Winner
Timothy Bradley vs. Ruslan Provodnikov
When this fight was made it didn't exactly have boxing fans salivating. Timothy Bradley was coming off a win against Manny Pacquiao in a fight nearly everyone with eyes thought he lost and Ruslan Provodnikov had been mainly an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights fighter who was taking a big step up in competition. However after the fight every fan who tuned in was glad they did. This was an absolutely brutal fight, so much so that both corners threatened to stop the fight if their fighters didn't stop taking so much punishment. Provodnikov shocked everyone by hurting Bradley in the 1st and 2nd rounds and Bradley was completely out on his feet in the 2nd round. In that round the referee would have been justified to stop it but Bradley wouldn't allow it, he never stopped throwing his hands and somehow survived. Not only did Bradley survive that onslaught but he started to move better and outbox Provodnikov. In the 6th round Provodnikov rocked Bradley again and yet again Bradley was walking dead but he kept throwing thunder right back at Provodnikov and landed some heavy leather. It seemed that every few rounds Provodnikov was just about to knock Bradley out, but between those rounds Bradley was able to outbox the slower Provodnikov and put rounds in the bank. In the 12th round Provodnikov caught Bradley with a left hook that sent him staggering across the ring then caught him with a right hand that did the same. At the very end of the round Provodnikov teed off and Bradley was forced to take a knee or risk being knocked out. Bradley got to his feet but was clearly in bad shape, luckily for him the round ended and he was saved by the bell. When the scores were announced it was Bradley who won a very close unanimous decision but many people thought Provodnikov won. Either way, this was the type of fight that was so good the outcome didn't matter because both fighters came out winners.
Runner-Up
Mike Alvarado vs. Brandon Rios II
There first fight was Big Time Boxing's 2012 Fight of the Year and there second fight almost took the top spot again. Really the only difference between this fight and the winner was drama. The fight between Mike Alvarado and Brandon Rios had more sustained action through twelve rounds but the intense, dramatic moments from the fight between Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov was enough to eek out a victory. But don't be mistaken, Alvarado and Rios put on a show that won't soon be forgotten. The action was fast paced and every single punch that was thrown had bad intentions behind it. Rios had Alvarado hurt early but he somehow survived and turned the tables in the middle rounds when he had Rios hurt. Most of this fight took place in a phone booth with Rios getting the better end of things, however later in the fight Alvarado was able to move around the ring and outbox Rios. Not only was the fight electric but the crowd was too, they were on their feet yelling the entire time which only added to the fun. If Alvarado had stayed in the pocket and slugged it out with Rios this fight would have won the Fight of the Year but because he spent the latter part of the fight sticking and moving it just missed. This fight may have been even better than their first battle and it was shocking that it lasted all 12 rounds. How two fighters traded so much punishment was a thing to behold and the best part is that because Alvarado won this time around a third fight should be coming down the pipeline soon.
Honorable Mention
Giovani Segura vs. Hernan "Tyson" Marquez
A fight many U.S. fans may have missed because it was on Spanish language television was a thing of beauty. The action between Giovani Segura and Hernan Marquez was lightning fast and the only reason it lasted 12 rounds was probably because it was in the flyweight division. The action was non-stop and it seemed like there was never a moment where one fighter wasn't throwing heat. The action was so sustained throughout the fight that it was a shock both fighters didn't drop in the center of the ring from exhaustion. One moment Segura would be backing Marquez up and the next it was Marquez doing the same to Segura. In the 12th round it seemed as if both fighters were in danger of being knocked out but it was Segura who was able to close the show in style. Segura caught Marquez with a perfect left hand to the chin and Marquez fell to the canvas and the referee stopped the fight. It was a good punch but Marquez seemed to be knocked partly due to the punch and partly from sheer exhaustion. If anything this fight should be a reminder to casual fans that the lower weight classes can provide tremendous action and that fights on Spanish language channels should not be missed.
In The Running
Omar Figueroa vs. Nihito Arakawa
It is not easy for such a one sided fight to be considered for Fight of the Year but this bout between Omar Figueroa and Nihito Arakawa did just that. Figueroa won nearly every round but this fight was still so fun to watch because of the non-stop action. The other thing that made this fight so compelling was the heart displayed by Arakawa, he took a tremendous amount of punishment but never stopped fighting, even when both of his eyes were swollen almost completely shut. Across the ring Figueroa was badly bloodied and hurt his hand from the amount of heavy punches he was landing. What makes boxing such a great sport is that after a fight like this the fans really get to know just how much a fighter has and how much he can go through. This was a classic fight and the respect between both men post fight was nothing but class.
Darren Barker vs. Daniel Geale
This fight was so action packed that during the fight HBO's Jim Lampley dubbed it the "war on the shore." What made it so exciting was how evenly matched Darren Barker and Daniel Geale were for each other. Barker won the fight by split decision but he needed to get off the deck from a brutal 6th round body shot to do it. It is an old adage that styles make fights and these two fighters styles fit together perfectly. Not all of the fights on this list were close and one reason this fight appears on the list is because of how close it was. Barker won but one judge had it for Geale and certainly some fans felt the same way. While there was definitely some heavy leather landed the amount of punches and constant action is what made this fight so fun to watch.
Marcos Maidana vs. Adrien Broner
The hype leading up to this fight made it almost impossible for the actual fight to live up to it, but it did. The trash talk was heated leading up to this bout between Marcos Maidana and Adrien Broner and fans were buzzing to see who would win, the slugger Maidana or the slick boxer Broner. Coming into the fight Broner was a heavy favorite but in the 2nd round he was dropped by Maidana and everything changed. Maidana smothered Broner over the course of twelve rounds and it was shocking to see a fighter like Broner being so over matched. However Broner showed a ton of heart to survive the thunderous punches of Maidana and should be proud he went the distance even though he was dropped twice, once in the 2nd and once in the 8th. What made this fight so good was that Maidana pulled off the huge upset and even though he won pretty easily Broner still showed some flashes and a ton of heart.
Mike Perez vs. Magomed Abdusalamov
Unfortunately this fight is better remembered for what happened after. It was so brutal that Magomed Abdusalamov suffered a blood clot to his brain and a stroke and had to be put into a medically induced coma. It is not everyday that heavyweights go toe to toe and now we know why. Mike Perez was landing massive power punches all night against the man who many thought would be doing the bigger punching in Abdusalamov. Most people expected Perez to outbox Abdusalamov but instead he wanted to brawl. During many rounds it seemed that the corner of Abdusalamov would stop the fight but he kept landing such clean power punches back that they let him continue. It is sad that Abdusalamov probably will never box again but he should be proud of the amount of heart and guts he showed and if this is boxing fans lasting memory of him he will be remembered forever. Looking back most people won't remember that Perez won a unanimous decision, they will remember one of the best heavyweight fights in recent years and thank one fighter in particular for literally leaving it all in the ring.
James Kirkland vs. Glen Tapia
It is now clear that everytime James Kirkland fights it has a chance to be crowned Fight of the Year. This fight just cemented that thinking. He took on a game Glen Tapia who many thought would be able to outbox and out quick Kirkland. The fight started off fast with Tapia jumping all over Kirkland in the opening round, buzzed him early in that round and proceeded to land power punch after power punch for the rest of the round. Then came round two. Kirkland came out much stronger and hurt Tapia while dominating the round. However even while hurt Tapia still managed to throw and land some bombs of his own. After the 2nd round it was all Kirkland, he bullied Tapia and landed nothing but power punches. Tapia showed a ridiculous amount of heart, probably to much and it was a shame his corner didn't stop the fight sooner to save such a young talented fighter from taking unnecessary punishment. Referee Steve Smoger finally stopped the fight in the 6th round and had to catch Tapia before he fell to the ground after a brutal onslaught from Kirkland. Three things made this a strong candidate for Fight of the Year, Tapia's heart, Kirkland's dominant performance, and most of all the fact that it only lasted six rounds but it felt like it lasted fifteen.
Timothy Bradley vs. Ruslan Provodnikov
When this fight was made it didn't exactly have boxing fans salivating. Timothy Bradley was coming off a win against Manny Pacquiao in a fight nearly everyone with eyes thought he lost and Ruslan Provodnikov had been mainly an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights fighter who was taking a big step up in competition. However after the fight every fan who tuned in was glad they did. This was an absolutely brutal fight, so much so that both corners threatened to stop the fight if their fighters didn't stop taking so much punishment. Provodnikov shocked everyone by hurting Bradley in the 1st and 2nd rounds and Bradley was completely out on his feet in the 2nd round. In that round the referee would have been justified to stop it but Bradley wouldn't allow it, he never stopped throwing his hands and somehow survived. Not only did Bradley survive that onslaught but he started to move better and outbox Provodnikov. In the 6th round Provodnikov rocked Bradley again and yet again Bradley was walking dead but he kept throwing thunder right back at Provodnikov and landed some heavy leather. It seemed that every few rounds Provodnikov was just about to knock Bradley out, but between those rounds Bradley was able to outbox the slower Provodnikov and put rounds in the bank. In the 12th round Provodnikov caught Bradley with a left hook that sent him staggering across the ring then caught him with a right hand that did the same. At the very end of the round Provodnikov teed off and Bradley was forced to take a knee or risk being knocked out. Bradley got to his feet but was clearly in bad shape, luckily for him the round ended and he was saved by the bell. When the scores were announced it was Bradley who won a very close unanimous decision but many people thought Provodnikov won. Either way, this was the type of fight that was so good the outcome didn't matter because both fighters came out winners.
Runner-Up
Mike Alvarado vs. Brandon Rios II
There first fight was Big Time Boxing's 2012 Fight of the Year and there second fight almost took the top spot again. Really the only difference between this fight and the winner was drama. The fight between Mike Alvarado and Brandon Rios had more sustained action through twelve rounds but the intense, dramatic moments from the fight between Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov was enough to eek out a victory. But don't be mistaken, Alvarado and Rios put on a show that won't soon be forgotten. The action was fast paced and every single punch that was thrown had bad intentions behind it. Rios had Alvarado hurt early but he somehow survived and turned the tables in the middle rounds when he had Rios hurt. Most of this fight took place in a phone booth with Rios getting the better end of things, however later in the fight Alvarado was able to move around the ring and outbox Rios. Not only was the fight electric but the crowd was too, they were on their feet yelling the entire time which only added to the fun. If Alvarado had stayed in the pocket and slugged it out with Rios this fight would have won the Fight of the Year but because he spent the latter part of the fight sticking and moving it just missed. This fight may have been even better than their first battle and it was shocking that it lasted all 12 rounds. How two fighters traded so much punishment was a thing to behold and the best part is that because Alvarado won this time around a third fight should be coming down the pipeline soon.
Honorable Mention
Giovani Segura vs. Hernan "Tyson" Marquez
A fight many U.S. fans may have missed because it was on Spanish language television was a thing of beauty. The action between Giovani Segura and Hernan Marquez was lightning fast and the only reason it lasted 12 rounds was probably because it was in the flyweight division. The action was non-stop and it seemed like there was never a moment where one fighter wasn't throwing heat. The action was so sustained throughout the fight that it was a shock both fighters didn't drop in the center of the ring from exhaustion. One moment Segura would be backing Marquez up and the next it was Marquez doing the same to Segura. In the 12th round it seemed as if both fighters were in danger of being knocked out but it was Segura who was able to close the show in style. Segura caught Marquez with a perfect left hand to the chin and Marquez fell to the canvas and the referee stopped the fight. It was a good punch but Marquez seemed to be knocked partly due to the punch and partly from sheer exhaustion. If anything this fight should be a reminder to casual fans that the lower weight classes can provide tremendous action and that fights on Spanish language channels should not be missed.
In The Running
Omar Figueroa vs. Nihito Arakawa
It is not easy for such a one sided fight to be considered for Fight of the Year but this bout between Omar Figueroa and Nihito Arakawa did just that. Figueroa won nearly every round but this fight was still so fun to watch because of the non-stop action. The other thing that made this fight so compelling was the heart displayed by Arakawa, he took a tremendous amount of punishment but never stopped fighting, even when both of his eyes were swollen almost completely shut. Across the ring Figueroa was badly bloodied and hurt his hand from the amount of heavy punches he was landing. What makes boxing such a great sport is that after a fight like this the fans really get to know just how much a fighter has and how much he can go through. This was a classic fight and the respect between both men post fight was nothing but class.
Darren Barker vs. Daniel Geale
This fight was so action packed that during the fight HBO's Jim Lampley dubbed it the "war on the shore." What made it so exciting was how evenly matched Darren Barker and Daniel Geale were for each other. Barker won the fight by split decision but he needed to get off the deck from a brutal 6th round body shot to do it. It is an old adage that styles make fights and these two fighters styles fit together perfectly. Not all of the fights on this list were close and one reason this fight appears on the list is because of how close it was. Barker won but one judge had it for Geale and certainly some fans felt the same way. While there was definitely some heavy leather landed the amount of punches and constant action is what made this fight so fun to watch.
Marcos Maidana vs. Adrien Broner
The hype leading up to this fight made it almost impossible for the actual fight to live up to it, but it did. The trash talk was heated leading up to this bout between Marcos Maidana and Adrien Broner and fans were buzzing to see who would win, the slugger Maidana or the slick boxer Broner. Coming into the fight Broner was a heavy favorite but in the 2nd round he was dropped by Maidana and everything changed. Maidana smothered Broner over the course of twelve rounds and it was shocking to see a fighter like Broner being so over matched. However Broner showed a ton of heart to survive the thunderous punches of Maidana and should be proud he went the distance even though he was dropped twice, once in the 2nd and once in the 8th. What made this fight so good was that Maidana pulled off the huge upset and even though he won pretty easily Broner still showed some flashes and a ton of heart.
Mike Perez vs. Magomed Abdusalamov
Unfortunately this fight is better remembered for what happened after. It was so brutal that Magomed Abdusalamov suffered a blood clot to his brain and a stroke and had to be put into a medically induced coma. It is not everyday that heavyweights go toe to toe and now we know why. Mike Perez was landing massive power punches all night against the man who many thought would be doing the bigger punching in Abdusalamov. Most people expected Perez to outbox Abdusalamov but instead he wanted to brawl. During many rounds it seemed that the corner of Abdusalamov would stop the fight but he kept landing such clean power punches back that they let him continue. It is sad that Abdusalamov probably will never box again but he should be proud of the amount of heart and guts he showed and if this is boxing fans lasting memory of him he will be remembered forever. Looking back most people won't remember that Perez won a unanimous decision, they will remember one of the best heavyweight fights in recent years and thank one fighter in particular for literally leaving it all in the ring.
James Kirkland vs. Glen Tapia
It is now clear that everytime James Kirkland fights it has a chance to be crowned Fight of the Year. This fight just cemented that thinking. He took on a game Glen Tapia who many thought would be able to outbox and out quick Kirkland. The fight started off fast with Tapia jumping all over Kirkland in the opening round, buzzed him early in that round and proceeded to land power punch after power punch for the rest of the round. Then came round two. Kirkland came out much stronger and hurt Tapia while dominating the round. However even while hurt Tapia still managed to throw and land some bombs of his own. After the 2nd round it was all Kirkland, he bullied Tapia and landed nothing but power punches. Tapia showed a ridiculous amount of heart, probably to much and it was a shame his corner didn't stop the fight sooner to save such a young talented fighter from taking unnecessary punishment. Referee Steve Smoger finally stopped the fight in the 6th round and had to catch Tapia before he fell to the ground after a brutal onslaught from Kirkland. Three things made this a strong candidate for Fight of the Year, Tapia's heart, Kirkland's dominant performance, and most of all the fact that it only lasted six rounds but it felt like it lasted fifteen.
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