By Anthony Evans
and pic by Mr Will : As our most recent fan poll clearly shows, 2004 was a pretty damn good year for the Sweet Science as the recent trend of the best meeting the best continued. Upsets, compelling fights, new stars emerging, we had it all in 2004.
Memories seldom get a once-over at an editor's desk; so I hope the reader will forgive the style I've chosen to present mine of the out-going year. Here's to 2004!
January -
The FBI raids the offices of Top Rank; many in the trade believe when 'Operation Matchbox' ignites Bob Arum will be blown out of the water. We'll see.
- German based light heavy Zsolt Erdei defeats Julio Gonzalez to become linear champ but no-one cares. They still don't care a year on, and that's a shame
February -
Lennox -Lewis's retirement - I thought it disingenuous that praise was lavished on certain Johnny-come-lately types while no mention was made of long-time promoter Panos Eliades and manager Frank Maloney. But, whatever, the central message from Lewis was that
- Oh, I was ringside in Sheffield, England to see an 'unknown' called Glenn Johnson win the vacant IBF title v Clinton Woods
March -
- Winky Wright gate-crashed the Big Dance with a seemingly effortless 12 round win over much favoured Sugar Shane Mosley. If there was such an award, Wright's southpaw master class would have been shoo-in for Performance of the Year.
- Fighter of the Year candidate Diego Corrales boxes masterfully to get revenge over Joel Casamayor and trainer Joe Goossen (who'd jumped from Casamayor to team Corrales) also proved he's one of the very best.
April -
- What was Manny Steward thinking by telling a clearly exhausted Wladimir Klitschko to keep his workrate up v Lamon Brewster. I've seen count-outs and knockouts but never seen a fighter PASS OUT in a world title fight. I like Wlad as a fighter and as a person, but his reckless post-fight accusations that he was poisoned were embarrassing.
- I really enjoyed Cory Spinks' wafer-thin win over Zab Judah (and am happy they fight a rematch in February).
- If only Corrie Sanders hadn't set-up his training camp at KFC, he may well have beaten Vitali Klitschko for the vacant WBC title.
May -
- Roy Jones is knocked cold by Antonio Tarver. Nuff said.
- Juan Manuel Marquez survives - and then thrives - following that three-knockdown first round v Manny Pacquiao.
June -
Oscar De La Hoya may have really lost his fight with Felix Sturm, but at least it was a fight. What the heck was Bernard Hopkins doing with Robert Allen? Some sort of courtship dance? Rather than whet the appetite for De La Hoya v Hopkins in September, the June 5 double header gave made me want to dial out for pizza.
July -
- The career of Mike Tyson is finally ended after Danny Williams absorbs everything thrown at him, returns fire and melts the will to win from Iron Mike's suspect ticker. Williams wins Upset of the Year and makes himself a millionaire - and it couldn't have fallen into place for a nicer guy.
August -
- Diego Corrales' rise from his personal and professional hell is complete as he forced previously unbeaten Acelino Freitas to quit in 10 rounds. Corrales, who won his second world title in as many weight divisions in as many fights, overcame a torrid opening six rounds to break the Brazilian's heart.
September -
- Hopkins stops De La Hoya in antiseptic, anticlimactic borefest. Both men fought as though they were terrified of losing for much of the fight and the 'liver shot' that finished De La Hoya was, in many eyes, hardly the hardest shot the Golden Boy has taken. I consider myself a fan of Oscar's and admire Hopkins greatly (even if he doesn't pick on anyone his own size) but this 'super-fight' left me cold.
- that unknown fighter, Glen Johnson, beats down and knocks out Roy Jones Junior, ending the career of the most talented fighter of the last 15 years.
October -
- Trinidad v Mayorga was the anti-Hopkins v De La Hoya. As soon as Tito woke up after taking all sorts in the opening few minutes, this fight was essentially a mismatch. Yet it was the Hagler v Hearns of mismatches and a near hysteric, packed Madison Square Garden raised these eight violent rounds to almost Fight of the Year levels. That's amazing, considering Tito only lost a single round and scored three pulverising knockdowns...
November -
- Kostya Tszyu, aged 35, is simply awesome in shelling Sharmba Mitchell to smithereens in his first fight back after an 18 month injury-laden lay-off. The guy is incredible.
- Barrera Morales III was everything we wanted it to be. It even has a clear - if close - winner in a resurrected Marco Antonio Barrera.
December -
- Danny Williams fought a tactically disastrous fight but, in doing so, redefined boxing courage in refusing to quit v Vitali Klitschko. Klitschko is, for me, the best heavyweight on the planet and those who says James Toney and Hasim Rahman will beat him are in for a disappointing 2005.
- suddenly 'known' - and even appreciated - that Glen Johnson dude beats Antonio Tarver in a heck of a fight and becomes Fighter of the Year.
What a story, what a year.
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