Photo by David Becker/Getty Images
Don’t look now, but half of 2016 is already in the books. Dunzo. Gone. Finito.
But don’t fret, that just means we get to look back and recap the first six months of boxing–this is where you’re supposed to jump for joy, or not.
So what’s happened thus far in 2016?
Deontay Wilder started off the year with a huge knockout, but was unable to continue that momentum when his May fight against Alexander Povetkin fell apart due to Povetkin’s positive test for meldonium.
There have been some pretty big upsets so far, but many have been off of American television, thus not catching the eye of mainstream fans in the states.
While the greats of yesteryear–Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao–are still hanging around, they are technically retired. Their retirements have naturally posed a lot of questions about the sports future.
Who will take over as the next fan favorite and cash cow? Gennady Golovkin has made a strong push to take over both of those titles, but his one fight against an unworthy opponent in 2016 has been a disappointment to say the least.
Canelo Alvarez, anointed by many as the sports new leading man, has seemingly wrestled away the Danny Garcia Troll Hatred Award for continuously avoiding a fight with Golovkin.
And, although we’re not voting on best midyear photos, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Round By Round Boxing’s own Marilyn Paulino won a BWAA award for this incredible photo.
Though things aren’t solidified by any means, the first half of 2016 has left a lot to be desired in terms of quality boxing matchups.
Regardless, the staff at RBRBoxing has saddled up once again and decided to try our hand at some midyear awards for the categories of Fight of the Midyear, Upset of the Midyear, KO of the Midyear, Who Is Winning the TV Battle and Fighter of the Midyear.
Whether you agree or disagree with our selections, make sure to leave a comment with your picks below and make sure to vote on each category below the nominees on each page.
Fight of the Midyear
Consensus: Vargas vs. Salido
I’m sure I’ll be one of the few to pick this instead of Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido. Before you come after me with pitchforks and torches, allow me to explain.
A fight of the year needs drama, not just buckets of blood. If blood is all you need to create drama, we should all be up in arms that Quentin Tarantino and Nicolas Winding Refn don’t win Best Picture every year at the Oscars. Blood and guts is what Vargas vs. Salido provided, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It was fun and it had me on the edge of my seat.
But Thurman vs. Porter was more nuanced. It was two legitimate top-five guys going at it in a battle of “Who wants it more?” They dug into each other, but they fought like champions when they were hurt.
They went round for round with another. And when it came to the championship rounds and Thurman knew he was probably down on the cards he came out trying to hurt Porter–it paid off.
This isn’t a classic fight or even one that might still be FOTY by December, but for now it’s a fight that boxing needed pretty badly, especially coming off the heels of the Canelo-Smith announcement.
Pick: Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
What can I say that the eyes didn’t see already?
Tremendous inside fighting, relentless action and an incomprehensible amount of guts make Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido the undisputed fight of the midyear, and maybe even the fight of the year in December!
Finally, hats off to both men.
Pick: Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
Maybe cause this fight is only a week old or so… but it was amazing to watch. A classic clash of styles that pit the swarming pressure fighter against the tactical boxer-puncher, we watched two prime welterweights at the peak of their powers in a battle of attrition.
They created a high-intensity fire fight, where both guys had their moments, that surprisingly lasted to the final bell. In the end, the judges felt Thurman defended his title successfully against the cocksure Porter.
I thought Porter won, because he had Thurman fighting his fight by allowing himself to get pushed around for many of the rounds. Despite that, Thurman landed some heavy punches on Porter that rocked the Cleveland native. Even though I disagreed with the outcome, I’m satisfied with it.
Pick: Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter
Leann Perez, Staff Writer
Although Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter was entertaining, there were moments where Thurman took advantage and won over the rounds.
The fight with Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido was non-stop back-and-forth action. Those two men gave it everything they got and left the fans wanting more!
Pick: Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido
Shelbi Keyes, Staff Writer
The much-anticipated fight between Francisco Vargas and Orlando Salido was guaranteed to be a FOTY candidate before the two fighters had even stepped into the ring and it did not disappoint. Every minute of every round of this fight was action packed.
Lightweight world titleholder Vargas and former titleholder Salido fought to draw at the StubHub Center. In the end, two judges scored the fight 114-114, and one had it 115-113 in favor of Vargas, who retained his title.
I rarely agree with draw decisions, but both fighters deserved to hold their hands up at the end of this fight. Though last weekends fight between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter was also at the top of my list for Fight of the Midyear, I felt Vargas vs. Salido ever so slightly topped it.
Pick: Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido
Alan Garcia, Staff Writer
Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter, what a great fight that was. Two up-and-coming high-caliber fighters, going at it like high-caliber champions.
Both men came into the ring to prove their very best against each other in order to establish who the better fighter is and in response gave everything they had and left it all in the ring.
The reason this fight should be considered fight of the midyear is because it is rare instances like this in which two elite fighters are matched against each other and meet the high expectations the fans paid to see.
Pick: Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
I think most people can agree that this one comes down to two fights, Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido and Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter. Both matchups produced exhilarating moments and you can make credible arguments for both.
While Thurman vs. Porter pitted two top-level guys with more skill, Vargas vs. Salido was a good ol’ fashioned war like HBO has been giving us since the days of Marco Antonio Barrera and Kennedy McKinney (and probably before, but that’s about as far back as I can remember).
I think it speaks to the quality of fights that most people want to see rematches for both.
Pick: Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido
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Other Nominees
Upset of the Midyear
Consensus: Fonfara vs. Smith
Oh man. Somewhere Julio Chavez Jr. and Nathan Cleverly are hiding while Joe Smith Jr. is celebrating this phenomenal upset. We’ve had some great upsets this year, but a first-round KO in what was certainly a major mismatch seals the deal.
I don’t think we’ll see Smith do too much in the future. If he takes on guys like Kovalev or Ward he’ll get starched for sure, but for now this is an upset worth running back on YouTube a few times.
Pick: Andrzej Fonfara vs. Joe Smith
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
There is a wealth of talent fighting in Japan that is getting some international exposure, mainly due to Teiken’s Roman Gonzalez, who has a rising popularity on HBO, as well as a claim to the pound-for-pound number one spot.
Back on topic, Jezreel Corrales’ win over Takashi Uchiyama is the upset of the midyear without a doubt. Making his 13th defense of his WBA super featherweight title (10 defenses ending via KO, TKO and retirement), Uchiyama was an expected favorite over Corrales, who had only seven knockouts in 19 wins before this fight.
What’s more, Uchiyama was undefeated, and had 20 knockouts in 24 victories. However, Corrales was sharp in the early exchanges, and was not intimidated at all. After two knockdowns, a crude left hook put an end to the fight, and the unknown Corrales was the new champion.
Pick: Jezreel Corrales vs. Takashi Uchiyama
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
Joe Smith Jr. surprised us all when he caught an overconfident Andrzej Fonfara throwing a lazy left hook, by countering with a perfect overhand right that mashed his easy button.
We were all stunned, but not as much as a buzzed Fonfara, who couldn’t believe the situation he found himself in while he stumbled around the ring on shaky legs.
As soon as the ref allowed the action to continue, Smith swarmed a conscious, but flaccid Fonfara, who was dropped twice more before the ref called the fight.
What a bad look for Fonfara, getting steamrolled by a mainly obscure challenger in the first round of his second title defense.
Pick: Andrzej Fonfara vs. Joe Smith
Leann Perez, Staff Writer
I couldn’t wait to see Ruslan Provodnikov back in the ring. He truly is a modern day Rocky, and this fight just made me sad.
Provodnikov took a beating and it made (an average) John Molina look amazing. Made me just want to say, ‘Hey Ruslan, maybe it’s time to hang them up.’
However, the new trainer probably didn’t help. Seems like a lot of fighters are getting off the Joel Diaz train.
Pick: Ruslan Provodnikov vs. John Molina
Shelbi Keyes, Staff Writer
A construction worker by day, Joe Smith Jr. insisted before his fight with Andrzej Fonfara that he was ready to show the world how good he really is, and Smith did so in less than three minutes.
Fonfara was heavily favored going into this bout. Smith came out of his corner extremely hungry, unleashing devastating blows to Fonfara. Fonfara was dropped for the first time at the 64-second mark, after Smith delivered a vicious temple shot.
Fonfara was able to get up, but Smith did not hesitate to continue his attack, firing 14-unanswered punches–the last dropping Fonfara again.
Referee Hector Afu was forced to wave an end to the fight at the 2:32 mark.
I did not see that coming.
Pick: Andrzej Fonfara vs. Joe Smith
Alan Garcia, Staff Writer
Boxing is the theater of the unexpected. An upcoming prospect or champion that is favored to win, has the chance of having his lights knocked out by the underestimated underdog.
In this case, Andrzej Fonfara, a good-caliber fighter who was beating the odds against many fighters, was the favorite to win against the relatively unknown Joe Smith.
Unbeknownst to everyone, the matchup ended as quickly as it began. Joe Smith pulled one of the greatest knockout upsets of the year. It is that unpredictability that makes this sport such an entertaining one to watch.
Pick: Andrzej Fonfara vs. Joe Smith
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
Lots of good options in the this category. Interestingly enough, Andrzej Fonfara was the consensus choice in this category last year, expect in 2015 he knocked out the heavily favored Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Oh how times have changed. Many people (including myself) expected the native of Poland to dominate the unheralded construction worker, Joe Smith Jr., but Fonfara was shocked in his adopted hometown of Chicago.
I was close to picking Fonfara vs. Smith, but looking at the big (and shady internet streamed) picture I think Jezreel Corrales vs. Takashi Uchiyama is the best pick here.
Corrales went to Ucyhiyama’s backyard and took the WBA strap with a shocking Round 2 stoppage. Corrales was unranked, while Uchiyama was looking to make his 12th title defense (and remain unbeaten).
Pick: Jezreel Corrales vs. Takashi Uchiyama
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Other Nominees
KO of the Midyear
Consensus: Wilder vs. Szpilka
It’s a dead even tie for me in terms of KO of the midyear, and it’s because I simply can’t decide between what I like better: brute force or technical perfection.
Murat Gassiev’s KO of Jordan Shimmel cemented him as a prospect to watch (especially given his status as a top guy at Abel Sanchez’s gym and Gennady Golovkin’s protege) and he came out swinging in this fight like the ghost of Jack Dempsey, laying on two gorgeous hooks that slept Shimmel.
Lomachenko gave us a ballet of fists against Martinez and completely shut down the hardened veteran, finishing him off with a swift right uppercut followed by a vicious right hook. Legend has it you could hear the boxing hipsters in Brooklyn moan in ecstasy all the way from Midtown.
Pick: Murat Gassiev vs. Jordan Shimmel/Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Rocky Martinez
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
This knockout sticks out to me the most, due to how abrupt it was. It seemed like Artur Szpilka might have gone the distance with Deontay Wilder, after taking his right hands and not wilting. But an excellent counter right hand by Wilder on an approaching Szpilka gave the crowd a dramatic end.
Elaborating, the sheer velocity of the punch (the punch was even heard during the broadcast), combined with its abruptness and unpredictability, makes Wilder’s knockout over Szpilka the KO of the Midyear for me personally.
In other words, the perfect visual demonstration of what a one-punch knockout is.
Pick: Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
This was definitely the knockout of the midyear for me. In a brilliant display of great technique and punching power, Vasyl Lomachenko brutally floored Rocky Martinez for his junior lightweght title.
Lomachenko short circuited Martinez with a beautiful left uppercut, right hook combination that flattened the former titlist.
A true knockout, not a stoppage, that was set up perfectly on a retreating Martinez–who had been severely outclassed from the first bell–exciting all who saw it live.
Pick: Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Rocky Martinez
Leann Perez, Staff Writer
We all saw it coming… Amir Khan jumping up two weight classes to take on Canelo Alvarez. However, the actual KO was brutal!
Easily the KO of the year, and the icing on the cake was hearing Khan say, “I had the balls to do it, now Canelo needs to do the same.”
Pick: Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan
Shelbi Keyes, Staff Writer
Being able to watch and cover this fight in person was an amazing experience to say the least. The atmosphere at the T-Mobile Arena was electric from the weigh-in, all the way to fight night.
This was easily one of the most diverse fights I have ever been to. People came from all over the world to watch Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan go toe-to-toe.
While the fight seemed to be going in Amir Khan’s favor in the beginning rounds, and his fans weren’t shy in showing their excitement, it was short-lived. Canelo was heavily favored going into this fight and he showed why in the sixth round with a brutal one-punch knockout.
Seeing this knockout in person and seeing the reaction of the crowd is a major reason I am picking this as KO of the Midyear.
Pick: Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan
Alan Garcia, Staff Writer
Boxing is a point-scoring system. That is what boxing is all about. Knockout victories are what I like to call the icing on the cake. When every spectator is watching boxing, the surprise they get when someone goes down for the count is unpredictable.
People have grown so fond of KO victories nowadays that it has transitioned into something everyone is now expecting in a boxing match. The unpredictability of a knockout is a devastating surprise that catches everyone with an untrained eye, unaware.
Therefore the KO of the Year should be awarded to Deontay Wilder against Artur Szpilka. This fight was going south for Wilder on points when Wilder did what boxing is all about, pulled a knockout victory out of thin air.
The reason Wilder’s stoppage should be nominated for KO of the Midyear is for two reasons, both men were within the same weight limit, making it a fair contest, and because of the dramatic conclusion of the fight.
Although this sport is for the entertainment of the people, accidents do occur and fatalities have happened. I don’t wish any man who steps into the ring any more harm than what they already endure, but the way Szpilka was knocked out, I was almost positive he had died on impact.
Thankfully enough he was okay after a few minutes of being unconscious. Not only was this an entertaining fight that ended with a devastating knockout, but the way the dramatic knockout was delivered was what makes it the KO of the Midyear.
Pick: Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
This category has so many great choices, with some more higher profile than others. Although it was a jaw-dropping KO, I will not go with Canelo Alvarez’s KO of Amir Khan for the simple fact that it was grossly unfair in terms of size.
I was tempted to pick Murat Gassiev’s murderous hook that sent Jordan Shimmel into another dimension, but Deontay Wilder’s sledgehammer right hand dropping on Artur Szpilka in January takes the cake for me.
Pick: Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka
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Other Nominees
Who is Winning the TV Battle?
Consensus: HBO
Photo by Marilyn Paulino
I’m giving this one to no one.
They’re all losing the TV battle. HBO is putting things on PPV that should be on Boxing After Dark (Canelo-Smith anyone?), PBC is tanking in the ratings department while its star fighters almost never get in the ring in the first place, and Showtime is investing in good fights but doesn’t have the star power to put itself on top.
2016 is a bad year for televised boxing. Hopefully it’s just a bad start that improves down the line.
Pick: None
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
HBO’s content on all fronts shows why they are the preeminent network on television, and that doesn’t change from a boxing perspective.
With lacklustre numbers on Showtime and PBC broadcasts, HBO keep pulling in impressive numbers, mostly due to Gennady Golovkin.
From its production quality on fight night, to its programming like 24/7, as well as its commentary, HBO has not been matched this year, and I do not think it will be for the foreseeable future.
Pick: HBO
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
PBC came really close, but HBO has to be the network of the midyear.
You can’t see upper-echelon fighters on the pound for pound list like Roman Gonzalez or Gennady Golovkin fight anywhere else.
Not to mention they aired many quality fights like Terence Crawford vs. Hank Lundy, Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal II, Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido and a lot of fights that are options on these midyear categories.
Pick: HBO
Leann Perez, Staff Writer
Gotta say, HBO has broadcast some of the better fights this year. Also, some of the fights with the highest viewer ratings have been on HBO.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao vs. Tim Bradley and Francisco Vargas Orlando Salido have all been on HBO or HBO PPV.
Pick: HBO
Shelbi Keyes, Writer
I love the fact that Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions is bringing boxing back to network TV. Last year I was skeptical, but I will admit the matchups are getting much more competitive and entertaining to watch. But, based on the fights I’ve watched up to this point in 2016, in my opinion HBO still has the edge.
January: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal II
February: Terrence Crawford vs. Hank Lundy (Felix Verdejo vs. William Silva)
March: Luis Ortiz vs. Tony Thompson (Sadam Ali vs. Jessie Vargas) & Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera
April: Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley (Jose Ramirez vs. Manny Perez, Valdez vs. Evgeny Gradovich, Gilberto Ramirez vs. Arthur Abraham) & Gennady Golovkin vs. Dominic Wade (Roman Gonzalez vs. McWilliams Arroyo)
May: Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan (Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens, Mauricio Herrera vs. Frankie Gomez, David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia)
June: Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido (Julian Ramirez vs. Abraham Lopez) & Rocky Martinez vs. Vasyl Lomachenko
This schedule speaks for itself.
Pick: HBO
Alan Garcia, Staff Writer
PBC is rising fast in viewers because it has been producing great matchups, therefore giving them a slight edge in numbers. However, I still choose HBO to win the TV battle for many reasons.
HBO has the proper class and fighters to keep this sport high in its respectable elegance. Also the fact that PBC and Showtime both join together to televise fights to compete against HBO is reason enough for me to think HBO is the much better and truer boxing network.
Although HBO has been a little quiet lately, its because Showtime and Al Haymon have monopolized their fighters to fight against each other in snooze-fest fights, meanwhile HBO waits for great fights to make.
HBO has the truer pound-for-pound boxers and are always looking to set high-caliber matches. HBO televises by quality, not quantity, making this the top network.
Pick: HBO
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
If we were choosing which network has the best fighters, HBO would win easily. But, I’m taking Premier Boxing Champions because of the better overall televised bouts.
HBO’s gross mismatches have surpassed the good fights (Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido) they’ve put on. Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal 2, Luis Ortiz vs. Tony Thompson, Terence Crawford vs. Hank Lundy, Gennady Golovkin vs. Dominic Wade and Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan were all unnecessary mismatches.
PBC isn’t the clear winner, because Lord knows they feed us some crap, but they have given us Danny Garcia vs. Robert Guerrero, Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto, Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter and eye-grabbing knockouts like Murat Gassiev vs. Jordan Shimmel and Thomas Williams vs. Edwin Rodriguez.
I do expect HBO to take over down the stretch with Crawford vs. Viktor Postol and Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward on deck.
Pick: PBC
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Fighter of the Midyear
Consensus: Errol Spence
When Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather stop fighting finally, there had better be someone already in place to take up their cause. All this year has proved is that boxing is only relevant when these two guys are around.
Who this year beat an opponent with a better resume than Tim Bradley? Not Keith Thurman because Shawn Porter would probably be outboxed by the vet. Not Anthony Joshua. Not Terence Crawford. Not Canelo Alvarez. Not Vasyl Lomachenko.
So far the best guy with the best performance this year was Pacquiao. This is bound to change by the end of the year if Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev actually face off, but until something like that happens, Pac Man is still the best fighter so far this year.
Pick: Manny Pacquiao – 2016 Record: 1-0, 0 KO
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
I’d give this award to Andre Ward just for stepping up to fight Sergey Kovalev in the fall, when he is not obliged to, after others have decided to shy away like Adonis Stevenson.
But I am nominating Andre Ward after stepping up to light heavyweight and defeating a competitive, undefeated fighter in Sullivan Barrera comfortably, who was also the IBF number one contender.
Using all his wit and skill that we are accustomed to, Andre Ward looked comfortable at 175lbs and showed no signs of being overpowered or hustled on the inside. Ward completely dominated Barrera, and as a consequence, has a great chance to translate his dominance at 168lbs to 175lbs.
A massive amount of respect to Andre Ward, in a time where we see a lot of fighters brush off the chance to show they’re the best, and would much rather say they’re number one verbally than prove it physically.
He could have played the safe route and stay at super middleweight, but instead he is daring to be great, and has certainly made a comfortable start to life at light heavyweight.
Pick: Andre Ward – 2016 Record: 1-0, 0 KO
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
Errol Spence is definitely a guy to keep an eye on. He’s a five-star prospect who has been getting a lot of exposure as a staple fighter for Premier Boxing Champions.
His momentum continues to leave him in better position for a title fight with each passing performance. As the level of opposition has been progressing, Spence continues to separate himself from the rest of the pack.
As evidenced by his stoppage of Chris Algieri, a former world titlist who not only survived 12 rounds while defeating Ruslan Provodnikov, but also managed to do the same in a loss to Manny Pacquiao.
The stoppage was knockout number six in his ongoing streak. He’s slated to fight world title challenger, Leonard Bundu late next month. Stay tuned as this kid has the goods and will continue to exceed expectation.
Pick: Errol Spence – 2016 Record: 1-0, 1 KO
Leann Perez, Staff Writer
I honestly can’t even bring myself to vote for someone on this list. I have yet to be amazed by anyone for the first half of 2016. So many fighters have taken such safe fights, or easy wins.
I have yet to see anyone on this list be truly tested or bring us, the fans, an all-out war.
Let’s hope the second half of 2016 gives us some great moments to talk about for our end of the year awards!
Pick: None
Shelbi Keyes, Staff Writer
Even though Sergey Kovalev has only fought once in 2016 defeating Jean Pascal again via RTD, in my opinion he just continues to get better and show off his skills by picking his opponents apart.
Also, Kovalev just keeps moving up in the pound-for-pound rankings, coming in at No. 2 per the Ring Magazine.
Sergey is taking on Isaac Chilemba next month and in September he will collide with Andre Ward–I am looking forward to seeing the Krusher continue to prove himself.
Pick: Sergey Kovalev – 2016 Record: 1-0, 1 KO
Alan Garcia, Staff Writer
Fighter of the midyear award goes to Errol Spence, hands down.
I don’t mean to discard a lot of great talent there is by not mentioning names like Terence Crawford, Gennady Golovkin or Sergey Kovalev, but the reason I choose Spence to win the Fighter of the Midyear award is because he’s an uprising talent that captured the imagination of a lot of boxing critics with his dominating win over Chris Algieri.
Spence did in four rounds what Manny Pacquiao and Ruslan Provodnikov couldn’t do in 12, thus making him a definite candidate for Fighter of the Midyear and a prospect to keep an eye on.
Pick: Errol Spence – 2016 Record: 1-0, 1 KO
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
To me, no fighter has really stood out in the first half of 2016, but I think Vasyl Lomachenko’s record-breaking victory against Rocky Martinez merits him the award.
Manny Pacquiao’s victory over pound-for-pound opponent Tim Bradley gives him a place at this table, but the way Lomachenko put the WBO titlist Martinez away was the exclamation point for me.
Pick: Vasyl Lomachenko – 2016 Record: 1-0, 1 KO
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