As every new year starts in boxing, so the saying goes that it is on its death bed.
When 2013 began it was no different and despite the controversies which
embroiled the sport over the course of the 12 months there were plenty of
positives to ensure that it lives for another year at least.
Big fights were made, even match up’s occurred across weight divisions
and new stars emerged albeit at the expense others.
In a sport where one punch can rewrite the script and shape the
future of many we had our fair share of shocks and course altering
moments.
Whilst the promotional war of Top Rank & Goldenboy continued to rage on; fans were still treated to some huge fights which put boxing back in the media limelight, none more so than the ever eccentric American Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez. The Light-Welter & Welterweight divisions continued to be the place
to be, with money making fights every which way you looked, whilst the Heavyweight division, the original marquee of the sport continued it’s run as the laughing stock.
Through it all we watched and observed and now after long deliberation and discussion we here at V2 bring you our ‘View From V2 2013 Boxing Awards’.
V2 Boxing Awards 2013
by Owen Meek
V2 FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: GUILLERMO RIGONDEUX
The most prestigious of the awards, this category wasn’t short of candidates; Adonis Stevenson, Tim Bradley & Gennady Golovkin all missing out. In the end it came down to two men, Floyd Mayweather & Guillermo Rigondeux. Whilst Floyd proved once again his undoubted dominance with a victory over hot prospect Canelo Alvarez & former 3 weight world champion Robert Guerrero we decided that only one man truly deserved the very first V2 Fighter Of The Year award. Guillermo Rigondeux went 2-0 in 2013; at the tail end of the year he overcame mandatory Joseph Agbeko but it’s his feat in April 2013 which scoops him the award. Stepping into the ring for a genuine 50/50 fight he showed class in abundance to take apart & dominate fellow Super-Bantamweight Nonito Donaire. The Filipino came into the contest on the back of perhaps the hottest run in World Boxing having dismantled almost everyone from Bantamweight up to Super-Bantam…yet Rigondeux showed everyone just why he was so highly thought of from his amateur days, finally making a true mark in the pro game. Whilst the scorecards had it relatively close, the truth was that the Cuban kept a usually pro-active and busy fighter at bay all night, Donaire clueless how to get to him bar a knockdown in the 10th Round. With the victory Rigondeux showed that whilst he may not have the razzmatazz of someone like Mayweather; he is in terms of boxing skills truly exceptional.