Opinions and Observations: Davis-Martin

Frank Martin had an excellent opening five rounds against Gervonta Davis. Flashing quick combinations and solid movement, he routinely beat Davis to the punch. By the end of the fifth round, he had a good case for winning three or four of them. 

But in the sixth round, Martin, who had been on the move throughout most of the fight, suddenly started to languish on the ropes. "Uh oh" I thought. This could be the beginning of the end for him. And it turned out to be. 

Tank Davis (left) and Errol Spence after the fight
Photo courtesy of Ryan Hafey/PBC

Martin didn't make it out of the eighth round. Once he stopped moving, he started to get some bad ideas. How about I trade with Gervonta Davis with my back against the ropes? Maybe I can potshot him because my hands can get there quicker. Why don't I let him tee off on me because then I could slip in a perfect counter shot? 

I'm sure that Martin and trainer Derrick James didn't want any of those scenarios playing out prior to the fight. But the thing about great fighters is, they often force their opponents into making mistakes. Although "Tank" Davis wasn't winning the early rounds, his constant pressure took a toll on Martin. By the middle rounds of the fight, Martin just didn't have the gas tank to continue to evade Davis. It's not that Martin wasn't in shape, but Tank's pressure led to Martin burning himself out in the ring. 

And as good as Martin was on offense early in the fight, once he started getting tagged with regularity, he didn't know what to do on defense. He either stayed in front of Davis absorbing shots, or literally ran around the ring in avoidance – leading to burning off even more energy. 

Tank ended the fight with a beautiful three-punch combination, a throwaway right hook, a pulverizing left uppercut, and a straight left. But the moments leading up to the conclusion were even more devastating. Martin, stuck in the corner, let Davis attempt four straight left haymakers. And might I remind everyone that Davis has some of the best power in the sport. Why didn't Martin hold? Why didn't he grapple? He wound up looking helpless prior to the knockout; Martin had physically and mentally checked out by the end of the fight.  

Martin hit my radar in 2021 when he knocked out the unbeaten Jerry Perez in seven rounds. A late starter in the sport and a fighter who didn't have much hype in his developmental bouts, Martin blindsided me with his skill set. Here was an athlete with a wide variety of punches, great footwork, and power. He also had a great team around him. I thought, this is a guy who can win a world title. 

But why I didn't pick Martin coming into his fight with Davis was his lack of experience against top opposition and his inability to make quick adjustments. Yes, he had a nice win over Michel Rivera but that's probably the only guy on his ledger who had a chance to sniff the top-15 at lightweight prior to Saturday's fight. In his prior bout, against Artem Harutyunyan, Martin was caught by surprise by Harutyunyan's hand speed, aggression and tricky angles. Martin eventually did make adjustments, but it took far too long for them to come. He escaped with a close decision victory. 

Against Tank on Saturday, he never recovered after getting tagged with solid shots in the sixth. There was never a moment where he regathered himself or was able to retake control of the fight. He just didn't know what to do. It looked like he fell apart. 

I wouldn't say that the future has to bleak for Martin, but Tank at this point in his career was a bridge too far. This fight was really about levels. Tank knows how to operate at the highest reaches of the sport. He can pace a fight. He understands when to get aggressive and when to lay back and pick his moments. He's developed a tremendous ring IQ that has helped him become a premier finisher in the sport. He knows when a fighter is ready to go. And if he had been reluctant in letting his hands go at earlier portions of a fight, when he has someone on the ropes, either figuratively or in this case literally, he knows how to go for it, to end things. Martin let the pace of the fight get away from him. Despite winning rounds, he was not the fighter dictating the terms of the action. He was frenetic with his movement. 

Martin (left) throwing a right hand
Photo courtesy of Ryan Hafey/PBC

Also, it's worth pointing out that Tank weighed in at 133.5 lbs., his lightest since 2020. I thought that he looked terrific in the ring. Spry on his feet, Davis fought on Saturday as the aggressor, the hunter. Often, he has been the savvy counterpuncher in the ring, the one who lays traps for an overeager opponent, but on Saturday he never stopped applying pressure. He and coach Calvin Ford correctly figured out pre-fight that Martin did not have the clarity of thought to last 12 rounds under duress. And Davis was prepared for such a fight. Even when he wasn't letting his hands go, he was moving around the ring with Martin all fight, refusing to let Martin take breathers or gain a psychological edge. Although Martin was winning rounds, he had to work hard for everything. 

Throughout the entire fight week, Davis displayed a relaxed confidence that hasn't always been there throughout his career. He now seems perfectly comfortable in his own skin, as a star attraction and a top boxer. He no longer is trying to get somewhere; he's there, and he knows it. He has the added confidence that he now knows how to be a professional fighter out of the ring. He makes weight. He doesn't look sluggish in the ring. He understands that physical fitness can make his job so much easier on fight night. He has come into his own. 

Tank has always had skills and power, but it has taken him time to understand that the secret ingredient to greatness isn't often about those things. Lots of guys have skills; many have power. It's about being in the position to be your best on fight night. It's about being in a good place. It's about peace of mind. 

At 29 and with a sterling record of 30-0 with 28 knockouts, Tank is now in the best place that he's been in his career. He has a list of exciting potential opponents at lightweight or junior welterweight. Although his ride hasn't always been smooth, (his past problems have been well documented), I think that he has fully arrived as an all-around great fighter. The Tank who fought on Saturday is a nightmare matchup for anyone. And if he really has conquered his toughest opponent (himself) then there are very few guys in the world who stand a chance with him.

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook  

Canelo-Charlo: Preview and Prediction

When the fight between undisputed super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) and undisputed 154-lb. king Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) was originally announced, I immediately thought that Charlo had a great chance to spring the upset. Let me be more specific; despite Charlo moving up two divisions, I felt very confident that he would win the fight. But as the days and weeks have passed from that initial feeling, and as Saturday approaches (the fight will be at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas), I have significant concerns about Charlo's chances of winning.  

In Charlo's last fight, the rematch with Brian Castano where Charlo won by 10th-round stoppage, I thought that Jermell had the performance of his career. He had finally put everything together: power, boxing ability, purposeful movement, listening to his coach Derrick James, and not loading up on big punches. That Jermell Charlo was clearly among the top fighters in the world, and I could see him giving Canelo or any elite opponent problems.  

But then I asked myself: Can Charlo sustain this new level or was that performance a peak that was unlikely to be duplicated? And this is one of the central questions in analyzing Canelo-Charlo. If Charlo can summon that degree of perfection again, then I believe that he possesses all the attributes he would need to beat Canelo. But what are the chances of him putting together two perfect performances in a row?  

Canelo (left) and Charlo at the kickoff press conference
Photo courtesy of Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions

In digging into Charlo's ring history, I feel less confident that the version from the second Castano fight will be here to stay. He's struggled against boxers before. He was lucky to escape the first Castano fight with a draw. He lost to Tony Harrison in a competitive fight and Harrison was doing very well in the rematch before Charlo stopped him. He also ate some huge shots against Jeison Rosario before ending that fight. In a concerning performance, he struggled to defeat Austin Trout despite knocking him down twice.  

With the exception of the Castano rematch, Charlo has never strung together a dominant wall-to-wall display in his career against a top opponent and I think that he would need to be close to that level to win a decision over Canelo. I don't think that Charlo will be able to stop Alvarez, who has demonstrated a sterling chin throughout his career, so a points win for Charlo would be a must.  

In almost all his fights with Derrick James, Charlo has been a low-volume power puncher who will give up some rounds looking for the knockout. Again, the second Castano fight was a deviation from this pattern. And maybe he found something new with his last fight, but I'm skeptical that he can maintain a higher-volume style against Canelo. Canelo's a master counterpuncher and the more that opponents open up against him, the more opportunities he has to counter. Thus, I do believe that Charlo, especially after feeling some early counters from Canelo, will not be throwing tons of volume in trying to win the fight. 

And if Saturday's match does settle into a low-volume affair with a couple of decisive power punches a round, then the fight will favor Canelo. Alverez's power shots sparkle; they are easy to see; plus, he will have the crowd with him.  

I also have additional concerns about Charlo's preparation and sharpness for the fight. Derrick James has had an absurdly busy schedule over the summer with his involvement with Errol Spence, Anthony Joshua and Frank Martin. There have been videos circulating of Charlo training with former champion Joan Guzman during this camp. Now Guzman was a terrific fighter and a really sharp boxer at his best, but I think that James' connection with Charlo has been vital in taking Jermell to his current level in the sport. Maybe Guzman is an excellent trainer, but I'm not sure that he can replace the bond that Charlo has with James. Charlo and James will need to be in lockstep to beat Canelo and with James having a broken camp with Charlo, I'm concerned that they might not have the dedicated time needed to cover every base needed for this fight.  

In addition, Charlo will enter Saturday's fight coming off a 16-month layoff, which will be the longest period of inactivity in his career as a champion. Charlo is a rhythm fighter who needs to be on point with his counters and power shots to win rounds. I worry about his ability to be sharp throughout 12 rounds against Canelo without having been in the ring recently. 

Now it's true that Canelo hasn't looked terrific in his recent fights. He had big leads against Gennadiy Golovkin and John Ryder but didn't finish either fight strong. He was also summarily outboxed by Dmitrii Bivol, where he couldn't handle Bivol's length, discipline or footspeed. And while Charlo can certainly box, I don't think that he possesses too many similarities with Bivol, who prefers to go in-and-out hitting singles and doubles, not concerned with knockouts or landing his best power shots. 

In the final analysis for Saturday's fight, I edge the fight to Canelo. I think it will be a battle of intermittent power punches. I think that Canelo hits a little harder, he can take a big shot, and is more comfortable with his style on the big stage. I believe that Charlo at his very best possesses the traits to win, but I'm not sure that he will be on point from the opening bell or have the ability to stick with his game plan for 12 rounds. Ultimately, I think that Canelo will be just a little bit better throughout the fight. Expect some ferocious power punches landed, but also a fair amount of staring in the fight, with many rounds coming down to one or two decisive punches. I think that Canelo would welcome this type of fight and I believe that he will do enough to have his hands raised when the final scores are announced. 

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez defeats Jermell Charlo via decision. Let's call it seven rounds to five or eight rounds to four. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook.  

Spence-Crawford: Preview and Prediction

It's finally here after years in the making – the fight for the whole enchilada at welterweight between Errol Spence Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) and Terence Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs). The two undefeated champions will fight for undisputed status and the best of the era at 147 lbs. on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  

The background politics as to why the fight didn't happen sooner has been spelled out over countless, "breathless" articles, but there are a few things in the delay that are worth noting. One, Spence has had to overcome two car crashes and a detached retina. Additionally, both fighters are now removed from their physical primes, with Spence at 33 and Crawford at 35. Although both are still elite talents, it's safe to assume that neither is at his athletic best – more on this later.  

Spence enters Saturday's fight coming off a 17-month layoff. And although he looked excellent in his last outing against Yordenis Ugas, such a long time out of the ring is rarely beneficial.  

Spence (left) and Crawford at their introductory presser
Photo courtesy of Amanda Westcott/Showtime

Below will be my keys to the fight. I'll have a prediction at the end of the article.  

1. The punch volume gap 

Spence is a more active fighter than Crawford in the ring. It's typical for Spence to throw 50+ or even 60+ punches a round while Crawford is more often in the 30s. If Spence can maintain this edge throughout the fight, it would be a huge advantage for him in piling up points on the scorecards.  

At welterweight Crawford has been a knockout artist, stopping everyone he has fought. He often gives up early rounds while he takes a look at his opponents. And this has happened whether it was against Shawn Porter, Mean Machine Kavaliauskas, Jose Benavidez or Kell Brook.  

If Spence fights to his strengths and Crawford takes his customary time in studying an opponent, it's likely that Spence will be ahead going into the middle of the fight, which could help Spence significantly down the stretch. With an early lead, he can afford to take fewer risks, because much of his work has already been accomplished. 

It would certainly behoove Crawford not to fall behind too far early in the fight. Yes, he has stopped everyone so far at 147, but what if he doesn't? He certainly went the distance several times earlier in his career. Spence is not the fighter to play catchup against in an attempt to win on the scorecards.  

2. Both have better offense than defense 

There was a time, a number of years ago, when Crawford in the southpaw stance had terrific defense. It used to be that when he was orthodox, he was more offensively oriented and when he was southpaw, he was more defensively responsible. But even that distinction has evaporated. In the last few years his defensive reflexes have declined. Crawford now gets hit quite a bit and it doesn't seem to matter the type of opponent. He got hit hard from Mean Machine from distance whereas Porter had lots of early success against him at mid-range and closer. Although Crawford's chin has been solid over his career, he's been wobbled against Gamboa and Mean Machine. He can be vulnerable to a big shot. 

Spence also can be hit, especially from range. Porter, with his unpredictable punching patterns, landed plenty on him. Danny Garcia detonated a number of big right hands on him from distance. Ugas temporarily stunned Spence with a right hand.  

Ultimately, this fight may come down to chins more than any other factor, because both will get hit with quality shots. Spence will work Crawford up and down with volume and Crawford will try to be at his sharpshooting best. Who can take the other guy's best will be vital in determining the winner.  

3. Hot vs. Cold 

The demeanor of each fighter in the ring I believe will play a pivotal role. I think that Spence has a more relaxed style in the ring, fighting within himself and not trying to force things (the Porter fight was a glaring exception though). Spence knows when to take his foot on and off the gas and paces fights very well.  

Crawford to me is more hot-tempered. When he gets hit hard, he immediately wants to get it back. When he senses an opponent may be hurt, he will go all out for the stoppage. Crawford will swing for the fences when he senses blood in the water, but he does leave himself open for a guy who can remain calm under pressure. There is a degree of recklessness when Crawford closes a fight. It makes for tremendous theater. To this point Crawford has been in the lion's den without too much suffering, but Yuriorkis Gamboa had Crawford in bad shape and staggered under this very circumstance. Now that was a long time ago, but I still think that Crawford can be vulnerable when he believes that he has the upper hand.  

Photo courtesy of Amanda Westcott/Showtime

4. Crawford the closer 

Crawford's fights often turn on a dime. Whether it was the Porter fight or the Brook bout, an opponent is doing well against Crawford...until he isn't. And then suddenly it's over. Crawford in my opinion is the best closer in the sport. His ability to throw multiple knockout weapons from either stance is unmatched. In particular, his right hook out of the southpaw stance is one of the best punches in boxing. For whatever reason, very few opponents have been able to avoid that punch on a consistent basis. Part of the reason is he can throw it in different ways. He can use it as a check right hook, he can arc it with a higher trajectory, he can take it downstairs, he can widen it. However he throws it, he has a preternatural ability to land it.  

With the exception of the Ugas fight, where it was clear that Spence got stung by a right hand, Errol usually has a great poker face after getting hit with a big shot. However, Crawford has a sixth sense when an opponent is ready to go. Spence won't have the ability to back away or reset on the outside after taking a big punch because Crawford will be on him. 

Hopefully Spence understands the importance of tying up and buying time. If he's hurt and decides to trade with Crawford, I wouldn't like his chances on a consistent basis. Yes, there are opportunities to hit Crawford when he rushes in, and if Spence has a clear head he should take them, but making it to the next round will be even more important.  

5. The body 

Each guy can reduce the effectiveness of the other by going downstairs to the body with big shots. By going to the body early, Crawford could sap Spence's willingness to take the fight on the inside, where he would like to use his close-range fighting skills to wear Crawford down. For Spence, one way to reduce Crawford's effectiveness in the later rounds is to deplete him early with body shots. Thus, when Crawford inevitably lands something hard, he might not have the same agility level to follow up at maximum capacity.  

Going to the body for both will be a risky gambit because each can counter effectively. Crawford can skirt out of the way and counter with a hard hook. Spence will meet a lunging opponent with a mean left uppercut or a straight left to the body. But both fighters must take their chances going downstairs. It will help thwart the other's game plan.  

Prediction:  

In my mind this fight has two overriding factors in determining who wins:

1. Spence has a structural advantage in winning rounds.

2. Can Spence stay on his feet?

Crawford has played a dangerous game at welterweight of losing rounds early only to make it up in the second half of the fight with a knockout. But not everyone gets knocked out. And if Spence can't be put down for good, can Crawford do enough to win seven rounds on the scorecards? If he's down three or four rounds, can he make it back on the cards? I have my doubts.  

But, and this is a big but, Spence will have to stay on his feet to win, a feat that no welterweight has accomplished against Crawford. And again, it's not as if Spence is some kind of defensive marvel. To win the fight, Spence will need to build a lead and respect Crawford's power. So, if he's hurt, he should do whatever it takes to stay in the fight, not necessarily win that particular round. Spence's trainer, Derrick James, will be vital in the corner in providing Spence with the right instructions during moments of duress.  

I have no doubt that Crawford is going to land some vicious shots in the second half of the fight. Spence will need to show his survival skills and be able to recuperate. If he understands what he's up against, he could hold his way out of some scary moments, but if he does get caught up in a battle of machismo, he will get knocked out.  

Since I am forcing myself to make a prediction, I like Spence to win the fight based on his ability to win rounds and that he has a great trainer to help settle him when things get rough. But Derrick James will only matter if Spence can get back to the corner. Spence is going to have to survive for 30- or 45-second intervals of intense duress. If he can do that, I think that he will have put enough rounds in the bank to win by a decision. 

Let's call it eight rounds to four for Spence in a fight where he might have to get off the canvas, or even survive a 10-8 round where he doesn't go down. Ultimately, I think that Crawford's inability to match Spence's output early in the fight will be his undoing on the cards. Crawford will remain dangerous to the final bell and he will always be a threat to score a knockout, but I think on Saturday it will finally catch up to him that he gave up too many early rounds. We shall see. 

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook. 

The 2022 Saturday Night Boxing Awards

It's that time of year again, to hand out the annual boxing hardware. Although I don't believe that 2022 will be remembered as a particularly strong year for the sport, the winners deserve to be honored and commemorated. So, let's get right to it! 

Here are the 2022 Saturday Night Boxing Awards (the 12th annual edition), with accolades given for Fighter, Fight, Knockout, Round, Upset, Trainer, Promoter, Network and Referee. 

Fighter of the Year: Dmitry Bivol

Dmitrii Bivol entered 2022 having lost much of his career momentum. Once upon a time he was an HBO Boxing darling, with dominant victories over solid light heavyweights such as Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba and Jean Pascal. But he was hurt badly in a fight against Joe Smith in 2019 and after a lengthy time off during the pandemic, looked listless in scraping by with a win over unheralded Craig Richards. 

Bivol's first fight of 2022 was to be against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the two-time Saturday Night Boxing Fighter of the Year (2019, 2021), who had just completed a tremendous run at super middleweight to become undisputed champ. In addition, Alvarez had already knocked out a light heavyweight champion (Sergey Kovalev) in 2019. So, did Bivol represent another instance of brilliant matchmaking from Canelo and his team, picking off a champion removed from his best, or would this be an example of Canelo biting off more than he could chew? 

Photo courtesy of Mark Robinson

The answer to this question became obvious within the first few rounds of their fight, where Bivol dominated with his speed and control of range. Bivol beat Alvarez during every phase of the fight. With his superior hand speed and pinpoint counters, he won almost all of the battles in the center of the ring. When Alvarez went to the ropes in the middle rounds, Bivol again demonstrated his superiority, by picking his shots beautifully and not getting sucked into a war. 

And it wasn't just a backfoot demonstration by Bivol. When he decided to go forward, he bested Canelo with quick combinations and avoided damage. Bivol did get hit with a handful of big shots throughout the match, but he took them well, and was never really troubled during the fight. Although the judges had the fight close (115-113), it really wasn't. Bivol defanged one of the top talents in the sport, and made it look easy. 

Later in the year Bivol dominated undefeated Gilberto Ramirez, a former super middleweight champ who had become a contender at 175 lbs. In the ring, the gulf in class between Bivol and Ramirez was vast. Bivol could do whatever he wanted. His speed and accuracy flummoxed Ramirez, who didn't feel comfortable letting his hands go. It was a masterful display of boxing and ring generalship. 

2022 was Bivol's year. He elevated himself from a champion, of which there are many in the sport, to the highest level in boxing: the elite of the elite. 

Previous SNB Fighters of the Year:

2021: Saul Alvarez
2020: Teofimo Lopez
2019: Saul Alvarez
2018: Oleksandr Usyk
2017: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
2016: Carl Frampton
2015: Floyd Mayweather
2014: Naoya Inoue
2013: Adonis Stevenson
2012: Nonito Donaire
2011: Andre Ward

Fight of the Year: Leigh Wood-Michael Conlan 

What I'll remember most about boxing from 2022 is Leigh Wood (and pardon my French here) getting his shit kicked in for more than half his fight, close to being stopped on multiple occasions, and then somehow finding the internal fortitude to not just fight his way back into the match, but to knock Michael Conlan clear out of the ring in the last round. It was the stuff dreams are made of, fairy tale land. 

From the opening round, things started poorly for Wood (who was defending his secondary featherweight title). Conlan, a crafty switch hitter not necessarily known for his power, dropped Wood with an overhand left out of the southpaw stance. And it wasn't a flash knockdown; Wood was badly hurt. And Conlan kept going back to that same shot in the subsequent rounds, landing it at will.

Wood (left) and Conlan in an epic battle of attrition
Photo courtesy of Mark Robinson

But it was a strange performance from Conlan in that although he was hurting Wood, he didn't have the temperament to go for the finish. He was content to land a couple of big bombs a round instead of stepping on the gas to try to end the fight. 

By the middle rounds it became clear that Conlan only wanted to work in spurts. Perhaps he had spent a lot of energy unloading his big power shots; maybe the enormity of the moment, being the away fighter in the biggest opportunity of his career, got to him; but let's also give Wood credit for his body attack. Although Wood lost most of the rounds in the first half of the fight, whenever he could he would go to Conlan's body with his best power shots. 

As the fight progressed, Conlan wasn't landing with the same sting and Wood felt more comfortable imposing himself physically. Toward the end of the 11th, Wood scored a knockdown during a brief tussle in the middle of the ring. It was a flash knockdown and not the cleanest contact, but it was a 10-8 round for Wood. Could the fight still be on the table for him? 

In the final round, Wood kept marching forward behind his vociferous hometown support. In the concluding sequence of the fight, Conlan retreated to the ropes and Wood blasted through Conlan's defenses, knocking him out of the ring (more on this later).

Wood-Conlan is an advertisement for boxing at its elemental best, an epic battle of attrition. It's fights like this one that build and bind fans' allegiance to the sport. Wood-Conlan captured the spirit and magic of prizefighting at its best.

Previous SNB Fights of the Year: 

2021: Fury-Wilder III
2020: Zepeda-Baranchyk
2019: Inoue-Donaire
2018: Chisora-Takam
2017: Joshua-Klitschko
2016: Vargas-Salido
2015: Miura-Vargas
2014: Coyle-Brizuela
2013: Bradley-Provodnikov
2012: Pacquiao-Marquez IV
2011: Rios-Acosta

Knockout of the Year: Leigh Wood TKO 12 Michael Conlan

As referenced above, Wood was down early in his fight against Conlan and badly hurt multiple times, but he was able to crawl his way back into the match. Picking away at Conlan with body shots and lead hooks, Wood started to impose himself late in the fight. He scored a knockdown at the end of the 11th round and heading into the 12th, somehow, after all he had endured, he was the fresher fighter. 

With two minutes left in the 12th, both fighters exchanged power shots with Wood getting the better of the action. Wood's final right hook in this sequence forced Conlan back to the ropes. Wood pressed forward, trapping Conlan. 

Photo courtesy of Mark Robinson

Wood threw out four quick, pawing jabs that Conlan evaded, but Conlan only moved his head not his hands – one glove remained by his side while the other was below his waist. Wood’s jab flurry forced Conlan to lose his defensive posture, creating the perfect opening. Wood then landed a hard, short right hand on the right side of Conlan's face that turned out his lights and sent him crashing through the ropes. The action was so quick and sudden that multiple replays were needed to confirm how Wood was able to accomplish this stunning feat. 

There were better one-punch knockouts in 2022, but you aren't going to find a stoppage as dramatic as this one. Wood was just about done and dusted earlier in the fight and somehow had the perseverance, the will and, most importantly, the execution to send Michael Conlan through the ropes. It was an incredible turn of events. Wood's stoppage was 2022's signature boxing moment.  

Previous SNB Knockouts of the Year:

2021: Gabe Rosado KO 3 Bektemir Melikuziev
2020: (tie) Alexander Povetkin KO 5 Dillian Whyte and Gervonta Davis KO 6 Leo Santa Cruz
2019: Nonito Donaire KO 6 Stephon Young
2018: Naoya Inoue KO 1 Juan Carlos Payano
2017: Zolani Tete KO 1 Siboniso Gonya
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: Mauricio Lara-Emilio Sanchez Round 3

Emilio Sanchez had been dropped by Mauricio Lara in the first round of their fight and hurt badly in the second. Instead of trying to outbox Lara, which Sanchez's trainer Manny Robles said was their game plan, Sanchez was determined to go toe-to-toe. In the third round, Sanchez changed the dynamic of the fight by landing a hard straight right hand in an exchange with just over two minutes left in the round. That punch tempered Lara's aggression. Sanchez then jumped on this opportunity, connecting with pulverizing uppercuts with both hands, landing four in quick succession. These shots took the wind out of Lara's sails and he spent most of the next minute trying to recuperate. 

Sanchez continued to apply pressure with his forward movement and lead jabs. When Lara finally was able to recover, he started winging power shots. But Sanchez then connected with a counter left hook that forced Lara back to the ropes. With Lara weakening, Sanchez flurried and Lara was unable to stop the onslaught. Desperate, Lara alternated between holding on and throwing whatever he could to keep Sanchez away. But Sanchez kept attacking Lara's body with wicked left hooks, causing further damage. 

Lara (left) and Sanchez in an unforgettable 3rd round
Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland

A hook with 40 seconds left in the round hurt Lara so badly that he held onto Sanchez and walked him completely across the ring, eventually falling down when his balance gave out. It wasn't ruled a knockdown, which was the correct ruling, but Lara looked spent. When he got to his feet, referee Ray Corona warned him for holding and threatened to take away a point. 

With under ten seconds left in the round, Lara walked over to Sanchez, unconvincingly, but then uncorked a powerful left hook that stung Sanchez. He followed up with a right hand that forced Sanchez to take a backward step. Sanchez then retreated to the corner where Lara connected with a vicious double left hook combo to the body and head. Lara then cuffed Sanchez with a wild right hand and Sanchez moved back to the next available corner. With Sanchez's legs gone and Lara in hot pursuit, Lara connected with a hard right hand to the head, a left hook to the head, a right hook/uppercut to the head that began to send Sanchez down and a final left hook to the head that dropped Sanchez flat on his back below the bottom rope. Sanchez was done and Corona immediately stopped the fight. 

Within 30 seconds both fighters were in danger of being stopped. Lara ultimately had more firepower and better recuperative powers. It was an insane round of boxing where in an instant Sanchez went from springing the upset of his career to being a footnote in Lara's continued rise in the featherweight division. Thrilling stuff. 

Previous SNB Rounds of the Year:

2021: Kenshiro Teraji-Masamichi Yabuki Round 9
2020: Jose Zepeda-Ivan Baranchyk Round 5
2019: Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Round 3
2018: Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury Round 12
2017: Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko Round 5
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: Hector Luis Garcia UD Chris Colbert

Chris Colbert was supposed to be a star. Hailing from New York, he was flashy in the ring and brash out of it. He had already starred in a documentary, "CounterPunch," and more than a few in the sport regarded him as a phenom. He could switch hit in the ring effortlessly, his punch placement was pinpoint, and the timing on his counters was special. 2022 was supposed to be his year. He was set to face Roger Gutierrez for a 130-lb. belt before Gutierrez had to withdraw on late notice. In stepped Hector Luis Garcia, who was a relatively unknown fighter from the Dominican Republic (just 2 of his 14 previous fights had been outside of the D.R.).

But no one told Garcia that he was there to be the "opponent." From the opening bell Garcia attacked Colbert relentlessly, yet he displayed significant craft. His onslaught wasn't crude, just merciless in its effectiveness. Garcia's success made the lightning-handed Colbert reluctant to throw. And as the fight progressed, Garcia demonstrated that his fast start wasn't a fluke. He kept hammering away at Colbert, bludgeoning him with big body shots and combinations to the head. In the seventh Garcia scored a knockdown and Colbert was reeling. 

Late sub Garcia (left) dominated the highly touted Colbert
Photo courtesy of Ryan Hafey

Garcia's beating of Colbert was so comprehensive that Colbert spent the championship rounds of the fight in pure survival mode, literally running away from contact, happy to make it to the final bell; he had been thoroughly dominated. 

To put an exclamation point on an incredible win, Garcia defeated Gutierrez later in the year to win a world title, but it was the Colbert performance that put him on the map. Garcia, a southpaw and an Olympian, displayed an intoxicating package of aggression and refinement.  I'm not sure if Colbert, who hasn't fought since the defeat, has yet to figure out what happened to him that night. He got run over by a freight train.

Previous SNB Upsets of the Year:  

2021: George Kambosos SD Teofimo Lopez
2020: Robert Helenius TKO 4 Adam Kownacki
2019: Andy Ruiz TKO 7 Anthony Joshua
2018: Rob Brant UD Ryota Murata
2017: Caleb Truax MD James DeGale
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

James, a previous SNB Trainer of the Year for 2017, had a sublime 2022. It's not just that his major fighters (Jermell Charlo, Errol Spence and Frank Martin) won their matchups this year, it's that they dominated excellent competition. With Charlo and Martin in particular, you could see them improve before our eyes, with Charlo finally becoming a finished product and Martin demonstrating that he's a serious contender in the lightweight division. 

I think James' greatest success this year was how he was able to raise Charlo's performance level in the rematch against Brian Castano. I think that Castano was unfortunate to get a draw when they fought in 2021. In the corner during that fight, James beseeched Charlo to stop looking for the knockout and box Castano more, yet Charlo often ignored those instructions, and it was to his detriment. 

Photo courtesy of Amanda Westcott

But in the rematch, Charlo implemented a number of adjustments. Most importantly, he stayed off the ropes, where Castano had his best periods of success in their first fight. Furthermore, Charlo demonstrated his full range of offensive gifts: leading and countering, using his jab to set things up, going to the body, utilizing all of his power shots. He wasn't left-hook happy or selling out for the knockout. He stayed within himself. He tried to win rounds. Ultimately, he dismantled Castano with a steady dose of debilitating power punches, especially body shots, and he stopped Castano in the tenth round. The knockout did come, but it was through Charlo displaying his manifold gifts, realizing that when employing his full arsenal, he could fight at a higher level than Castano, and James deserves credit for Charlo buying into this.  

James also had high-profile fights with Errol Spence against fellow welterweight titlist Yordenis Ugas and Frank Martin facing the undefeated Michel Rivera. In both matchups, James' fighter dominated proceedings and took away the opponent's best weapon. Ugas' counter right hand was rarely successful while Rivera never was able to establish his jab. James' fighters exhibited technical and tactical mastery over their opponents in the ring. He has become one of the best trainers in the sport

Previous SNB Trainers of the Year:

2021: Eddy Reynoso
2020: Teofimo Lopez Sr.
2019: Eddy Reynoso
2018: Anatoly Lomachenko
2017: Derrick James
2016: Shane McGuigan
2015: Peter Fury
2014: Freddie Roach
2013: Kenny Porter
2012: Robert McCracken
2011: Robert Garcia

Promoter of the Year: No Award Given  

Allow me to get on my soapbox for a moment. If we really want to memorialize boxing in 2022 then we have to remember that the year featured several big fights that didn't get made, such as Spence-Crawford, Joshua-Fury and Davis-Garcia. You will notice that all of the sport's major promoters in the U.S. and the U.K. had at least one boxer who was involved in these failed mega-fights. 

Certainly there were memorable fights in 2022, with great performances and thrilling action. However, the health of boxing is predicated on big events. They are crucial in elevating boxing beyond its hardcore base; they can capture the imagination of a larger sporting public. Mega-fights are vital in expanding the economic footprint of the sport, with fighters making career-high paydays and promoters, managers and networks taking their cut, ensuring that they remain engaged in maximizing boxing's economic potential. 

So, in this regard, the major promoters failed the sport in 2022. Boxing squandered several significant opportunities to expand its base this year and I hope that the powers that be in 2023 realize that cutting up a pool of imaginary money isn't the same thing as cutting up a pool of actual money. Boxing needs its promoters to be good stewards for the sport and to realize that "winning" a negotiation only matters if a big fight takes place. It was often frustrating to be a fan of boxing in 2022 and the promoters were a big reason why. There will be no award given for Promoter of the Year this year and none of the big promoters should feel particularly content with their overall contribution to the sport: They let their sport down. 

Previous SNB Promoters of the Year:

2021: Premier Boxing Champions
2020: Top Rank
2019: Matchroom Boxing
2018: Premier Boxing Champions
2017: K2 Promotions
2016: Matchroom Boxing
2015: Golden Boy Promotions
2014: Matchroom Boxing
2013: (tie) Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank
2012: Golden Boy Promotions
2011: Top Rank

Network of the Year: ESPN

2022 was the year where ESPN and its companion streaming format, ESPN+, demonstrated the power and breadth of their overall boxing offerings. In addition to ESPN's regular American-based Top Rank offerings (which were solid, but not spectacular), ESPN presented several meaningful fights and fight cards from around the globe. Whether it was Inoue-Donaire 2 or Teraji-Kyoguchi in Japan, Fury-Whyte or Joyce-Parker in England, or Yoka-Bakole in France, the overall quality of matchups presented by ESPN's platforms was excellent. 

Now, let's not be naive here. Understand that nothing gets put on ESPN without Top Rank's blessing and for that, the promoter deserves a lot of credit. I'm not going to pretend that promoters didn't do anything good in 2022. In this instance I think that ESPN (with Top Rank as its content provider and conduit to other major fights) delivered a lot of value for boxing fans. 

Previous SNB Networks of the Year:

2021: Showtime
2020: ESPN
2019: DAZN
2018: Showtime
2017: Showtime
2016: Sky Sports
2015: No award given
2014: ESPN
2013: Showtime
2012: BoxNation

Referee of the Year: David Fields

Perhaps it's time to rename this award after Fields, for this is the third time that he has taken home the honors in this category. In one night in November with two different fights, Fields once again showed why he is among the elite of his profession. 

In the main event, Fields made the unpopular but correct choice of disqualifying the hometown fighter, Montana Love, for throwing his opponent Steve Spark out of the ring. Now, there were a lot of political factors that could have mucked up a lesser referee's decision making. Love was in the highest-profile fight of his career, just after signing with Matchroom Boxing. In addition, Spark wasn't necessarily hurt by the infraction. 

Fields (right) gives Love a count after a knockdown
Photo courtesy of Boxingscene

But Fields wisely disregarded the outcome instead of the intention of the action. What Love did was inexcusable, far beyond the rules of professional boxing. His conduct could have led to significant bodily harm, and it was 100% intentional. The disqualification was the correct move. Fields demonstrated the professional judgment to make the correct call and the convictions not to backtrack on his initial assessment. It was decision unpopular with the hometown crowd and the house promoter, but it was absolutely correct. 

In an earlier fight on the card, Fields refereed a war between Thomas Mattice and Christian Tapia. Mattice knocked down Tapia in the second round and had him badly hurt at various points in the first four rounds of the fight. A lesser referee would have stopped the fight, but Tapia showed tremendous recuperative powers. Even after absorbing significant punishment, he kept coming and had moments of real success, winning several rounds in the back half of the fight. Mattice needed to fight his heart out to win the match, and he did just that. Because of Fields' expert professional judgement, fans were treated to a memorable war. Fields understood what he was looking at, that the fighter who was down, and badly hurt, still had more to give. And he was proven correct. Overall, these two fights showcased a referee at the absolute top of his game. 

Previous SNB Referees of the Year:

2021: Mark Lyson
2020: Michiaki Someya
2019: No award given
2018: Jack Reiss
2017: David Fields
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 Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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