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Year in Review / The Best in Boxing 2010

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By David Martinez, Boxing Historian

I have assembled personal choices in boxing for THE BEST OF 2010 in the major categories, and they are:

FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: Sergio Martinez

On April 17, Sergio scored an impressive upset victory over Kelly Pavlik to win the WBC / WBO Middleweight Championship. Then on November 20, he avenged a previous loss to Paul Williams with a spectacular second round knockout to retain his middleweight belts.

FIGHT OF THE YEAR: Humberto Soto vs. Urbano Antillon (Dec 14)

This was 12 rounds of toe-to-toe non-stop action and a fight fans dream fight. Soto retained his WBC Lightweight Championship by a close, unanimous decision in this fight for the ages.

Runners Up: Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana … Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Michael Katsidis … Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler

ROUND OF THE YEAR: Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana / Round 10 (Dec 11)

This fight started off with Khan registering a first round knockdown over Maidana. With Khan ahead on all scorecards going into the 10th round, a desperate Maidana landed a huge right hand to Khan’s jaw. THis buckled Khan’s legs and it appeared he would be knocked out. A vicious right hand followed by a left literally had Khan out on his feet. He weathered the storm to retain his WBA Junior Welterweight title with a unanimous, but close, 12 round decision.

FROM THE DESK OF: David Martinez / Boxing Historian (Winter 2010 Edition)

David Martinez, dmboxing.com Products, FROM THE DESK OF:, hats, John Boitnott, News, T-Shirts,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas 2010 and to say thank you for making my website one of your choices in boxing.

Since the birth of this website in July 2007, there have been many that have contributed to the success. I would like to acknowledge the main people at this time. They consist of John Boitnott (producer), Bob Quackenbush (proof reader & photo editing), Kathy Kraft (proof reader), Rusty Rubin (In Rusty’s Corner & Glove2Glove), Jim Amato (senior boxing writer), Jim Carlin and Ray Luna (photos).

My t-shirt girls are Suzie, Jania, Maryuri, Xochitl, Natalie, Julie, Krista, Morgan, Adriana, Marteena, Nina, Adria, Beverly, Lexy, Athena, Briana, Christina, Linda, Gordy, Christine, Kelly, and Jessica.

My hat girls are Samantha, Suzie, Tanya, Maryuri, Evelin, Nina, Daniella, Catlin, Christine, Stacy, Jennifer, and Gordy.

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In Rusty’s Corner

Rusty Rubin, Uncategorized, ,

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

As I prepare for my annual holiday vacation, I want to make sure that I reach each and everyone who reads this column (and even those who do not), the very best wishes for the holiday season.

Both ShowTime and HBO have a nice early Christmas present on tap for boxing fans.

Let’s take a close look at two fights which will be held at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, on December 11.). The double main-event figures to have more action than most of the fight cards you’ve seen this year. What would you expect from some tough bantamweights?

In the first bout, hard hitting Vic Darchinyan, 34, from Australia, takes on undefeated 25-year-old, Mexican Abner Mares. This bout is going to be a classic boxer versus slugger match, with Mares, 20-0-1 (13, much preferring to box and Darchinyan, 35-2-1 (27), always ready, willing and able to tee off.

Except for Darchinyan’s power, this bout really offers little to choose from. Darchinyan is a southpaw, which may create problems for Mares, who does have a 3 ½” reach advantage.

I make it a point to pick a winner, and so I’ll give a slight edge to Mares to take a hard-fought decision in a fight that will see a lot of blood fly.

The other bout, for the IBF bantamweight title features champion Yohhny Perez, a tough 31-year old Colombian taking on former IBF champ Joseph Agbeko, 22, from Ghana.

Perez, 31, is a talented boxer with a mark of 20-0-1 with 14 knockouts, while Agbeko, 27-2 (22), wants his title back.

Perez, seems to have a bit of a problem with his defense, so my gut feeling is that the African fighter will take a close decision in a very tough toe-to-toe brawl.

Both fights are scheduled to be shown on ShowTime.

On HBO, a couple of light welters compete for the WBA crown, from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

These two fighters are better know in Europe than in America as they have seen most of their action out of the USA.

Amir Khan 23-1 with 17 knockouts from the U.K., takes on Marcos Madana 29-1 (17) for the WBA light welterweight title.

On paper this bout also appears to be a toss-up. Madana 29, from Argentina, having more ring experience, but Khan a slight edge up in opponents talent as well as punching power.
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In Rusty’s Corner

News, Rusty Rubin,

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Let’s take a close look at the upcoming (Nov. 27) fights, which should offer boxing fans some outstanding entertainment.

First a couple of important bouts at super-middleweight. In Oakland, Cal. on ShowTime TV, American Olympic medalist Andre Ward takes on tough Aussie Sakio Bika, for the WBA crown.

Don’t let Bika’s record fool you, his four losses have come at the hands of some outstanding fighters, like Joe Calzaghe and Lucien Bute. Most of his 28 wins came mainly in Australia, and since 19 came by way of the KO route, you know he can punch. He was disqualified in his last fight, a loss to John Paul Mendy.

Ward 22-0 (13), is a native of the Bay Area and if this bout comes down to a decision he’d get a decided edge.

He has a slight reach advantage, Ward also shows a two inch reach edge, which could make the difference in this fight. Ward has a good jab and isn’t shy about using it.

If he keeps Bika off he should be able to take a decision, but it’s not quite that easy. Bika always comes to fight.

A tough fight to pick, it’s either Bika via a TKO or Ward by decision. I’ll take the hometown hero, Andre Ward by decision.

Next we look at another ShowTime super middleweight clash between Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch, this event to be held in Finland.

Froch, 26-1 (20), from the U.K. is three inches taller and has a 2 ½” reach advantage.

Abraham, 30, is from Armenia and sports a record of 31-1 (25). What I’d worry about more than the height and reach disadvantage, is that Abrahams only loss came against Andre Dirrell back in March.

Okay Froch also last his last bout, in February, against Mikkel Kessler, in Kessler’s Scandinavian home.
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In Rusty’s Corner

Rusty Rubin,

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

Let’s take a close look at the upcoming (Nov. 20) fight in Atlantic City and shown on
HBO Championship Boxing.

This WBC middleweight rematch features a bout between Paul “The Punisher”
Williams taking on aging veteran Sergio Martinez.

Their first match, also held in Atlantic City in December 2009, both fighters went
toe-to toe, and resulted in Williams winning a majority decision. It was a war that
many people think should have earned ‘fight of the year’.

Martinez other loss was via a 7th round TKO to Antonio Margarito almost ten years
before.

Martinez, 45-2 (24) is 35 years old. He stands 5’10”, thus giving up three inches in
height and six inches in reach to his 6 year younger foe. He is a native of Argentina,
a country who has been the homeland of many solid fighters.

Williams, 29, sports a record of 39-1 with 27 of these wins coming via the knockout
route. His only loss was in February of 2008, when he lost a unanimous decision to
Carlos Quintana.

Two southpaws usually make for a boring fight, which is one of the reasons it rarely
happens. Still, judging by their first encounter, it could well be another war.

Williams has a huge arm span 82” reach. But his style allows for his opponent to
fight his was inside and cause considerable damage.
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In Rusty’s Corner

Rusty Rubin, , ,

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

With this lull in big-name boxing, I figured I’d take the opportunity to answer a few questions that have piled up in recent months.

In my last column I listed and answered five questions that are often asked to me. There were a couple I saved for this week, but I really got stuck on one of them and figured this response requires the most thought.

Even giving this much time to think it over, I can’t come up with a complete answer, so I will ask the readers to get back to me with theirs. This is not a right or wrong answer, simply one that requires some differing points of view.

The question and I ask everyone to respond, is ‘who are the top ten pound-for- pound fighters in the world today?

Sounds easy, right? Well, where to you go after Pacquiao, Mayweather, Juan Manual Marquez, Shane Mosley, and perhaps the other Marquez kin?
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