Best of 2016 | SHOWTIME Boxing

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton, Featherweight World Championship, July 30, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

There was not a fight that combined high stakes with the all-out action that Santa Cruz vs. Frampton did. Two undefeated champions putting it on the line against the highest level of opposition. Frampton and Santa Cruz delivered 160 punches in Round 2 and the pace never let up. They combined for 1,700 punches overall in an epic, highly competitive affair that featured classic toe-to-toe exchanges throughout.

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David Price in the running to challenge WBO heavyweight champ Parker; Jarrell Miller, Hughie Fury also on shortlist

Newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is lining up his first title challenger for April 8, and there are at least three names in the running for the shot. Parker could fight a British foe in David Price or Hughie Fury, or he could face unbeaten New Yorker Jarrell Miller.

According to a piece on Sky Sports News, who spoke with Price, Parker’s people are keen on “showcasing” Parker in the UK, and would therefore prefer a British challenger for April. Bob Arum, who was quoted as speaking with Boxing Talk, said the April challenger will be either Price or “Big Baby” Miller.

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Deontay Wilder set to defend WBC title against Andrzej Wawrzyk, February 25 in Birmingham

It seems as though reigning WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder has found his next challenger and ring return opponent. According to The Tuscaloosa Times, Wilder will return to action against Polish contender Andrzej Wawrzyk on February 25th in Birmingham, Alabama.

Wilder, inactive since his summer stoppage win over Chris Arreola, where “The Bronze Bomber” severely injured his biceps and his right hand, is anxious to get back in there and fight – but what kind of a fight can the once-beaten Wawrzyk give him? At 33-1(19) the 29-year-old has a nice enough record, but a closer look lets you get to the truth of the matter. Smashed by Alexander Povetkin (quite ironically as the Russian star was supposed to face Wilder in a big fight this past May) back in a WBA title challenge in May of 2013, Wawrzyk has no really notable wins on his record.

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Cotto and Kirkland Press Conference in Dallas, TX

On Monday, December 19, 2016, Five-Time World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) and James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland (32-2, 28 KOs) participated in an official press conference to kick off the announcement of their February 25 showdown at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Dubbed as “The Return”, the anticipated bout is a 12-round junior middleweight contest. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

(Photo Credit: Miguel Cotto Promotions/ Hector Santos Guia)

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Hopkins-Smith: A Punch is Just a Fast Push or Shove

Maybe Bernard “The Executioner/Alien” Hopkins (58-8-2, 32 KOs) was right when he said Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. (23-1-0, 19 KOs) pushed him out of the ring at The Forum, Inglewood, CA. After all a punch is just a push with speed. To be more exact, its speed and a clenched fist that changes the prod into a strike or blow. It was several of those that propelled Hopkins head first through the ropes on to the concrete floor below. The coalition of those blows brought about the unthinkable…..a stoppage of the wily old predator, who even at age 51 was still the favorite.

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Artur Beterbiev vs. Isidro Prieto this Friday, the last big fight before Christmas Day

Fight fans could be in store for one more exciting battle of punchers before Christmas, as light-heavyweights Artur Beterbiev and Isidro Prieto clash on Friday night in Canada. Unbeaten Beterbiev, 10-0(10) is seen by many as the most dangerous 175-pounder on the planet and a star in the making.

Comparisons have even been made between Beterbiev and feared middleweight king Gennady Golovkin (what a pity these two will never fight one another; they won’t, right!?) Yet despite all this, Prieto and his camp are very confident of scoring the upset this week. As quoted by BoxNation (who will televise the fight live in the UK), Prieto’s manager Sergio Rodriguez said there has been a plan on how to beat Beterbiev formed for four months and that the puncher from Paraguay is “hungry” and “not afraid to trade and go to war.”

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Charles: Chisora has got at least 24-36 months left in his career

Trainer Don Charles admitted to Sky Sports yesterday how he once had to question his ability to take his heavyweight, Dereck Chisora, as far as Chisora wants to go. It was after the second loss to Tyson Fury (just the second stoppage defeat of Chisora’s pro career) that Charles walked away – temporarily.

Chisora soon reunited with Charles and the result was the terrific performance a fully committed Chisora gave in his FOTY contender with Dillian Whyte. Chisora, 32, lost the fight via split decision, but the war was so brutal and so close it could have gone either way – Charles had it a draw, which probably would have been the fairest result, what with the two British heavies going tooth and nail for all 12 rounds, seemingly impossible to split as they were on December 10th.

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Video: Early look at Gennady Golovkin vs. Danny Jacobs

Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs) is widely recognized as one of the greatest talents in the entire boxing world. On the other hand, he is also largely regarded as the most untested elite talents in the sport. During his reign of utter dominance, Golovkin has had trouble securing meaningful fights with worthwhile opponents. 2016 was an especially disappointing year for Golovkin. He fought just two times beating unknown mandatory challenger Dominic Wade in April, and defeating career welterweight titlist Kell Brook in September. Neither fight was particularly intriguing, and both turned out to be mismatches as expected.

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Is Joe Smith Junior The Fighter of The Year?

Go back to the start of this year and chances are you had never heard of Joe Smith Junior. But then, in June, “The Irish Bomber” scored a huge upset when he took out the tough and well known Andrzej Fonfara inside a round. This win certainly got the 27-year-old known, and the stoppage victory also earned Smith Jnr an even bigger fight – one with living legend Bernard Hopkins, and we all know what happened there this past Saturday night.

Now, with his fighter going 3-0(3) in 2016, Promoter Joe DeGuardia feels Smith is more than worthy of picking up The Fighter of The Year award. Speaking with Ringtv.com, DeGuardia explained why Smith, 23-1(19) is more worthy than Terence Crawford; Crawford being the front-runner for the distinction in the opinion of many people.

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King comments on Povetkin vs. Stiverne

Top rated heavyweights Alexander Povetkin and Bermane Stiverne were scheduled to fight for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Interim Heavyweight title on Saturday night at the Ekaterinburg Expo Center in Ekaterinburg, Russia. However, the WBC withdrew it’s sanctioning of the bout due to a Povetkin failed drug test. The WBC informed both camps of their decision Friday evening and advised the Stiverne camp they should not go through with the fight. The WBC abides by “Safety First” protocol in their Clean Boxing Program.

Povetkin (31-1, 23 KOs) from Checkhov, Russia was going into the fight rated No. 1 by the WBC. No. 2 rated Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) was born and raised in Haiti, now residing in Las Vegas. They were to fight for the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title, the winner becoming mandatory challenger to current champion Deontay Wilder, who has been incapable of defending due to injury.

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