nicest protagonists and exceptionally talented to boot. Burns was involved in the domestic fight that everyone wanted to see in 2012 when he defeated Kevin Mitchell.
Ahead of that fight it seemed as though people just hadn't learned from backing against Burns time and again only to be proved wrong. What they weren't expecting was a four round knockout win for the Scotsman.
However, as good as the victory was it posed some interesting questions over the career of Ricky Burns. Ricky has ability in abundance but it could be argued that he hasn't fought a genuinely world class operator since shocking the world to beat Rocky Martinez and claim the super featherweight world title. People will point to Burns' victory over Michael Katsidis but the Australian's performances since facing Ricky suggest he's a shadow of the fighter once feared globally.
That could well change in 2013 as a possible unification bout against Adrien Broner has been discussed. Ricky will have what his promoter Frank Warren has called a “marking time” fight, possibly at the end of January while Broner himself also has the small matter of Welshman Gavin Rees to overcome when the two men meet in February.
Whatever happens between Rees and Broner there can be no doubt that 2013 should be the year in which Ricky Burns cements his place at boxing's top table. The time has come to leave behind the domestic challengers and take on the planet's finest lightweights. His personality and skills demand it.
I recently called Nathan Cleverly's tenure as WBO light heavyweight king one of the most insipid title reigns in living memory and 2012 has done little to change my opinion on that. In possession of a title that he didn't wrest from another fighter and a string of weak defences leave Cleverly in a spot of bother.
The young man from Cefn Forest in South Wales is another likeable fighter and should not be held responsible for his stalling career. Unfortunately, the blame lies squarely with his promotional team and in particular, Frank Warren. I have the utmost respect for what Warren has achieved in boxing but he has effectively sold Cleverly down the river in the way in which the fighter's career has been handled to date.
Warren saw an opportunity to claim the title from the weakest champion in the division when they went after a fight with Juergen Braehmer. That fight never materialised and Cleverly was handed the title by default. His string of defences since then have made for some ugly reading.
The hardest of those defences came against Tony Bellew in a fight that would have had more resonance as a European title fight but, nevertheless, it was an opportunity for Nathan to kick on and fight some of the bigger names in the weight class.
Subsequent contests against Tommy Karpency and Shaun Hawk, men who would struggle to be recognised at their own family reunions, have left fans cold. Warren keeps stoking the rumour fires with regard to a fight against Bernard Hopkins if Cleverly defeats Robin Krasniqi in March. However, this appears to be just talk because as promoter Kalle Sauerland points out, the winner of Cleverly v Krasniqi must face the winner of Braehmer's contest against Eduard Gutknecht next month.
It is a real shame for Nathan Cleverly to be losing the faith of the fans at such a young age but the truth of the matter is that he has been a world champion since 2011 and not once during that time has he been tested by a world level operator. 2013 is a year that could make or break the career of a fighter we have yet to see the best of.
George can be reached on Twitter @george_ogier
20 the nuthouse