Too Early For Year-end Awards?

As 2013 heads into the closing straight, there aren't too many cards left that can change a decent if not spectacular domestic year. The BoxNation-Sky divide has watered the domestic scene down somewhat. Monopolies are often frowned upon, however, when Sky was the only show in town and the likes of Maloney, Warren, Hatton and Matchroom had to pit their best fighters against one another in order to earn airtime, the fans were the winners (for once).

So which fights/fighters have stood out for you this year?

Fighter Of The Year

Carl Froch
Darren Barker
Derry Mathews
Carl Frampton
Scott Quigg
Lee Selby

Comeback Of The Year

Stephen Smith
Derry Mathews
Enzo Maccarinelli
Dereck Chisora

Fight Of The Year (involving two British boxers)

Mathews vs Coyle
Froch vs Groves
Conquest vs Camacho
Crolla vs Rees
Crolla vs Mathews II

Hero Of The Year

Darren Barker
George Groves
Derry Mathews
Ricky Burns
Enzo Maccarinelli

As someone else said, if Barker beats Sturm then I think he nudges Froch for fighter of the year. Especially given the unpalatable end to the GG fight.

Hard to feel any of the four listed deserve comeback of the year. Enzo Mac shouldn't be encouraged, Del got 2 soft stoppages. Tempted to say Smith, 2 decent wins towards the end of the year.

Froch-GG for me, despite the ending.

'Hero', Burns cannot be in with a shout, whether the screw-job was his fault or not (it wasn't, obvs). GG's performance might be considered heroic, I don't think anyone backed him to do what he did, but he still lost. Another award that turns on the Sturm fight for me, Barker takes this one too if he wins.

Think that Burns fighting with a broken jaw for so long was quite heroic, despite the result.

I agree.

Froch or Barker

Chisora

Crolla v Matthews II

Barker

Carl Froch

Macnarelli

Groves v Froch

Darren Barker

Cheers Rodders

Froch or barker

Matthews

Froch v groves

Barker

Barker has to be in for the comeback of the year too

After getting dropped by the body shot fre Geale, i thought he was done, then got up and cam back stronger

Fighter if year Froch. Great win vs a Kessler and took out a young up and coming star.

Comeback of the year Derry Matthews (assuming we are talking about fight comebacks and not comebacks in general)

Fight of the Year goes to Froch vs Groves without doubt for me.

Hero of the Year is Darren Barker, finally gained the recognition he deserves and has won himself a belt against a decent fighter at world level unlike some. Throw in his brothers traumatic death and he wins it for me.

I was thinking career comebacks rather than comebacks within a fight.

hazharrison wrote:I was thinking career comebacks rather than comebacks within a fight.

Fair enough Haz, may throw Manny into the mix, great last showing after a couple of bad defeats

Barker
Chisora
Crolla v Matthews
Barker

AlexHuckerby wrote:Think that Burns fighting with a broken jaw for so long was quite heroic, despite the result.

If he'd been heroic in defeat, then I'd agree, however the ending soured the heroics. In the same way the GG ending will have ended Froch's FOTY hopes if Barker gets a result.

Wouldn't say pacman was great in his last showing. He fought Brandon Rios. Id look great.

Would also say he hadn't suffered a couple of 'bad defeats'. 1 bad defeat and the other bout he took a p4p fighter and divisional #1 to the cleaners, only to get screwed on the cards.

rick_dagless wrote:

hazharrison wrote:I was thinking career comebacks rather than comebacks within a fight.

Fair enough Haz, may throw Manny into the mix, great last showing after a couple of bad defeats

As MM says, it's easy to look amazing against a guy who is hand picked to suit your style. Bob Arum said before that fight he picked Rios because he was a come forward fighter who would make it exciting, he left out the part about him being slow as hell.

Manny doesnt get in by virtue of him not being British I guess?

Fair point, but Rios is no mug either, Bradley he did get screwed, but not exactly great for morale, and then to get spraked nastily...

joeyjojo618 wrote:Manny doesnt get in by virtue of him not being British I guess?

oops, should read OP anyhoo back on topic...