By Derek Bonnett: As another excellent year of professional prize-fighting concludes, SecondsOut has honored boxing’s greatest practitioners and non-participants with such accolades as Fighter of the Year, Fight of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Service to Boxing, etc. However, among the 170 ranked SecondsOut fighters and beyond, a multitude of fighters go unrecognized for their less obvious contributions to the sport inside of a single division. Each fighter brings something special into the ring and honors their weight class with unique qualities.
The following is a divisional breakdown of boxers and the various superlatives I would award them with. There can only be one Fighter of the Year, but here I can honor seventeen separate fighters for being the Best Boxer or Best Puncher in their respective class. I can alert SecondsOut fans of various divisional fighters On the Rise, who one day may be featured in our SecondsOut world rankings. Most of these superlatives are obvious, but some require explanation. For example, the Is He Still Around? award acknowledges fighters for lengthy careers regardless of their success or someone who has fallen off the radar. Incidentally, one of last year’s Is He Still Around? winners, Caleb Truax, is now a world champion. The same can be said in the Most Protected column as Gervonta Davis went on to become a world champion. The Deserves a Title Shot nod refers to a fighter who deserves a chance at SecondsOut’s currently ranked number one fighter in the division in 2016 or one of the current titlists. For example, a current titlist, such as Billy Joe Saunders, could deserve a title shot against the SecondsOut number one rated boxer, such as Gennady Golovkin.
These superlatives reflect my own thoughts and were comprised entirely for fun and in the interest of sparking boxing discussion and debate. As usual, for further boxing discourse, go to Facebook and ask to join the DBOxing page.
Happy New Year!
Heavyweight
Best Puncher: Deontay Wilder
Best Boxer: Alexander Povetkin
Most Protected: Trevor Bryan
Is He Still Around?: Alexander Dimitrenko
Matchmaker’s Dream: Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder
On the Rise: Adam Kowacki
Deserves a Title Shot: Alexander Povetkin
Most Fun to Watch: Dominic Breazeale
On Their Way Out: Carlos Takam
Underrated: Jarrell Miller
Cruiserweight
Best Puncher: Murat Gassiev
Best Boxer: Oleksandr Usyk
Most Protected: Jose Gregorio Ulrich
Is He Still Around?: Danny Green
Matchmaker’s Dream: Oleksandr Usyk vs Mairis Briedis
On the Rise: Constantin Bejenaru
Deserves a Title Shot: Yunier Dorticos
Most Fun to Watch: Dmitry Kudryashov
On Their Way Out: Krzysztof Wlodarczyk
Underrated: Andrew Tabiti
Light Heavyweight
Best Puncher: Oleksandr Gvozdyk
Best Boxer: Eleider Alvarez
Most Protected: Adam Deines
Is He Still Around?: Chad Dawson
Matchmaker’s Dream: Sergey Kovalev vs Adonis Stevenson
On the Rise: Anthony Yarde
Deserves a Title Shot: Dmitry Bivol
Most Fun to Watch: Dmitry Bivol
On Their Way Out: Andrzej Fonfara
Underrated: Sullivan Barrera
Super Middleweight
Best Puncher: Chris Eubank Jr.
Best Boxer: George Groves
Most Protected: Roamer Alexis Angulo
Is He Still Around?: Lolenga Mock
Matchmaker’s Dream: George Groves vs Chris Eubank Jr.
On the Rise: David Benavidez
Deserves a Title Shot: Callum Smith
Most Fun to Watch: Chris Eubank Jr.
On Their Way Out: Arthur Abraham
Underrated: Lolenga Mock
Middleweight
Best Puncher: Ryota Murata
Best Boxer: Gennady Golovkin
Most Protected: Jaime Munguia
Is He Still Around?: Sam Soliman
Matchmaker’s Dream: Gennady Golovkin vs Jermall Charlo
On the Rise: Sergiy Derevanychenko
Deserves a Title Shot: Billy Joe Saunders
Most Fun to Watch: Gennady Golovkin
On Their Way Out: Hassan N’Dam N’jikam
Underrated: Hugo Centeno Jr.
Junior Middleweight
Best Puncher: Jermell Charlo
Best Boxer: Erislandy Lara
Most Protected: Sergio Garcia
Is He Still Around?: Cornelius Bundrage
Matchmaker’s Dream: Jermell Charlo vs Jarrett Hurd
On the Rise: Brian Carlos Castano
Deserves a Title Shot: Maciej Sulecki
Most Fun to Watch: Jermell Charlo
On Their Way Out: Austin Trout
Underrated: Sadam Ali
Welterweight
Best Puncher: Errol Spence Jr.
Best Boxer: Errol Spence Jr.
Most Protected: Tewa Kiram
Is He Still Around?: Antonio Demarco
Matchmaker’s Dream: Errol Spence Jr. vs Keith Thurman
On the Rise: Qudratillo Abduqaxurov
Deserves a Title Shot: Shawn Porter
Most Fun to Watch: Manny Pacquiao
On Their Way Out: Diego Gabriel Chaves
Underrated: Jessie Vargas
Junior Welterweight
Best Puncher: Josh Taylor
Best Boxer: Terence Crawford
Most Protected: Emiliano Dominguez Rodriguez
Is He Still Around?: Czar Amonsot
Matchmaker’s Dream: Josh Taylor vs John Molina Jr.
On the Rise: Regis Prograis
Deserves a Title Shot: Josh Taylor
Most Fun to Watch: John Molina Jr.
On Their Way Out: Ricky Burns
Underrated: Eduard Troyanovsky
Lightweight
Best Puncher: Jorge Linares
Best Boxer: Jorge Linares
Most Protected: Xolisani Ndongeni
Is He Still Around?: Sharif Bogere
Matchmaker’s Dream: Jorge Linares vs Mikey Garcia
On the Rise: Ryan Martin
Deserves a Title Shot: Yvan Mendy
Most Fun to Watch: Raymundo Beltran
On Their Way Out: Dante Jardon
Underrated: Edis Tatli
Junior Lightweight
Best Puncher: Alberto Machado
Best Boxer: Vasyl Lomachenko
Most Protected: Rafael Mensah
Is He Still Around?: Dat Nguyen
Matchmaker’s Dream: Vasyl Lomachenko vs Miguel Berchelt
On the Rise: Eduardo Hernandez
Deserves a Title Shot: Alberto Machado
Most Fun to Watch: Miguel Roman
On Their Way Out: Yuriorkis Gamboa
Underrated: Tevin Farmer
Featherweight
Best Puncher: Jesus M Rojas
Best Boxer: Leo Santa Cruz
Most Protected: Kid Galahad
Is He Still Around?: Nonito Donaire
Matchmaker’s Dream: Gary Russell Jr. vs Oscar Valdez
On the Rise: Lerato Dlamini
Deserves a Title Shot: Josh Warrington
Most Fun to Watch: Jesus M Rojas
On Their Way Out: Chris Avalos
Underrated: Scott Quigg
Junior Featherweight
Best Puncher: Julio Ceja
Best Boxer: Rey Vargas
Most Protected: Petch Sor Chitpattana
Is He Still Around?: Joseph Agbeko
Matchmaker’s Dream: Jessie Magdaleno vs Rey Vargas
On the Rise: Isaac Dogboe
Deserves a Title Shot: Diego De La Hoya
Most Fun to Watch: Julio Ceja
On Their Way Out: Alejandro Hernandez
Underrated: Ryosuke Iwasa
Bantamweight
Best Puncher: Luis Nery
Best Boxer: Ryan Burnett
Most Protected: Reymart Gaballo
Is He Still Around?: Norberto Jimenez
Matchmaker’s Dream: Luis Nery vs Zolani Tete
On the Rise: Nordine Oubaali
Deserves a Title Shot: Juan Carlos Payano
Most Fun to Watch: Luis Nery
On Their Way Out: Jamie McDonnell
Underrated: Liborio Solis
Junior Bantamweight
Best Puncher: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
Best Boxer: Juan Francisco Estrada
Most Protected: Norasing Kokietgym
Is He Still Around?: Sonny Boy Jaro
Matchmaker’s Dream: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs Naoya Inoue
On the Rise: Iran Diaz
Deserves a Title Shot: Juan Francisco Estrada
Most Fun to Watch: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
On Their Way Out: Roman Gonzalez
Underrated: Rex Tso
Flyweight
Best Puncher: Daigo Higa
Best Boxer: Donnie Nietes
Most Protected: Vincent Legrand
Is He Still Around?: Brian Viloria
Matchmaker’s Dream: Daigo Higa vs Sho Kimura
On the Rise: Artem Dalakian
Deserves a Title Shot: Andrew Selby
Most Fun to Watch: Stamp Kiatniwat
On Their Way Out: Martin Tecuapetla
Underrated: Moruti Mthalane
Junior Flyweight
Best Puncher: Angel Acosta
Best Boxer: Kosei Tanaka
Most Protected: Tibo Monabasa
Is He Still Around?: Mario Rodriguez
Matchmaker’s Dream: Ken Shiro vs Pedro Guevara II
On the Rise: Abraham Rodriguez
Deserves a Title Shot: Felix Alvarado
Most Fun to Watch: Ken Shiro
On Their Way Out: Akira Yaegashi
Underrated: Hekkie Budler
Strawweight
Best Puncher: Hiroto Kyoguchi
Best Boxer: Knockout CP Freshmart
Most Protected: Samuel Salva
Is He Still Around?: Chao Zhong Xiong
Matchmaker’s Dream: Knockout CP Freshmart vs Wanheng Menayothin (Still!)
On the Rise: Tsubasa Koura
Deserves a Title Shot: Byron Rojas
Most Fun to Watch: Wanheng Menayothin
On Their Way Out: Saul Juarez
Underrated: Leroy Estrada
For further boxing discussion, contact Derek DBO Bonnett on Facebook. Also, be sure to "LIKE" the SecondsOut.com page on Facebook.