai II and a
spectacular fight between Carlos Cuadras and Juan Estrada.
However, no company can successfully sustain itself with multiple
years of its top fighters losing; the desire for big fights needs to be
balanced with the long-term viability of an organization. If 2017 felt like a
cash-out year for K2, perhaps Loeffler's announcement that he will be starting
his own company, 360 Promotions, can help provide additional context for K2's
actions in 2017. As of now, it seems that Loeffler will remain affiliated with
K2, but it will be interesting to see how the chess board pieces get rearranged
after his new entity takes shape. Nevertheless, boxing fans have K2 to thank
for many of their favorite moments from 2017.
Previous SNB Promoters of the Year:
2016: Matchroom Sport
2015: Golden Boy Promotions
2014: Matchroom Sport
2013: (tie) Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Promotions
2012: Golden Boy Promotions
2011: Top Rank Promotions
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Network of the Year: Showtime
Here's a snapshot of the best fights on Showtime and its
affiliated networks in 2017: Jack-DeGale, Khytrov-Aleem, Frampton-Santa Cruz
II, Thurman-Garcia, Joshua-Klitschko, Brook-Spence, Broner-Garcia Mayweather-McGregor,
Hurd-Trout, Baranchyk-Ramos and Berto-Porter. I'm sure there are a number
of other quality fights that could have been included as well. Although HBO and
Sky Sports certainly had good moments throughout the year, Showtime, by
consistently televising high-quality fights, eclipsed all other major boxing
networks in 2017.
Credit must be given to Stephen Espinoza, the head of Showtime
Sports. Espinoza has retained quality control over the myriad fighters
under the PBC banner. Power broker Al Haymon proposes scores of fights for
Espinoza to consider every year, ranging in various levels of quality. In 2017, Espinoza did an admirable job in ensuring that Showtime received the best
of the PBC content, while lesser offerings often were shipped to other
networks. Espinoza has one major talent provider for Showtime's boxing program
but he deftly navigated those challenging waters in 2017 to ensure that his
network's subscribes received a superior boxing product.
Previous SNB Networks of the Year:
2016: Sky Sports
2015: No award given
2014: ESPN
2013: Showtime
2012: BoxNation
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Referee of the Year: David Fields
Courtesy of Esther Lin/Showtime
David Fields is a low-profile referee based in New York and New
Jersey. He doesn't have cute catch phrases and rarely calls attention to
himself. However, when given the opportunity to ref big fights, he always seems
to do an excellent job. In 2017, Fields wasn't particularly busy, only reffing
15 bouts, but his most significant assignment was a massive one: the
heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.
Fields's work during Joshua-Klitschko was outstanding. Both
fighters hit the deck in that match and overall four knockdowns occurred.
Despite both boxers being hurt at various points in the fight, Fields inspected
each combatant throughout the match and let the action continue. He finally
stopped the bout after Klitschko had been dropped twice in the 11th round and
unable to defend himself against the ropes. Perhaps a few were disappointed
that Fields concluded that contest while Klitschko was still on his feet.
However, he gave the former champ multiple opportunities to work his way back
into the fight. Overall, it was an outstanding performance.
The first two-time winner of the Saturday Night Boxing Referee of
the Year – he also did excellent work in 2015's Huck-Glowacki battle – Fields is clearly one of the best referees working in boxing today. Let's hope he doesn't remain anonymous for much longer.
Previous SNB Referees of the Year:
2016: Raul Caiz Sr.
2015: David Fields
2014: Steve Smoger
2013: Tony Weeks
2012: Eddie Claudio Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com
He's a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.
