Year-End Awards - 2014 Isn’t Over Yet
By Cliff Rold
This week, the Boxing Writer’s Association of America (BWAA) announced their nominees for 2014 Fight and Fighter of the Year. Social media has had plenty of debates about who did, and didn’t, belong on the ballot. A common theme regardless of the talking points has been this:
2014 isn’t over yet.
It’s an accurate observation.
Mostly a logistical issue, the nominations process works around the timing of annual late year meetings. In the past, there have been some ballot modifications after the meetings have taken place. If needed, and membership argues for it, that could possibly happen again.
Given modern technology, it’s probably time for an updated model. If all the results of note really were in for the year, that would be one thing.
They’re not so what’s the hurry?
This weekend is case in point.
Between Friday and Saturday, there are two potentially sensational scraps on paper. No, Adonis Stevenson’s defense of the Light Heavyweight doesn’t look like one of them. After an exceptional 2013, and an exciting defense against an underrated but deserving challenger Andrzej Fonfara, Stevenson (24-1, 20 KO) is closing this year with a whimper (Showtime, 9 PM EST).
Friday’s challenger, Dmitry Sukhotsky (22-2, 16 KO), hasn’t shown anything resembling world class chops as yet. Maybe he’ll shock the world. Lopsided losses to Juergen Braehmer and Cornelius White should have skeptics feeling secure. As far as fight for history’s Light Heavyweight crown go, this looks like it could suck-lotsky.
No, the fights with the best potential this weekend take place in Argentina and Mexico.
On Friday, Argentina’s WBA not-Super 112 lb. titlist Juan Carlos Reveco (34-1, 18 KO) locks horns with Thailand’s Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep (34-2, 20 KO). Reveco has already been in arguably the best Flyweight fight of the year, defeating Felix Alvarado in a fierce battle in June. Saengthep has been an action fighter in the past.
Those who like their sweet science with a side of brutality may get what they ordered here. US viewers whose cable systems carry TyC don’t have to miss it live (8 PM EST).
The next day in Cancun, the WBA’s interim 130 lb. strap provides an incentive for two guys who don’t need it to let their hands go. Defending Bryan Vasquez (33-1, 17 KO) is riding a streak of four wins since a stoppage loss to the excellent Takashi Uchiyama.
Sergio Thompson (30-3, 26 KO) lost his last chance at any version of an alphabet diadem but it wasn’t for lack of trying. His war with Takashi Miura in August 2013 was a blast. Thompson is all sorts of technically flawed, but he can bang and he’s got a beard. Vasquez-Thompson could light it up. US fans can catch it on tape delay Sunday on Fox Deportes (4 PM EST).
Is either going to be so good that they demand recognition as the year’s best fight? It’s impossible to say before the bell sounds.
If they do, well, that needs to be accounted for.
And this still isn’t the last action of the year. There are big cards in Japan on the last two days of the year. Let’s focus here on the first of those days.
On December 30 in Japan, former Strawweight and Flyweight champ Akira Yaegashi drops down to 108 lbs. to try to win a title in his third weight class against Pedro Guevara. Any fight with Yaegashi can go warrior pretty quick.
On the same card, the issue of the year’s best performing Fighter could certainly be realigned. 21-year old WBC 108 lb. titlist Naoya Inoue (7-0, 6 KO) looks like a prodigious talent. He’s got speed, power, and fundamentals that speak past his limited number of fights.
Along with those attributes, Inoue is showing he’s got balls.
He won his title beating Adrian Hernandez by sixth-round knockout at a time when Hernandez was arguably the first or second best in the division (Donnie Nietes being the other half of the equation). After a single title defense, Inoue is skipping the minefield at Flyweight but not for any easy mark.
He’ll head to 115 lbs. and challenge the perceived top man in class. Omar Narvaez (43-1-2, 23 KO) is leaving the comfort of Argentina to defend his WBO belt. Narvaez hasn’t always fought murderer’s row, but the former Olympian is a cagey veteran with top grade defensive chops. He’s no easy out even in an aging state.
For a guy in his eighth pro fight, it’s a big reach.
If Inoue wins, particularly if he wins big, doesn’t his year merit mention with Miguel Cotto, Terrence Crawford, Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, and Manny Pacquiao? Those are the announced BWAA Fighter of the Year finalists. If the interest is primarily in fighters who impressed a US market in that category (something that at least isn’t the case among the candidates for Fight of the Year), that’s peachy.
The last A does stand for America. One would expect a tilt in that direction and this is still usually the wealthiest if not the most domestically engaged market.
There can be a broader approach
Wouldn’t there be a case that Inoue beating Hernandez and Narvaez across three weight classes is better than what some of the names that made the cut pulled off?
Inoue hasn’t done it yet.
The year isn’t over yet.
Until it is, again, what’s the hurry?
Cliff’s Notes…
For the record, Flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng completely shutting down undefeated Kazuto Ioka on the road, along with two other quality wins over Rocky Fuentes and McWilliams Arroyo, belongs with any list of Fighter of the Year candidates. All due respect to Cotto and Golovkin, but winning one fight or beating Geale and Rubio isn’t better than the Ioka win with extras…Finally beginning the binge watch of Sons of Anarchy and, so far, worth the wait…15 years and it was worth the wait. D’Angelo’s “Black Messiah” is just incredible work…The WBC using its seconardy titles to get around their typically not rating the champions of other sanctioning bodies could be a good thing for boxing. News out of their convention this week that they could call a purse bid next year for Stevenson versus the winner of Sergey Kovalev-Jean Pascal is intriguing. Does Al Haymon allow such a fight or does he go Quillin-Korobov? And how bad does Quillin look right now for turning down an above-market offer for that fight? Must be fun sitting on the sidelines…Look’s like Roman Gonzalez’s next mandatory could potentially be Edgar Sosa. In the absence of an Estrada unification, name value opponents are a must so that wouldn’t be the worst case scenario…Oscar De La Hoya is now indicating that if Mayweather-Pacquiao could be made, Canelo Alvarez might have to be talked off his determination to fight on Cinco De Mayo weekend. Yeah, if that fight gets signed, they get any day they want. Period…Merry Christmas to all the BoxingScene readers.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
