Welcome to The Queensberry Rules’ annual year-end boxing awards, continuing throughout this week. Here’s how we do it around these parts:
The major categories are Knockout of the Year, Fight of the Year and Fighter of the Year. For each category, we give five finalists, with video and/or relevant info. You tell us if our finalists and honorable mentions are lacking, and give your vote on who you think should win. Maybe you sway us to adjust the list, and maybe you sway us on the eventual winner. On the second day after a category is introduced, we’ll give you the winner and explain why.
Up now: 2016 Knockout of the Year nominees. On deck: Fight of the Year nominees and Knockout of the Year winner.
THE FINALISTS (IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
Mikey Garcia vs Dejan Zlaticanin
If the “Jigsaw Killer” was a boxer, this is what it would look like when he knocked you out.
David Lemieux vs Curtis Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKxEkZToX08
One way or another, this fight was definitely gonna give us a KO of the Year candidate.
David Benavidez vs Rogelio Medina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cQhvtKZyjo
Most highlight real knockouts feature one big punch, but this had approximately 127 of them.
Raymundo Beltran vs Jonathan Maicelo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiTO2RVegIo
Bonus points for doing this after being down on the canvas in the 1st round.
Jermell Charlo vs Erickson Lubin
Pretty sneaky, sis.
THE HONORABLE MENTIONS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs Roman Gonzalez II
Zolani Tete vs Siboniso Gonya
Joshua Greer vs James Smith
Terence Crawford vs Julius Indongo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCwFtwYme6Y
Deontay Wilder vs Bermane Stiverne II
Dmitry Bivol vs Trent Broadhurst (poor quality video)
Luis Collazo vs Sammy Vasquez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85kVjlLzwYs
John Ryder vs Patrick Nielsen
Jermell Charlo vs Charles Hatley
Yunier Dorticos vs Dmitry Kudryashov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luzGIlQJF6Y
Hugo Centeno, Jr. vs Immanuwel Aleem
Mike Alvarado vs Sidney Siqueira (link)
(For some other good KOs from 2017, try this video below. Some of them just weren’t very significant fights, is all.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0ti_zenlbU
