The year 2022 is coming to an end and it's time to sum up the results. In this article we will tell you who was the best boxer of the year, who disappointed us, who we should focus on, what bout can be called the best fight of 2022 and much more.
Boxer of the Year: Dmitry Bivol and Alycia Baumgardner
The main "Boxer of the Year" nomination usually has intense competition, but this year it was so obvious that absolutely all sports media resources voted for Dmitry Bivol, and we absolutely agree with them.
Dmitry has done most of his work on May 7, when he smashed Mexican star Saúl Álvarez to pieces. Interestingly enough, a year ago it was Canelo who won Boxer of the Year. Not only did Dmitry not allow Álvarez to win that nomination twice in a row, but he also stripped him of the best fighter crown regardless of his weight class. Now, looking back, it's clear that Dmitry really did become the kryptonite for Alvarez. However, back in the spring even world-renowned analysts couldn't imagine that "the king of boxing" would suffer such a devastating defeat.
In November, Bivol sealed his success with a victory over another Mexican, Gilberto Ramirez, who was considered to be one of the best light heavyweights on the planet. After two brilliant performances, Dmitry was nicknamed the menace of all Mexicans. The WBA champion showed iron discipline, cold-blooded calculation, perfect technique and tremendous physical preparation.
Bivol's main goal is a unification bout against Beterbiev. However, Dmitry isn't going to stay out of action. If necessary, he will take a rematch with Álvarez. If the latter, of course, risks his reputation. Otherwise the Russian has an obligatory challenger in the person of undefeated Brit Joshua Buatsi. Bivol has accomplished an important task: he has received support from influential promoter Eddie Hearn and now the path to the top is clear for him.
In our opinion, Alycia Baumgardner was the best among women. The American has almost finished her featherweight sweep. In April, she defeated Edith Soledad Matthysse, defending her IBO and WBC titles. In October, Alycia took formerly undefeated compatriot Micaela Meyer to boxing school. Thus, she won two more belts: the WBO and IBF and became the undisputed world champion.
Fight of the Year: Lee Wood vs. Michael Conlan, Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor
Unfortunately, there were few dramatic fights this year. The audience missed fights like Fury vs. Wilder III, when one has to watch the fight standing up with excitement and delight. However, there was a fight of this kind, and it followed all the rules of professional boxing: swings, mutual knockdowns and an unexpected outcome. The fight between Britain's Lee Wood and Ireland's Michael Conlan is a recipe for a blockbuster movie.
Conlan was seen as a huge favorite and he showed who was boss already in the first round. Lee Wood was knocked out hard and then just tried to survive for a few rounds. As the fight went on, Michael's advantage faded, and by the 11th round he was on the canvas himself. The denouement was fantastic. In the final 12th round, Lee Wood landed a series of punches and knocked out his opponent. Michael Conlan, already knocked out, fell out of the ring. A well-deserved Fight of the Year.
The women's division had some interesting battles this year. Some reporters voted for the Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall fight. In that fight, there was a lot of personal emotions that made the fight messy and chaotic. Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano was exemplary in terms of technique and heat. Not a lot of male fights were quite up to the high level of these girls. The judges' decision to give a controversial victory to Katie Taylor was a letdown. But that's history. We're looking at the quality. Taylor vs. Serrano is the clear winner for Best Women's Fight of the Year.
Knockout of the Year: Caleb Plant vs Anthony Dirrell
The best knockout of the year is always a matter of taste. That's why most publications often disagree. In 2022, almost all the famous punchers have done well. Deontay Wilder instantly put Robert Helenius to sleep. The knockout of Rolando Romero by Gervonta Davis was also beautiful. At the very end of the year, Terence Crawford made a statement, savagely chopping up our David Avanesian. We can't stay indifferent to the finish of the aforementioned Lee Wood vs Michael Conlan bout.
But none of them compares to Caleb Plant's knockout of Anthony Dirrell. It was exactly a brutal, shocking and scandalous knockout. Caleb didn't get any recognition for his blatantly disgusting act. After the win, he pretended that he was burying Dirrell. None of the reasonable viewers approved, and to this day the fighter receives a fair amount of criticism. But the fact is undeniable - this knockout is jaw-dropping.
Coach of the Year: Derrick James
We should certainly recognize the best coach, whose charges have reached the most serious heights this year. That man was the American Derrick James. His first trainee Jermell Charlo became the undisputed world champion in the light middleweight (up to 69.9 kg). Under the guidance of James, Charlo knocked out the Argentinian Brian Castaño. Now he holds WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF titles. Jermell is in the top 10 of the P4P rankings.
Another of Derrick's charges, Errol Spence, also collected a mountain of belts and solidified himself in the top 5 of P4P. Spence has three titles out of four (WBC, WBA, IBF) in the welterweight division (under 66.6 kg). Errol finished Yordenis Ugas of Cuba in a beautiful unification bout.
Another Derrick's pupil, Frank Martin, is on his way to conquering the lightweight division (under 61.2 kg). He has three dominant wins this year, two of them early. So, Derrick James is Coach of the Year.
"Robbery" of the Year: Thabiso Mchunu in the fight with Ilunga Makabu
Professional boxing has always been full of controversial decisions. At times it seems as if it is the most subjective and unfair sport ever. The decision about the winner is made by outsiders, who may have a direct interest in one of the fighters to win. And yet, compared to the UFC, there have been very few scandals in boxing this year.
The most notable victim of "robbery" was Thabiso Mchunu, who was denied a victory in his rematch with Ilunga Makabu. Obviously, the odious promoter Don King was behind this event.
Disappointment of the Year: Usyk vs Joshua II and Álvarez vs Golovkin III
But this year there were plenty of disappointments. Only a few of the important fights were worth the hype. There was so much noise around the Usyk vs Joshua rematch, but it turned out to be nothing. Neither of them looked like elite fighters. And then there was a Brit's cheap show after the fight, when he threw the belts out of the ring and lost all control.
The Alvarez vs. Golovkin trilogy was also a disappointment for the fans. It was just a friendly sparring match, although before the fight the angry Canelo vowed to end GGG's career. The promoters miscalculated the execution of the project. Both fighters were far from their peak at the time of the meeting. That's why the fight was too simple.
Event of the Year: Amanda Serrano vs Katie Taylor
Women's boxing, on the other hand, reached a new height this year, largely thanks to Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor. The fight was timed just right, and unlike many of the men's fights, the girls made sure that watching the fight left the best possible impression.
Prospect of the Year: Xander Zayas, Arslanbek Makhmudov
Every year new young talents appear, carrying the future of boxing on their shoulders. This year, athletes such as Keyshawn Davis and Jared Anderson stood out. But Xander Zayas made a particular impact. The 20-year-old Puerto Rican looks like a mature fighter, in spite of such a young age. He has a feel for the ring, has a classy boxing school where you can see the distinct touches of the Puerto Rican style. This is a guy to watch in 2023, as he rises to the top of the super welterweight division (under 69.6 kg).
Russian fans also had some hope, and in the royal division, no less. We are talking about Arslanbek Makhmudov. He is 33 years old, not a youngster. Arslanbek moved into the pro ranks pretty late, but he is now actively building up his record. The Russian fighter has already moved up to near-top level and even gave his warning to the British stars. "I'm coming after you," Arslanbek said to Tyson and Joshua.
Upset of the Year: Hector Luis Garcia vs. Chris Colbert
Not all talent makes it to the megastar level, however. Some are effectively being discarded on the way to the top. Thus, the hopes of Chris Colbert, the representative of the super featherweight category (up to 58.9 kg), were shattered. He unexpectedly lost to Hector Luis Garcia. Interestingly enough, bookmakers were giving odds of 1.01 for Colbert to win, while Garcia's chances were estimated at a crazy 13.0 to 15.0. The very best (or worst?) Upset of the year.
These are the results of 2022 in professional boxing. Let's hope that the next 2023 year brings viewers plenty of wonderful confrontations that they deserve. And our team will continue to delight you with analytical and informative materials in the field of martial arts.