School Projects Fight of the Year, Biggest Upset and Most Disapointing... So Far:

With the "Boxing Season" taking a break so far, I thought I'd engage you lot on what has so far been an alright year in Boxing. I would add a poll but I'd like to get your input before hand, so PLEASE feel free to add to my list

Fight of the Year:

This was a close one, between two GREAT fights... but

Victor Ortiz vs Andre Berto.

Back and forth action, never a dull moment in the fight and a fight I honestly thought Berto would have handled with ease. How I was wrong, the young Ortiz showed something that a lot of people didn't think he had... Heart. It was a great match to watch and Ortiz has increased his fanbase once more and proved a number of doubters wrong.

One moment you thought it was Bertos fight, then Ortiz. A real throwback fight in modern times.

Notable mention: John Murray vs Kevin Mitchell

Again, a great fight. Everyone I spoke to thought Murray would have this one, my money was on Mitchell by UD. The first three rounds were tough going for both fighters, with Mitchell landing BEAUTIFUL uppercuts, through relentless pressure from Murray. I'm a massive fan of "Boxer vs. Brawler" fights and this is one in which the styles mixed well for an entertaining fight.

Biggest Upset:

Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. vs Jorge Arce.

A great fight in itself, Arce managed to pull off an empathetic win. Vazquez had the chance to show the World how good he was on an big PPV card with Pacquaio vs. Mosely. It was his fight to win, he was fighting a blown up and older Arce... how wrong everyone was. Instead of Arce overcoming to Vazquez's pressure, he won, in big fashion and above all stole the show. Beating the younger man.

Notable Mentions: Kirkland vs. Ishida and Maidana vs. Morales.

James Kirkland, rising star of the Junior Middleweight and Middleweight division, being fed tomato can after tomato can instead of getting himself some more time in the gym. His aggression for a fight every 3 weeks, was his downfall. This was meant to be another routine win for him, instead a short jab-cross wobbled the feared up and comer and possibly exposed another Lacy-styled hype job. Big upset for the prospect.

I'm not saying that this was an upset because the wrong guy won, it's the fashion that he won that surprises me. Morales said himself "Am I the only person who thinks I can win this fight?"... at the time most of us thought so, but he exposed Maidana for what most of us already knew, he's a crude slugger who doesn't train hard. Morales didn't WIN the fight, but in terms of upsetting the odds and proven some people wrong, I believe he deserves to be mentioned.

Most Disappointing:

Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye.

Obvious really. Haye, the most exciting heavyweight for some time, FINALLY getting the dream heavyweight match against Klitschko - "OOOH It's going to be a good fight!" Haye promised Max Kellerman, "I've got a remedy for that jab" Haye told Wladimir. He delivered neither. We were expecting the most explosive, tension laced heavyweight fight since Lewis vs. Tyson. We didn't recieve. Call it blind faith, but I honestly thing that Haye has the tools to beat Wladimir... will he have the chance to prove it again? He doesn't deserve it.

No notable mentions that I can think of.

What do you guys think?

upset of the year had to be groves vs degale, hardly anyone said groves could do it, degale was talking trash at a respectiable george all through the build up and then on the night groves fought his heart out and sneaked the tiniest of victorys, at the end degale for a second though he'd won just to have the carpet pulled from underneath him, he even bet his purse on it.

I thought about Groves vs. DeGale... I thought beforehand it was a closer fight than most predicted. How badly were the odds effected Eddie?

Surely the biggest upset of the year was Juanma losing to Salido?

Upset for me was when Manuel Lopez lost! Put his proposed fight with Gamboa to bed!

FOTY: Conception vs Marquez.

Notables: Berto-Ortiz, Mitchell-Murray, Wolak-Rodriguez, Lee-McEwan, Maidana-Morales, Arce-Vasquez, Rios-Acosta.

Upset: Rubio KO Lemieux, Salido KO Lopez, Ishida KO Kirkland.

Most Disappointing: Bradley-Alexander. Thought the Haye fight would go like that.

cant argue with yours Scott, Berto v Ortiz defo fight of year thus far. Rios Antillon was great while it lasted too. Been a great year for match ups with the odd questionable performance and judging

Macklin v Sturm might have been upset of the year for me if Macklin had got the nod, but he did not.

School Project wrote:I thought about Groves vs. DeGale... I thought beforehand it was a closer fight than most predicted. How badly were the odds effected Eddie?

im not exactly sure, but i can remember only 2 out of 33 "experts" asked by sky said grove's would win, most sayin KO for degale

Conception vs Marquez:

Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN_SxwQppuo
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpY4hroERH8
Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU-UDp-T52Y

Mitchell vs Murray:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80El4tL5acM

a FOTY i would say would be Katsidis vs Marquez. I know it was beginning of the year or late last year, cant remember, but it was class!

Just thinking, been a good few upsets this year hasn't there?

I take issue with Haye Wlad being the most disappointing. Maybe from a Haye fan's perspective but I honestly thought it was a good fight. Wlad went up in my estimation, the way he used his size and strength to hold off Haye and back off from Haye's lunging rights and then grabbing hold and leaning before Haye could launch a second wave on the inside was classic big man beating smaller man tactics. Haye also gave what he could and took a couple of meaty wallops so went up slightly in my estimation too until that blessed TOE excuse and swiftly went back down in estimation again!

i think he does get a lot of stick, all his own fault but a lot nether the less. people say he did exactly the same as wlads other opponents, i say he did slightly better, he never really looked hurt, landed a few big punches but just wasnt good enough in the end- no shame in that, not many are.

Alexander/Bradley has to surely be the most disappointing of the year? Alexander showed no heart at all, and was complaining at every opportunity before taking an easy route out. At least Haye took some shots, went the distance before whining about it all. I suppose Haye was more disappointing given the hype, but there was always the possibility that Wlad would simply just jab him the night away, so we can't all be too surprised.

Real good points boys.

I'm going to have a good read through when I get home. Currently stuck in traffic due to some fool burning his lorry on the M4 the other day!

most disappointing - maybe klitschko v solis

or cook burns

Cook vs Burns was a massive cop-out, I was watching that card with some non fight fan friends and I thought I'd put them off the sport for life. Thankfully we had Murray and Mitchell to follow.

The boxing community were hardly hotly anticipating that fight though.