Poll: 2007 Fighter of the Year
Joe Calzaghe (44-0, 32 KOs): Stopped Peter Manfredo Jr. in three in April and outpointed previously undefeated Mikkel Kessler in November.
Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KOs): Scored a pair of 11th round TKOs (Oktay Urkal in March and Zab Judah in June) and capped year with unanimous decision over Shane Mosley.
Juan Diaz (33-0, 17 KOs): Came into 2007 as the WBA lightweight champ, then added the WBO belt with an eighth round TKO of Acelino Freitas in April and the IBF belt with a ninth round TKO of Julio Diaz in October.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (39-0, 25 KOs): Won WBC super welterweight belt via split decision over Oscar De La Hoya in May and retained the WBC welterweight title with a 10th round TKO of Ricky Hatton in December.
Kelly Pavlik (32-0, 29 KOs): Pavlik's 2007 began as an unproven prospect and ended as middleweight champ with wins over Jose Luis Zertuche (KO 8 in Jan.), Edison Miranda (TKO 7 in May) and Jermain Taylor (KO 7 in Sept.).
Note: The five Fighter of the Year candidates have a combined record of 179-0 with 128 knockouts!
Vote in our poll and tell us who you think was the 2007 Fighter of the Year ...
Comments
Wow!!!! this year had some exciting fights 1st) Calzahge unbeaten but against who?……ok his win over overhyped but undefeated Jeff Lacy was good i rate that an A- but against Peter Manfredo ahhhhhhhhh that’s a B-(really an overhyped contender LOSER to a guy who cant punch thru a wet paper bag)(SERGIO MORIA) so i cant say that that’s spectacular now against another european top prospect in KESSLER i give that fight an A+…when Cal who is an underrated fighter by AMERICAN standards…hey we are demanding of a world beater to beat world beaters..i give CALZAHGE a B+ for this year…2nd)Miguel Cotto more too come…2 undefeated fighters his beating of Malinaggi was classic text book in that he was stronger,relentless,all the things we look for in a future superstar A+…next his beating of Zab(not so super anymore) Judah…fantastic another beating and a ko over a former champion made everyone realize we are looking at a rising star an A now his win over MOSLEY i thought was wrong i had Mosley winning by 4 rounds(why) glad you ask Mosley chased and fought and out landed Cotto in the last 4 rounds if they really wanted to be partial they should of said draw…but mosley left graciously so for the fight an A+ but for the descision a F- overall an A+… Juan Diaz his year was great a ko against Acelino Freitas an A and his ko of Julio Diaz an A+ winning the WBO and IBF…Pretty Boy Floyd Money Mayweather… P4P the best doin the damn thing… his outboxing of De La Hoya was boxing superb even buckling the golden ones knees twice then the sweetest KO over Ricky(the got hit whaaahappen) Hatton in the 10th sweet because ricky was saying floyd cant punch floyd cant brawl floyd cant, floyd cant, etc. etc. the oscar backing ricky up due to a case of sour grapes…KA-PLOW!!! PBF proves why he’s the best in the world…A+++++….Kelly Pavalick gave Edison Miranda all he could handle then more…then his ko over Jermain ( i beat B-Hops Twice,well really once in my opininon) and drew a draw with Winky Wright a bigger fighter and 2 hall of famers so what does that say about Jermain…WHAT does that say about PAVILICK an A+…well that’s my opininon and since mine is the only one that counts i laugh at you BRUHAHAHAHAHA
I vote for Pavlik. All the others are great. But they were suppose to win those fights. Pavlik was the underdog in his 3 fights in 2007 and he won them all. Plus he ended the fights with KO’s. Diaz and Cotto look to have big fights in 2008. Pavlik KO’d Taylor which was the biggest shock to me. I thougth that fight would go the distance. Floyd KOing Hatton was another shock, but Pavlik was not suppose to make Taylor look bad. I hope 2008 can bring a repeat of 2007.
THERES ONLY OOOOOOOONE MAYWEATHER
Given his rise from NOWHERE to champ, Pavlik’s win over the egocentric Edison Miranda qwas an amazing upset. Miranda just knew that Pavlik was nothing, and oh how he paid. Then Came Taylor, and no one gave Pavlik much of a chance. After all, apart from Miranda, who had he really taken on and the Miranda fight may have been a fluke. But then no one told Pavlik that he was a turkey and he really believed in himself. He has smarts, courage, a heck of a punch and the will to win. And he came from no where all on his own. I give Pavlik the nod for Fighter of the Year. A runner up must be Calzahge, a man with a champion’s determination and a a willingness to fight. He turned all heads and is certainly among the real and genuine fighters of the world, not like the obnoxious legends in their own minds like Mayweather. Calzaghe fouth the best in Europe and many of the best in the world over his entire career and must rank second or maybe third on the list of Fighter of the Year. I see Cotto as third, even if I cannot agree that he actually beat Shane Mosely. At best, I rated the Cotto-Mosely fight as a draw but gave the win to Shane. Cotto is a great fighter, but not as good as Mosely, and a rematch would be spectacular, if Shane really wants to fight again, and I am not sure he does. I don’t like Mayweather; have never thought he was much of a fighter in the sense that real champions with hearet are, and believe he has crafted a career over less than adequate opponents. I admit I find him obnoxious, more concerned with ego than reality and not a very nice person. It would be a good thing if he is real in retirement and gone from active fighting.
pavlik the fighter of the year. three big fights in 07. he won them all decissively, all by ko. he knocked out jermain taylor! kelly pavlik is a big puncher with a high accuracy percentage. his jab is always working. he is relentlessly aggressive and when he gets close he stays in the pocket and bangs toe to toe. he is very exciting to watch. he fights on when hurt. he respects his opponents before, during and after the fight.
it will be a long time before mayweather loses. he is surpremely fast but will not allow himself to tread in dangerous waters. he is a very smart boxer. Coto is serious and on a mission. no one wants to be hit by coto, something like tyson in his eary career. he have fear on his side. calzahge is gifted and mysteriously fast and elusive. juan diaz wonderful to see in action, rentless. i like the aggressive fighters who also box. pavlik, coto, and diaz have that going for them 100% calzahge a little less.
the difference is pavlik has everything, nothing not to like.
How is it not Miguel Cotto? Yeah Pavik had two impressive fight that were Wars but Miguel ran through the 1st guy. Had an all out war with Zab Judah which I thought was Fight of the year. He had an instant classic with both Judah and Shane and beat both convincingly and established himself as the only clear fighter for Floyd. Floyd was boring against Oscar and ran the whole time. Oscar is overrated. He easily destroyed Hatton which was very predictable with the size advantage and the way Hatton fights. Cotto should be the clear winner. Those results are crazy.
Kelly P. is the man! Floyd is great but Kelly will fascinate in 2008…The boxing world. Duddy is cool, but will soon meet the canvas and Kelly’s win streak spells his defeat!!
Kelly will win! He deserves to win..he works hard..good person…and a great fighter! We all love him in Youngstown!