Drumroll Please: Our Nominees for Boxing’s Top Honors in 2014 are…

12/31/201412/30/2014 Paul Jones

By Paul “Paparazzi“ Jones and Justin Jones

Tis the season of giving and we aim to pass on some holiday cheer to a group of fighters that we believe deserve top honors. In some categories, we also offer honorable mention. Without further ado, here are our front-runners for 2014’s major boxing superlatives:

Knockout of the Year

“Paparazzi” Jones — Amir Mansour KO7 Fred Kassi. Amir “Hardcore” Mansour’s (21-1, 16 KOs) clock-cleaning 7^th round KTFO of Fred Kassi (18-3, 10 KOs) was my top choice. This highlight-reel KO deserved an R rating for Strong Violence and it was SI.com’s Knockout of the Year (KOTY).

2014/2015 – Reviews & Previews: Mayweather, Pacquiao, Cotto, Canelo, Bradley, Golovkin, & Khan!

12/31/201412/30/2014 Vivek Wallace

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

2014 will end as one of Mayweather’s more intriguing chapters of his 18 year career. After closing out 2013 with an amazing performance over Mexico’s Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Mayweather entered 2014 on a high. Unfortunately, a love life gone bad, assisted by other personal drama’s would only serve as a small subplot compared to what would unfold on the night of May 3rd, 2014. Mayweather would dig deep and create a path to victory, but a rugged performance by Maidana proved that even the great ones have reason to fear ‘father-time’.

Quillin sees Golovkin fight as not worth the risk

12/28/2014 Rob Smith

If you were hoping to see former WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) face WBA 160 pound champion Gennady Golovkin in the near future, you might want to forget about it. Quillin, 31, said that Golovkin is too high of a risk without much of a reward right now because the money isn’t there.

Quillin wants to fight guys that bring him good money, and in the case of Golovkin it wouldn’t bring the kind of money that it might later on. Quillin acknowledges that Golovkin has a big name right now, but he thinks that his name doesn’t bring the big money yet.

Golovkin: I’d move up to 168 for PPV fight against Chavez Jr

12/26/2014 T.Baker

WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) says he’d be willing to move up to super middleweight (168 pounds) for a pay-per-view fight against the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. However, Golovkin says it would have to be for a pay-per-view fight against an opponent that is a pay-per-view fighter.

Golovkin says wouldn’t be interested in moving up to 168 to fight Andre Ward, because he doesn’t see him as a PPV type of fighter. In other words, Golovkin only wants to move up to super middleweight against a big name for big money on PPV. He’s not just going to move up in weight to face someone without a large fan base.

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Andre Ward, Golovkin, Walters/Donaire, Khan/Alexander

10/27/2014 Vivek Wallace

Marc T. (Athens, GA): I’m tired of hearing all of the talk about Golovkin and how he’s “the most feared man in Boxing”. Andre Ward’s team sent HBO a direct statement saying that he wants the fight, & Golovkin responded in saying he’s basically “not ready” for Ward. What are your thoughts about GGG and this whole “most feared” reputation being built around him?

Vivek W. (ESB): For starters, I think there’s a slight hint of truth to it. Strong promotion and network support can be credited for this growing cult following, slash, bootleg version of an almost Tyson-like mystique. When we look back at Tyson, many of us were young enough to buy into the ‘Boogeyman’ persona that he embodied; but as adults when you look back, it’s very easy to note that most of the men he destroyed had no chance against you and I on two weeks training, let alone him! Our entire perception of Tyson – (one of my personal favorites) – vanished when he faced someone who couldn’t be intimidated and wouldn’t be denied. There lies both my question and answer relative to GGG.

Gennady Golovkin vs Martin Murray on Feb 21!

10/26/201410/25/2014 Golden Gloves

The deal has been signed – unbeaten WBA, IBO and WBC Interim middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) of Kazakhstan will fight top-rated Martin Murray (28-1-1, 12 KOs) of the UK in Monte Carlo on February 21.

Golden Gloves and K2 Promotions announced the bout minutes after Murray’s successful WBC Silver belt defence against Domenico Spada in Monaco on Saturday.

Golovkin will go in search of his record 19th straight stoppage while Murray will be hoping it is third time lucky after two previous title bids were rebuffed by the judges.

Martin Murray beats Domenica Spada, Golovkin next

10/25/201410/25/2014 Bill Phanco

WBC Silver middleweight champion Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KOs) may not have put in an impressive performance tonight in beating #7 WBC Domenico Spada (39-6, 19 KOs) by a 7th round technical decision, but he did earn a potential title shot against WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin with the win.

Gennady Golovkin mows down Rubio in two

10/19/201410/19/2014 Michael Montero

http://youtu.be/tj5aS6ioHB0

A record attendance of 9,323 fans filled the StubHub Center to see Gennady Golovkin face Marco Antonio Rubio in the “Mexican Style” fight card main event Saturday night. Golovkin proved that styles not only make fights, but fight fans, as the mostly Mexican-American crowd cheered for the Kazakhstan native throughout. Rubio appeared confident and ready during his ring walk, looking much fresher than he had at the weigh the previous day. “GGG” and his team made an extra-long ring walk, circling the entire lower bowl and waving to fans, sending the place into a frenzy. The stage was set for Gennady’s promise of a “big drama show”.

GGG puts Rubio down for the count; Donaire flashes briefly then flickers out at hands of Walters

10/19/201410/19/2014 Paul Strauss

The StubHub Center, Carson City, CA kept adding seating, and the fans gobbled them up. Fans wanted to see Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire 33-2-0 (21 KO) squash Nicholas Walters 23-0-0 (21 KO) a rising star from Montego Bay, Jamaica, who learned his trade in Panama. They also eagerly wanted to witness Gennady GGG Golovkin get his 18th straight knockout. The build up for a Mexican Style battle was nothing more than a promotional tactic. Not many gave Rubio much of a chance. They were right.

First, what happened to the Flash. He put it best when he said, “He (Walters) beat the [expletive] out of me.” All you had to do was look at his face for convincing evidence. Both eyes were cut and swollen, and the rest of his face was also marked up. Walters was relatively unmarked, and was only in danger once in the second round when Donaire caught him with his vaunted left hook. It happened at the end of the round, and Walters wobbled back to his corner.

GGG vs. Rubio: G-Force Floors Rubio for the Count

10/19/201410/19/2014 Vitali Shaposhnikov

Every time Golovkin crosses the ropes to enter the boxing ring, fans pray for some longevity. Marco Antonio Rubio, according to many, was supposed to be that man, that fighter who would undoubtedly deliver that extra competitive edge. Rubio’s extensive ring experience and aggressive style should have certainly been enough to give Golovkin something to work with. Instead, the fight ended just the way it always did: with Golovkin’s victorious smile and his opponent trying to figure out what happened and how did it all happen so fast.