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DECEMBER
Dec. 3

At Sydney, Australia: Daniel Geale vs. Jarrod Fletcher, 12 rounds, middleweights; Kerry Foley vs. Trent Broadhurst, 10 rounds, light heavyweights; Jake Carr vs. Faris Chevalier, 10 rounds, super middleweights; Mark Flanagan vs. Shane Quinn, 10 rounds, cruiserweights; Willis Meehan vs. TBA, 4 rounds, heavyweights

Dec. 4

At Del Mar, Calif. (Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes): Alan Sanchez vs. Ed Paredes, 10 rounds, welterweights; Manuel Avila vs. Jose Luis Araiza, 10 rounds, junior featherweights; Will Tomlinson vs. Miguel Zamudio, 8 rounds, lightweights; Ulises Sierra vs. Loren Myers, 4 rounds, light heavyweights; Adrian Bargas vs. Yair Aguilar, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Jonathan Quiroz vs. Daniel Covielles, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Elias Espadas vs. Carlos Lopez, 6 rounds, middleweights; Jorge Ruiz vs. Raymond Chacon, 4 rounds, junior featherweights; Bryan Nevarez vs. Mario Angeles, 4 rounds, welterweights

Dec. 5

At Issy-les-Moulineaux, France: Jean Marc Mormeck vs. Mateusz Masternak, 10 rounds, cruiserweights

At Chester, Penn.: Jarret Hurd vs. Eric Mitchell, 8 rounds, middleweights; Omar Douglas vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior lightweights; , 6 rounds, cruiserweights; Milton Santiago Jr. vs. Travis Thompson, 4 rounds, lightweights; Caleb Plant vs. TBA, 4 rounds, middleweights; Stephen Fulton vs. Benjamin Burgos, 4 rounds, featherweights; Earl Newman vs. Darnell Hayes, 4 rounds, cruiserweights

Dec. 6

At Brooklyn, N.Y. (HBO): David Lemieux vs. Gabriel Rosado, 12 rounds, middleweights; Thomas Dulorme vs. Hank Lundy, 10 rounds, junior welterweights; James De La Rosa vs. Hugo Centeno, 10 rounds, middleweights; Eddie Gomez vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior middleweights; Zachary Ochoa vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; John Karl Sosa vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; D'Mitrius Ballard vs. TBA, 6 rounds, light heavyweights; Lamont Roach vs. TBA, 4 rounds, lightweights

At Glendale, Calif. (UniMas): Jose Felix Jr. vs. Luis Solis, 8 rounds, lightweights; Saul Rodriguez vs. Juan Solis, 8 rounds, featherweights; Brian Viloria vs. Armando Vasquez, 10 rounds, junior bantamweights; Anton Novikov vs. Santos Benavides, 8 rounds, junior welterweights; Esquiva Falcao vs. TBA, 6 rounds, middleweights; Daniel Franco vs. Cesar Martinez, 6 rounds, junior lightweights; Danny Ruiz vs. Gloferson Ortizo, 4 rounds, junior welterweights; Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. TBA, 4 rounds, welterweights; Cem Kilic vs. TBA, 4 rounds, welterweights

At Hermosillo, Mexico (beIN Sports Espanol): Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Joebert Alvarez, 12 rounds, for Estrada's WBO/WBA flyweight title; Jackie Nava vs. Kathy Wilson Castillo, 10 rounds, female junior featherweights; Hernan Tyson Marquez vs. TBA, 10 rounds, junior bantamweights; Daniel Rosas vs. Victor Mendez, 10 rounds, junior featherweights

At Montreal (Integrated Sports PPV): Jean Pascal vs. Roberto Bolonti, 12 rounds, light heavyweights; Shiller Hyppolite vs. Norbert Nemesapati, 10 or 12 rounds, super middleweights; Bogdan Dinu vs. Mickael Vieira, 8 rounds, heavyweights; Yves Ulysse Jr. vs. Lukasz Janik, 8 rounds, welterweights; Joel Diaz Jr. vs. Pedro Navarrete, 8 rounds, junior lightweights; Steven Butler vs. Lyes Chaibi, 6 or 8 rounds, junior middleweights

At Oldenburg, Germany: Juergen Braehmer vs. Pawel Glazewski, 12 rounds, for Braehmer's WBA "regular" light heavyweight title; Burak Sahin vs. Jakov Gospic, 4 rounds, heavyweights; Denis Boytsov vs. George Arias, 8 rounds, heavyweights; Jack Culcay vs. Karim Merroudj, 12 rounds, for Culcay's European junior middleweight title; Tyron Zeuge vs. Stjepan Bozic, 12 rounds, super middleweights; Stefan Härtel vs. Zoltan Surman, 6 rounds, super middleweights; Deion Jumah vs. TBA, 6 rounds, light heavyweights

At London: Prizefighter: Lightweights (one-night tournament, all bouts 3 rounds, draw TBA), Gary Buckland, Stephen Foster Jr., Craig Whyatt, Jono Carroll, Danny Connor, Michael Devine, Lee Martin, Floyd Moore; Martin J. Ward vs. Maxi Hughes, 12 rounds, junior lightweights

At Hamilton, New Zealand: Joseph Parker vs. Irineu Beato Costa Junior, 10 rounds, heavyweights

At St Maarten: Sonya Lamenokis vs. Carlette Ewell, 10 rounds, female heavyweights; Elton Dharry vs. Jose Rios, 12 rounds, bantamweights

Dec. 8

At San Antonio: Joseph Diaz vs. Jose Angel Beranza, 10 rounds, junior featherweights; Jose Hernandez vs. Justo Vallecillo, 8 rounds, junior welterweights; Ivan Morales vs. Timur Shailezov, 10 rounds, bantamweights; Javier Rodriguez vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior featherweights; Joseph Rodriguez vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior featherweights; Jairo Castaneda vs. Albert Espinoza, 4 rounds, junior welterweights; Cresencio Ramos vs. Jaime Hernandez, 4 rounds, junior lightweights; Christian Santbanez vs. Daniel Arriaga, 4 rounds, lightweights; David Ruiz vs. Erick Loera, 4 rounds, lightweights; Adam Franklin vs. Kevin Conrad, 4 rounds, light heavyweights; Juan Tapia vs. Robert Ledesma, 4 rounds, junior featherweights

Dec. 11

At Temecula, Calif. (ESPN2/ESPN Deportes): Austin Trout vs. Luis Grajeda, 10 rounds, junior middleweights; Oscar Escandon vs. Tyson Cave, 12 rounds, WBA junior featherweight eliminator; Antonio Tarver vs. Johnathon Banks, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Marcus Browne vs. Henry Buchanan, 8 rounds, light heavyweights; Dominic Breazeale vs. TBA, 8 or 10 rounds, heavyweights; Gerald Washington vs. TBA, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Terrell Gausha vs. Cesar Vila, 8 rounds, middleweights; Sergio Mora vs. Dashon Johnson, 8 rounds, middleweights; Edwin Rodriguez vs. TBA, 10 rounds, light heavyweights; Rico Ramos vs. Juan Ruiz, 8 or 10 rounds, featherweights; Ahmed Elbiali vs. Latif Mundy, 4 or 6 rounds, light heavyweights; Vatche Martirosyan vs. TBA, 4 rounds, welterweights; Malcolm McAllister vs. Fernando Najera, 4 rounds, super middleweights

At Moscow: Fedor Chudinov vs. Ben McCulloch, 12 rounds, for vacant WBA interim super middleweight title; Alexander Ustinov vs. TBA, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Khabib Allakhverdiev vs. Julio De Jesus, 10 rounds, junior welterweights; Arif Magomedov vs. TBA, 12 rounds, middleweights; Ramal Amanov vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior welterweights; Alexey Stakanchikov vs. TBA, 8 rounds, light heavyweights

Dec. 12

At San Antonio (Showtime): Erislandy Lara vs. Ishe Smith, 12 rounds, for Lara's WBA "regular" junior middleweight title; Chris Pearson vs. Steve Martinez, 10 rounds, junior middleweights; Badou Jack vs. TBA, 10 rounds, super middleweights

At Barcelona, Spain: Roberto Santos vs. Javier Garcia Roche, 8 rounds, junior middleweights; Gabriel Campillo vs. Tomas Adamek, 8 rounds, light heavyweights; Kiko Martinez vs. Amor Belahdj Ali, 8 rounds, bantamweights

At Chicago: Rau'shee Warren vs. Javier Gallo, 10 rounds, bantamweights; Jordan Shimmell vs. Anthony Ferrante, 10 rounds, cruiserweights; Thomas Williams vs. Michael Gbenga, 10 rounds, light heavyweights; Robert Easter vs. Angel Hernandez, 10 rounds, lightweights; Patryk Szymanski vs. Gundrick King, 8 rounds, junior middleweights; Javonte Starks vs. Jonathan Garcia, 8 rounds, welterweights; Jamel Herring vs. TBA, 8 rounds, lightweights; Ronald Hearns vs. Roberto Ventura, 6 or 8 rounds, middleweights; Sergiy Derevyanchenko vs. Jose Rodriguez Berrio, 8 rounds, super middleweights; Juan Dominguez vs. German Meraz, 8 rounds, featherweights; Raynell Williams vs. Wilfredo Garcia, 6 rounds, lightweights; Eddie Ramirez vs. Jamar Saunders, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Jamontay Clark vs. Dominique Foster, 4 rounds, welterweights; Jose F. Quezada vs. Marlon Lewis, 6 rounds, lightweights

Dec. 13

At Las Vegas (Showtime): Devon Alexander vs. Amir Khan, 12 rounds, welterweights; Keith Thurman vs. Leonard Bundu, 12 rounds, for Thurman's WBA interim welterweight title; Abner Mares vs. Jose Ramirez, 10 rounds, featherweights; Jermall Charlo vs. Lenny Bottai, 12 rounds, IBF junior middleweight eliminator; Jermell Charlo vs. Mario Lozano, 10 rounds, junior middleweights; Errol Spence Jr. vs. Mike Arnaoutis, 8 rounds, junior middleweights; Victor Ortiz vs. Manuel Perez, 8 or 10 rounds, welterweights; Beibut Shumenov vs. Bobby Thomas Jr., 8 rounds, cruiserweights; Yoshihiro Kamegai vs. Oscar Godoy, 8 rounds, welterweights

At Las Vegas (HBO): Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Diego Chaves, 12 rounds, welterweights; Matt Korobov vs. Andy Lee, 12 rounds, for vacant WBO middleweight title; Mauricio Herrera vs. Jose Benavidez Jr., 12 rounds, for Herrera's WBA interim junior welterweight title; Jose Ramirez vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior welterweights; Seanie Monaghan vs. Daniel Regi, 10 rounds, light heavyweights; Mikael Zewski vs. Javier Castro, 10 rounds, welterweights; Egidijus Kavaliauskas vs. Jaime Herrera, 8 rounds, welterweights; Denis Shafikov vs. Miguel Angel Mendoza, 8 rounds, lightweights; Jose Ramirez vs. Antonio Arellano, 8 rounds, junior welterweights; Jantony Ortiz vs. Sergio Lopez, 6 rounds, junior bantamweights

At Philadelphia (UniMas): Felix Verdejo vs. Karim El Ouazghari, 8 rounds, lightweights; Jesse Hart vs. Samuel Miller, 8 rounds, super middleweights; Julian Rodriguez vs. Randy Fuentes, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Thomas LaManna vs. Gilbert Alex Sanchez, 8 rounds, middleweights; Toka Kahn Clary vs. Camilo Perez, 8 rounds, featherweights; Nathaniel Rivas vs. Kevin Womack, 6 rounds, welterweights; Fred Jenkins vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior middleweights; George Arias vs. TBA, 4 rounds, heavyweights; Chris Diaz vs. Jazzma Hogue, 6 rounds, featherweights

At New York (CBS Sports Net): Charles Martin vs. Rafael Zumbano Love, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Mike Lee vs. TBA, 8 rounds, light heavyweights

At TBA, Mexico: Johnriel Casimero vs. Armando Santos, 12 rounds, IBF flyweight eliminator

At Trieste, Italy: Samuele Esposito vs. Brunet Zamora, 12 rounds, junior welterweights

At Kiev, Ukraine: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Danie Venter, 10 rounds, cruiserweights

At Albertslund, Denmark: Patrick Nielsen vs. Ronny Mittag, 10 or 12 rounds, middleweights; Micki Nielsen vs. TBA, 10 rounds, cruiserweights; Erik Skoglund vs. Glen Johnson, 10 rounds, light heavyweights

Dec. 16

At Shanghai, China: Ma Yi Ming vs. Tommy Seran, 10 rounds, junior flyweights; Yang Lianhui vs. Fahsai Sakkreerin, 10 rounds, junior welterweights; Halimubieke vs. Wang Yingang, 4 rounds, featherweights; Xu Que vs. Hu Liang, 4 rounds, featherweights; Adili vs. Mike Merafuentes, 6 rounds, middleweights; Zhou Yun Fei vs. Joe Rea, 6 rounds, super middleweights; Yelieqiati vs. Chen Sen, 4 rounds, junior featherweights

Dec. 19

At Quebec City (Showtime): Adonis Stevenson vs. Dmitry Sukhotsky, 12 rounds, for Stevenson's WBC light heavyweight title; Andre Dirrell vs. Derek Edwards, 12 rounds, IBF super middleweight eliminator; Kevin Bizier vs. Jo Jo Dan, rematch, 12 rounds, IBF welterweight eliminator; Artur Beterbiev vs. Jeff Page Jr., 10 rounds, light heavyweights; Custio Clayton vs. TBA, 4 rounds, junior middleweights

Dec. 20

At Shelton, Wash. (Showtime): Jesus Cuellar vs. Ruben Tamayo, 12 rounds, for Cuellar's WBA interim featherweight title; Julian Williams vs. Edgar Ortega, 8 or 10 rounds, junior middleweights; Julius Jackson vs. Jonathan Nelson, 8 or 10 rounds, super middleweights; Anthony Peterson vs. TBA, 10 rounds, lightweights; Tony Harrison vs. TBA, 8 or 10 rounds, junior middleweights; Dominic Wade vs. TBA, 8 or 10 rounds, super middleweights; Gary Russell Jr. vs. TBA, 10 rounds, featherweights; Antonio Russell vs. TBA, 4 rounds, bantamweights

At Phoenix (UniMas): Andy Ruiz vs. Sergey Liakhovich, 10 rounds, heavyweights; Oscar Valdez vs. TBA, 8 rounds, featherweights; Joet Gonzalez vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior featherweights

At Cancun, Mexico (Fox Deportes): Bryan Vasquez vs. Sergio Thompson, 12 rounds, for Vasquez's WBA interim junior lightweight title

At Huntington, N.Y.: Cletus Seldin vs. Bayan Jargal, rematch, 10 rounds, junior welterweights; Joe Smith Jr. vs. Maxell taylor, 8 rounds, light heavyweights; Anthony Karperis vs. Tony Walker, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Alan Gotay vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior welterweights; Johnny Hernandez vs. Jack Grady, 4 rounds, lightweights; Wendy Toussaint vs. Chris Veles, 6 rounds, welterweights

At Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France: Hadillah Mohoumadi vs. Mariano Hilario, 12 rounds, for vacant European super middleweight title

At Carolina, Puerto Rico: McJoe Arroyo vs. Mark Anthony Geraldo, 12 rounds, IBF junior bantamweight eliminator; Roman "Rocky" Martinez vs. TBA, 10 rounds, lightweights; Jose "Chelo" Gonzalez vs. TBA, 10 rounds, lightweights; Hanna Gabriel vs. Paty Ramirez, 10 rounds, female junior middleweights

Dec. 30

At Tokyo: Omar Narvaez vs. Naoya Inoue, 12 rounds, for Narvaez's WBO junior bantamweight title; Akira Yaegashi vs. Pedro Guevara, 12 rounds, for vacant WBC junior flyweight title; Jorge Linares vs. Javier Prieto, 12 rounds, for vacant WBC lightweight title; Takuma Inoue vs. Nestor Daniel Narvaez, 8 rounds,junior flyweights; Ryota Murata vs. Jessie Nicklow, 10 rounds, middleweights

Dec. 31

At Tokyo: Takashi Uchiyama vs. Israel Perez, 12 rounds, for Uchiyama's WBA junior lightweight title; Kohei Kono vs. Norberto Jimenez, 12 rounds, for Kono's WBA junior bantamweight title; Alberto Rossel vs. Ryoichi Taguchi, 12 rounds, for Rossel's WBA junior flyweight title
 
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Prospect of year: Vasyl Lomachenko.

No matter how gifted they are or how extensive their amateur background, most boxing prospects are handled with kid gloves when they turn pro. Their managers and promoters want to build up the fighter's record, nurture a following and protect the investment until they're sure he is ready for prime time.

2013 ESPN boxing awards
This week ESPN rolls out its year-end boxing awards, as voted on by our panel of writers, editors and analysts.

Monday: Round | Ranker
Tuesday: Knockout | Ranker
Wednesday: Prospect | Ranker
Thursday: Boxer of the year
Friday: Fight of the year

Ukraine's Vasyl Lomachenko is not your normal prospect.

The 25-year-old southpaw is as gifted -- offensively and defensively -- as any fighter to come into the pro game in years. As an amateur, he went a reported 396-1 (avenging the defeat twice) and won two Olympic gold medals, at lightweight in 2008 (when he also collected the Val Barker trophy as the Games' most outstanding boxer) and featherweight in 2012. He won world amateur championships in 2009 and 2011.

He has been hailed as a future professional world champion for years and finally turned pro Oct. 12 in Las Vegas on the Timothy Bradley Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez undercard. But Lomachenko didn't just face some no-hoper to be quickly drilled. Instead, he was matched absurdly tough in a 10-rounder against Mexico's Jose Luis Ramirez, a fringe contender coming off a split-decision road win against Rey Bautista in April in the Philippines.

Lomachenko -- trained by his father, Anatoly -- dazzled before knocking Ramirez out in the fourth round, the first time the veteran had been stopped.

Rafael's prospects of the year
2012: David Price
2011: Gary Russell Jr.
2010: Canelo Alvarez
2009: Daniel Jacobs
2008: Victor Ortiz
2007: Amir Khan
2006: Andre Berto
2005: Joel Julio
2004: Samuel Peter
2003: Jermain Taylor
2002: Miguel Cotto
2001: Francisco Bojado
2000: Julio Diaz

It was all part of Lomachenko's plan of not wanting to waste any time. When he and manager Egis Klimas were being courted by promoters, they were less concerned about a big signing bonus than the assurance that Lomachenko would be moved very quickly. If possible, they wanted a world title fight in his pro debut.

That wasn't viable, but Top Rank's Bob Arum signed him by promising that Lomachenko could get a title shot as soon as his second fight, provided he showed the goods in his debut.

Lomachenko, the 2013 ESPN.com Prospect of the Year, did just that and now is expected to challenge Orlando Salido for his featherweight crown March 1.

"I want to make boxing history, and to do that there's only one way -- go fast and show everybody what I can do," Lomachenko said before the Ramirez fight. "I don't want to be like other fighters, fighting four- and six-round fights. That's nonsense. I don't need to be built."

Lomachenko's confidence and audacity impressed Arum.

"I really have not seen something like this before, what Lomachenko wants to do," he said. "So I'm withholding judgment. But deep down, I believe if anyone can pull this off, it's this kid. Maybe because it's I want to believe, but I have been so in awe of the name for so many years, I believe he can accomplish anything."

Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti is also a fan.

"I think he will be a great pro," Moretti said. "Salido is going to make him look like a million dollars. It's not like [Lomachenko] does everything good. He does everything great -- speed, conditioning, excellent power, you can see him thinking in the ring. I can't see a flaw. He's flawless."

The rest of the Super 20
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AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz
Colombian-born Eleider Alvarez, right, will face his most difficult test as a pro against Thomas Oosthuizen on Jan. 18.
Eleider Alvarez (29, Montreal, light heavyweight, 13-0, 8 KOs): Alvarez, born in Colombia, is one of several quality fighters to relocate to boxing hotbed Montreal. An accomplished amateur who won gold at the 2007 Pan-American Games, he notched his biggest pro win in September, a 10-round decision against former contender Edison Miranda. Alvarez was limited to only two fights in 2013, but another was canceled when Allan Green failed to make weight and then pulled out. Alvarez will face his first serious test Jan. 18 against Thomas Oosthuizen on the Jean Pascal-Lucian Bute undercard.

Marcus Browne (23, Staten Island, N.Y., light heavyweight, 8-0, 7 KOs): Browne, a southpaw, was a 2012 U.S. Olympian and decorated amateur who won numerous national tournaments and three New York Golden Gloves championships. Browne is skillful and has a growing fan base at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he fights regularly. He was 6-0 with 5 KOs in 2013 and also gained valuable experience sparring with ex-champion Pascal. Browne will return to Barclays Center Jan. 30 on the Victor Ortiz-Luis Collazo undercard.

Jermall Charlo (23, Houston, junior middleweight, 17-0, 13 KOs): Charlo was 18 when he turned pro in 2008 and has developed nicely, although he's not quite as advanced as twin brother and fellow prospect Jermell Charlo. Jermall fought just once each in 2010 and 2011 and twice in 2012, but made up for lost time in 2013, winning all seven of his fights, including knockouts of Orlando Lora and Antwone Smith.

Jermell Charlo (23, Houston, junior middleweight, 22-0, 11 KOs): Charlo was just 17 when he turned pro in 2007. He began to realize his potential in 2012 as he matured physically and gained power. His jab-right hand combination is textbook and fast. He went 3-0 against improved competition in 2013, including a win over Demetrius Hopkins. Charlo is close to a world title shot but first needs to defeat his toughest test, former two-time middleweight title challenger Gabriel Rosado, on Jan. 25.

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Al Bello/Getty Images
Flashy, quick-handed American Eddie Gomez won all three of his bouts in 2013.
Eddie Gomez (21, Bronx, N.Y, junior middleweight, 15-0, 10 KOs): No wonder he's a fighter: Gomez is the youngest of nine children. A two-time Junior Olympic national champion and New York Golden Gloves champion, he is quick-handed, flashy and powerful. He won all three of his 2013 bouts, including an impressive fourth-round knockout of Steve Upsher Chambers. Gomez will kick off 2014 with an interesting fight against fellow unbeaten prospect Daquan Arnett (11-0, 7 KOs) Jan. 30 in the Victor Ortiz-Luis Collazo co-feature.

Jesse Hart (24, Philadelphia, super middleweight, 11-0, 10 KOs): Hart, son of 1970s middleweight contender Eugene "Cyclone" Hart, was a standout amateur who went 85-11 and won the 2011 National Golden Gloves and USA Nationals. He just missed a 2012 U.S. Olympic berth, losing the 165-pound final on a double tiebreaker. As a pro in 2013, he went 6-0 -- all knockouts. He has good size (6-foot-2), speed, long arms and a dedicated work ethic. Hart needs rounds, so for his Jan. 25 fight, he will step up in competition against Derrick Findley (20-11-1, 13 KOs), who has been stopped only once.

Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (19, Washington, D.C., welterweight, 19-0, 11 KOs): Hernandez-Harrison, a popular ticket seller in his hometown, had more than 200 amateur fights before turning pro at 17 (America's youngest at the time). Although a part-time college student, he is extremely dedicated to boxing and was very busy in 2013, going 8-0 against varied opposition and getting valuable exposure on two Gennady Golovkin undercards.

Bryant Jennings (29, Philadelphia, heavyweight, 17-0, 9 KOs): The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Jennings went from unknown to hot prospect by going 5-0 in 2012. He's not a big heavyweight and not a big puncher, but he has fast hands, is willing to engage, and outworks opponents. After a big 2012, Jennings fought only once in 2013, partly due to a change in promoters, but he will kick off 2013 in an important fight against unbeaten Artur Szpilka on the Mikey Garcia-Juan Carlos Burgos undercard.

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Scott Heavey/Getty Images
England's Anthony Joshua, who won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, appears to have a very bright future as a pro heavyweight.
Anthony Joshua (24, England, heavyweight, 3-0, 3 KOs): The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Joshua won the 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medal at home in London and is expected to become a major player in the pros. Joshua took his time fielding promotional offers and resting after the Olympics, then turned pro in October. He has great size and power, and is said to have a tremendous work ethic. He fought his first three bouts in six weeks, but minor injuries forced him out of two others. He will return Feb. 1 in Cardiff, Wales.

Jessie Magdaleno (22, Las Vegas, junior featherweight, 17-0, 13 KOs): Magdaleno, younger brother of junior lightweight contender Diego Magdaleno, has star potential. A southpaw, he has an exciting style and a strong amateur background (120-16 record and six major titles). He would have been favored to make the 2012 U.S. Olympic team had he not turned pro in late 2010. In 2013, Magdaleno went 4-0, stopping all of his experienced opponents inside four rounds. He also switched trainers, joining Joel Diaz, who also trains Diego and welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley Jr. Jessie will open his 2014 campaign Feb. 1.

Antonio Orozco (26, San Diego, junior welterweight, 18-0, 14 KOs): "Simple Man" has flown a bit under the radar, and it didn't help that he fought only twice in 2013 -- although he won both by knockout against decent opposition. He has loads of potential and fights in a good division. He's a pressure fighter who digs well to the body and should make exciting TV fights. He's probably only a couple of fights away from a significant bout. He will face experienced Miguel Angel Huerta on Jan. 24.

Jose Ramirez (21, Avenal, Calif., junior welterweight, 7-0, 5 KOs): Ramirez's stellar amateur career (145-11) included 11 national titles and was capped by a 2012 U.S. Olympic berth. He has speed and power, a solid body attack and an electric left hook reminiscent of Oscar De La Hoya's best punch. Ramirez was 6-0 in 2013 and has quickly become a draw in his home region. He has used his stardom to become heavily involved in various charitable endeavors. His next fight is Feb. 1.

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Al Bello/Getty Images
Ukraine's Ivan Redkach, a southpaw, is a gifted offensive fighter with a relentless style.
Ivan Redkach (27, Ukraine, lightweight, 15-0, 13 KOs): The 2008 Ukrainian Olympic alternate, who lives in Los Angeles, went 260-40 as an amateur. A southpaw, Redkach has been devastating as a pro. He's gifted offensively, attacks the body and has a relentless style. He should be ready for meaningful fights in 2014, which he will kick off Jan. 17 against Canada's Tony Luis. Redkach was limited to three fights in 2013, winning two by early KO (the other ended in a no-decision because of an accidental head-butt).

Billy Joe Saunders (24, England, middleweight, 19-0, 10 KOs): Saunders, a southpaw, was a 2008 British Olympian. In 2012, he claimed the traditional British and Commonwealth belts. More boxer than puncher, Saunders won all three of his bouts in 2013, including his most significant win: a decision against previously undefeated prospect John Ryder in September. In October, Saunders was named Young Boxer of the Year by the British writers. He will return Feb. 15 in London.

Callum Smith (23, England, super middleweight, 9-0, 7 KOs): Smith, a pro for barely a year, might be the best of the fighting Smith brothers, Paul (British super middleweight champ), Stephen (British junior lightweight champ) and Liam (British junior welterweight champ). Callum went 7-0 in 2013, winning each bout by knockout, and has looked very good, especially in his previous fight, a sixth-round knockout of experienced former world title challenger Ruben Eduardo Acosta.

Errol Spence (23, DeSoto, Texas, welterweight, 10-0, 8 KOs): A southpaw with excellent speed and power, Spence was a 2012 U.S. Olympian and is perhaps the best pro prospect from Team USA. Spence was also a three-time U.S. national champion (2009-11) and two-time National Golden Gloves champion (2009-10). As a pro, he has looked outstanding, albeit against steppingstone opposition. But even when forced to go the eight-round distance against unbeaten Emmanuel Lartey in October, Spence was sharp. He could move quickly.

ESPN 2013 boxing awards on Twitter
Agree with our selections? Disagree? Just want to join the conversation? Sound off and we might feature your tweet below. #ESPN13awards »

Oscar Valdez (23, Mexico, featherweight, 8-0, 8 KOs): The only two-time Mexican Olympian, Valdez is also the only Mexican to medal at the amateur world championships, claiming bronze in 2009. As a pro, Valdez has shown everything you want to see in a young prospect: speed, power, ring intelligence, defense and poise. He mowed down all six of his 2013 foes, although he faced modest opposition. He looks like a lock to eventually win a world title.

Felix Verdejo (20, Puerto Rico, lightweight, 9-0, 6 KOs): The 2012 Puerto Rican Olympian turned pro in December 2012 and quickly established himself as the island's No. 1 prospect. He's an exciting boxer-puncher with Felix Trinidad-like charisma, which has already made him a popular attraction. He has a chance to be a major force. Verdejo will return Jan. 25 in New York on the Mikey Garcia-Juan Carlos Burgos undercard.

Deontay Wilder (28, Tuscaloosa, Ala., heavyweight, 30-0, 30 KOs): The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist has great size (6-foot-7, 225 pounds), massive right-handed power and strong potential. But after 30 fights, he remains untested. He has never been past four rounds. He fought four times in 2013 and blew everyone out, including the faded Sergei Liakhovich and Audley Harrison. Wilder can crack. The question is, can he take? 2014 figures to be the year he finally faces a live opponent.
 
KO of the year: Stevenson-Dawson.

Then-light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson likely anticipated a June 8 challenge from Adonis Stevenson with less trepidation than his showdown nine months earlier with Andre Ward. He was back at a more comfortable weight, instead of shedding seven pounds to take on the super middleweight champion. And rather than taking on one of the two best boxers in the sport, he was facing a little-known 35-year-old who had only turned professional at the age of 29 and who had once been stopped by journeyman Darnell Boone.

2013 ESPN boxing awards
This week ESPN rolls out its year-end boxing awards, as voted on by our panel of writers, editors and analysts.

Monday: Round | Ranker
Tuesday: Knockout | Ranker
Wednesday: Prospect | Ranker
Thursday: Boxer of the year
Friday: Fight of the year

But if Dawson's camp and the bookmakers tipped this as a return to winning ways, another man -- physically absent but very much present in spirit on this night -- had long predicted otherwise. "He said to me that I would be a world champion," Stevenson said of Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, who raved about Stevenson's potential after bringing him into the Kronk Gym fold a few months before his death in October 2012. "He saw that, and he told Yvon [Michel], my promoter, that if I got a chance to fight Chad Dawson, we should make the fight happen."

In particular, Steward enthused over the Haitian-born southpaw's devastating left hand, and it was that very left hand that ended the Dawson fight and earned Stevenson ESPN.com's 2013 knockout of the year.

The style book identified Dawson as the slick boxer and Stevenson as the powerful brawler. But perhaps hoping to banish any thoughts that he might be gun-shy after his beating by Ward, perhaps to establish that he was the natural light heavyweight or perhaps just to keep his powerful foe on the back foot, Dawson stepped forward at the opening bell, pumping out a stiff jab as his challenger circled. Stevenson jabbed in response, and twice fired his vaunted left hand. Twice, Dawson stepped inside it and the punch whizzed behind his head. The third time, however, it exploded off the champion's right temple, and Dawson crumpled, his head dropping forward as his trunk slumped backward until he was flat on his back on the canvas.

More ESPN knockouts of the year
2012: J.M. Marquez KO6 M. Pacquiao IV
2011: Nonito Donaire TKO2 F. Montiel
2010: Sergio Martinez KO2 P. Williams II
2009: Manny Pacquiao KO2 Ricky Hatton
2008: Edison Miranda KO3 David Banks

It seemed improbable that he could possibly make it to his feet, but after lifting his head and blinking uncertainly, he somehow succeeded in doing so. As soon as he was vertical, though, he staggered back into the ropes, and although his eyes looked straight at referee Michael Griffin, they did so vacantly. When Dawson failed to raise his hands or respond to any commands, Griffin called a halt to the contest. A grand total of 76 seconds had elapsed since the opening bell.

Dawson protested the stoppage, as a champion should, but his complaints were drowned out by the explosion of ululation as Stevenson ran around the ring in celebration. Stevenson would win twice more before the year was out, both times by stoppage, but his one-punch blitz of Dawson remains the signature win of his career thus far.

Runners-Up
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Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports
Gennady Golovkin's body assault leveled Matthew Macklin and all but dared GGG's remaining doubters to deliver him a true test.
2. Gennady Golovkin KO3 Matthew Macklin
After Golovkin had opened his year's account with stoppage wins over Gabriel Rosado and Nobuhiro Ishida, Macklin was supposed to provide GGG his first big test: a legitimate 160-pound contender who had previously pushed middleweight champion Sergio Martinez hard. But from the opening bell, Macklin looked overwhelmed by Golovkin's power and pressure until, in the third round, the Kazakh-born fighter maneuvered his opponent into position along the ropes and whipped a picture-perfect short left hook into Macklin's body. The Anglo-Irishman dropped like a stone to the canvas, where he lay in pain for several minutes. In a devastating and dominating statement, Golovkin didn't just answer the putative big question being asked of him -- he ripped up the test sheet and threw it back at his examiners, as if daring them to provide a more dangerous challenge.

3. Jhonny Gonzalez KO1 Abner Mares
Mares was on a roll. He had erased the controversy over his August 2011 assault on Joseph Agbeko's testicles by registering a clean-and-clear rematch win over Agbeko, dominating Eric Morel, ending Anselmo Moreno's 27-fight unbeaten run and taking apart Daniel Ponce de Leon in an eye-opening featherweight debut. But Gonzalez brought that roll to a screeching halt with a short left hook to the jaw in the opening round of their Aug. 24 contest. Mares crashed to the canvas, and although he beat the count, he was still stunned. After a follow-up barrage put Mares down again, referee Jack Reiss waved the bout to an end.

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4. Gennady Golovkin KO3 Nobuhiro Ishida
Yes, Ishida's career had been conducted primarily at 154 pounds, not in Golovkin's middleweight division. Yes, with the exception of his shock first-round stoppage of James Kirkland in April 2011, Ishida had lost whenever he had stepped up in class. And yes, he was on a two-fight losing streak. But even when he had come off second-best, Ishida had proven resilient and remained vertical. Not against Golovkin. After tattooing his foe with his stiff jab through two-plus rounds, Golovkin sneaked a curling right hand over Ishida's lowered guard and sent him crashing to the deck. Ishida was unconscious by the time he landed beneath the bottom rope. As with so many of Golovkin's stoppage wins, it wasn't just that the fight ended inside the distance, it was that Golovkin finished it with frighteningly emphatic finality.

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AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot
Sergey Kovalev, seemingly spurred on by some perceived slight, ran through and over Ismayl Sillakh in a two-round razing.
T-5. Sergey Kovalev KO2 Ismayl Sillakh
Whether for reasons personal or political, or because Sillakh had been taunting him with too many "Yo mama" jokes, Russia's Kovalev seemed to possess a particular animus toward Ukraine's Sillakh, and the appropriately nicknamed "Krusher" sought to punish his foe from the opening moments of their Nov. 30 matchup. Sillakh managed largely to stay out of danger during the first round, but barely 30 seconds into Round 2, Kovalev landed a thumping right hand that deposited Sillakh on his back and scrambled his senses. As Sillakh rose to his feet and referee Marlon Wright completed his mandatory eight-count, Kovalev snarled in his corner, a chained junkyard dog. The moment action resumed, Kovalev flew toward his opponent and landed another devastating right hand that sent Sillakh down again, aided by two rapid-fire lefts. This time, Wright didn't bother to count.

T-5. Lucas Matthysse KO3 Lamont Peterson
This wasn't a fight so much as a beatdown, an aggressive puncher at the peak of his powers blowing past an overmatched foe with a shocking brutality. After a relatively quiet opening frame, Matthysse flattened Peterson with a hook in the second, reacquainted him with the canvas with another devastating hook in the third, and sent him crashing in the corner one more time in that same round to bring an end to what passed for a contest. Danny Garcia, seated ringside, would have the last laugh. Yet at that moment, Matthysse looked all but unstoppable.
 
Round of year: Bradley-Provodnikov.

For 11 rounds, Ruslan Provodnikov battled Timothy Bradley Jr. one-on-one. In Round 12 of the fighters' melee back in March, the Siberian slugger found himself in a handicap match -- against Bradley and the clock.

It's boxing's ultimate dramatic scenario: the final round of a championship fight, with one man needing a knockout and hurting his opponent badly as the seconds tick away. From the 15th round of Jake LaMotta versus Laurent Dauthuille, to Round 12 of Julio Cesar Chavez versus Meldrick Taylor, to the 12th round of Sergio Martinez versus Chavez's son Julio Jr., boxing history is dotted with these unforgettable sprints to the finish line. To that roll call we can now add the last stanza of Bradley-Provodnikov, ESPN's 2013 round of the year.

2013 ESPN boxing awards
This week ESPN rolls out its year-end boxing awards, as voted on by our panel of writers, editors and analysts.

Monday: Round | Ranker
Tuesday: Knockout | Ranker
Wednesday: Prospect | Ranker
Thursday: Boxer of the year
Friday: Fight of the year

Bradley led by three, three and five points on the official cards through 11 rounds (although many observers thought it was closer), meaning prohibitive prefight underdog Provodnikov needed two knockdowns just to get a draw. In other words, his best chance for victory was to knock out Bradley. And considering he had hurt Bradley badly three or four times already, it was an outcome that was very much in play.

The first half of the round was a microcosm of the whole fight: Bradley controlling the action when he jabbed and employed lateral movement, Provodnikov doing damage whenever Bradley stood in front of him and willingly engaged. With the Southern California crowd chanting "Brad-ley! Brad-ley!" at the midpoint of the stanza, the American produced a quick combination to the body, leaving himself open for a flush right hand to the jaw. That punch reminded Bradley to get back on his toes and pump jabs into Provodnikov's bloody left eye and protruding cheekbone.

With a minute and 15 seconds to go, Provodnikov leaned on Bradley, sending the defending welterweight titlist down to his knees and draining precious seconds off the clock as referee Pat Russell issued a warning. Down to his final 53 seconds, Provodnikov lured Bradley into an exchange along the ropes and sent him staggering across the ring with a left hook. Bradley clinched briefly, but then his machismo put him back in danger when he chose to pursue Provodnikov and walked into a right hand to the jaw that sent him lock-legged into the corner with a half-minute to go.

More ESPN rounds of the year
2012: S. Martinez-J.C. Chavez Jr. (12th)
2011: James Kirkland-A. Angulo (1st)
2010: J.M. Marquez-M. Katsidis (3rd)
2009: J.M. Marquez-Juan Diaz I (1st)
2008: Kendall Holt-Ricardo Torres II (1st)

The subsequent conversation between HBO broadcasters Max Kellerman and Jim Lampley captured the drama of the furious finish. "Bradley better hold here!" Kellerman yelled. Responded Lampley: "Bradley reaches out and grabs. His legs are almost gone!" And then Kellerman: "One shot could put him down here -- and out!"

Provodnikov unloaded two big rights and then a left, wobbling Bradley into the ropes with 16 ticks on the clock. With 12 seconds to go, Bradley stumbled forward and dropped to a knee. "That is a knockdown. But the clock is going to bring an end to the fight," Lampley said. "If Bradley can get up and stay up!" Kellerman clarified. Bradley made it to his feet at the count of six, Russell asked him to come forward, Bradley did, and the bell rang before the Russian could throw another punch.

"It's a 'Rocky' movie! That was 'Rocky'!" Kellerman exclaimed at the bell.

As in the first Balboa-Creed fight, the undefeated beltholder survived to win the narrow decision. If there's a rematch to this real-life "Rocky" fight, Bradley and Provodnikov will be hard-pressed to produce a more captivating round than the one that capped this brawl.

Runners-up
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Josh Hedges/Getty Images
A vicious second round in March's Brandon Rios-Mike Alvarado rematch launched another fight of the year candidate.
2. Mike Alvarado-Brandon Rios II (second)
Alvarado's and Rios' straight-ahead styles complement each other perfectly and have made all 19 of their shared rounds a delight for viewers. From their second fight, in March, won closely on points by Alvarado, the second round stood out -- particularly the final third of it. You rarely see a fighter rocked by a jab, but that's precisely the punch Rios used to buckle Alvarado's knees with a minute to go. "Bam Bam" pursued and landed some vicious uppercuts, but Alvarado stood his ground and started talking smack. For the final 15 seconds, they engaged in a nonstop, zero-defense exchange, and another fight of the year contender from Alvarado and Rios was off and running.

3. James Kirkland-Glen Tapia (third)
Halfway through this third round, HBO's Lampley declared, "So far, it's the fight of the year." The hyperbole was entirely warranted. Kirkland-Tapia would have been the year's best fight if both fighters could have kept it up. Unfortunately, it turned into a Kirkland rout and was over soon. But in the third, Kirkland was still in the process of heating up and Tapia hadn't yet been worn down. Kirkland bullied Tapia to the ropes early and imposed himself, but Tapia battled back, maneuvered Kirkland to the ropes and initiated an exchange of heavy leather. Tapia seemed punched out for most of the final minute, but he came alive in the last 10 seconds and the two warriors slugged it out until the bell.

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4. Omar Figueroa-Nihito Arakawa (third)
For consistently furious action, you could make a case that this round was the best seen in boxing this year. Most of it was waged at close quarters, with both men digging to the body and head, almost like a poor man's Corrales-Castillo. With 45 seconds left, southpaw Arakawa landed a crackling left to the jaw along the ropes, but Figueroa wouldn't be discouraged, bombing back with uppercuts and combinations as he bled from the bridge of his nose. The Texan blasted Arakawa with a looping right hand, and we got a glimpse of Arakawa's psychotic toughness when he soaked up the punishment and flashed a satisfied grin at the bell.

5. Darren Barker-Daniel Geale (sixth)
The first half of this round between evenly matched middleweights was nothing special. The second half was unforgettable. With 1:25 to go, Geale whipped home a scorching left hook to the liver, and Barker collapsed to boxing's version of the three-point stance -- two knees, one forehead -- in agony. For the first five seconds of ref Eddie Cotton's count, Barker's feet kicked the canvas uncontrollably. But he pushed himself up just inside the 10 count, then spent the next 30 seconds in pure survival mode, unable to throw a single punch as Geale unloaded on his rib cage. But late in the round, Barker summoned the strength to fire back, and one-sided drama gave way to two-way action until the bell clanged.
 
According to Latino Post, Youtube Boxing channel 78Sports TV reported that the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao showdown is already a done deal. The source, who disclosed insider's information about Mayweather's upcoming fights with Robert Guerrero and Saul Canelo Alvarez before these bouts were actually announced, indicated that Money May has already agreed to terms with Pacquiao.

"Great news in the world of boxing. He [the source] is telling me that Floyd and Manny Pacquiao will be fighting in 2014 guaranteed and it's already done," the 78Sports anchor said in his 16-minute commentary on Youtube. "Everything else that you will see will be just theatrics from here on out. But the fight is already done"

:nthat: if no BS...
 
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Trust me...it's BS :lol: being the "source" announcing the Ghost and Canelo fight isn't exactly something to stamp on your resume, EVERYONE knew those fights were next a few months in advance.

Let's see if anything leaks from a credible source.
 
I need to hear it out of Floyd's mouth. All these other "sources" don't mean ish.

Abner Mares vs. Jhonny Gonzalez has been pushed back due to Mares suffering a rib injury. No date has been set.
 
Speaking of Dirrell, does Andre even fight anymore?
Only fought twice since the Abraham fight and diagnosed brain injury. Clean bill of health but he's sorting through promotional issues and has been working with and helping Ant's camps.
 
Boxer of year: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

As great as pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. is inside the ring -- and he is one of the greatest to ever lace up the gloves -- he hasn't made many appearances there in recent years before fighting twice in 2013.

In fact, Mayweather had not fought as many as two times in one year since 2007, when he outpointed Oscar De La Hoya in a fight that set numerous financial records, and then drilled Ricky Hatton. That was a huge year for Mayweather as he beat two quality opponents, made gargantuan sums of money and won fighter of the year honors for his excellent performances.

2013 ESPN boxing awards
This week ESPN rolls out its year-end boxing awards, as voted on by our panel of writers, editors and analysts.

Monday: Round | Ranker
Tuesday: Knockout | Ranker
Wednesday: Prospect | Ranker
Thursday: Boxer | Ranker
Friday: Fight of the year

It's hard to win fighter of the year when you only fight once a year, however, which is what Mayweather did from 2009 to 2012 (and he didn't fight at all in 2008).

But in 2013, Mayweather signed a 30-month deal with Showtime/CBS for up to six fights. The deal set the industry on its head and is estimated to be worth up to $200 million. It was also a sign that Mayweather had recommitted to boxing more regularly and the result was two fights, two big events, two lopsided decision victories, more riches, more pay-per-view records and the 2013 ESPN.com fighter of the year award.

Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) may be 36 and closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but he was still brilliant, as always, in both victories. In May, Mayweather took on Robert Guerrero, who had campaigned for the shot at Mayweather for more than a year and did something many fighters aren't interested in doing -- he earned it by moving up two weight classes, from lightweight to welterweight, and beating two legit contenders in Andre Berto and Selcuk Aydin.

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AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
Floyd Mayweather Jr. barely lost a single round in 2013 with a pair of dominant victories over Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez.
But Guerrero was no match for Mayweather, who barely broke a sweat outboxing him to win 117-111 on all three scorecards in a welterweight title defense.

And then, when some doubted Mayweather would take up the challenge, he returned to junior middleweight, where he also held a belt, and faced young, strong, undefeated Mexican star Canelo Alvarez in the biggest fight since, well, Mayweather-De La Hoya.

In a sublime performance, Mayweather toyed with Alvarez and won a majority decision, a result marred only by the absurd draw scorecard turned in by judge C.J. Ross (who later quit judging because of the intense backlash).

Besides unifying 154-pound titles, Mayweather's win over Alvarez generated $150 million in pay-per-view revenue to break the Mayweather-De La Hoya record ($136 million). It also sold 2.2 million subscriptions, second all-time to Mayweather-De La Hoya (close to 2.5 million) and broke virtually every other revenue record in boxing history.

More ESPN boxers of the year
2012: Nonito Donaire
2011: Andre Ward
2010: Sergio Martinez
2009: Manny Pacquiao
2008: Manny Pacquiao
When Mayweather fights, they are the biggest events in boxing and, thanks to his activity level in 2013, and the ease with which he beat two top opponents, he showed he is still the face of boxing.

"2013 has been a big year for 'The Money Team,'" Mayweather said. "It feels good to be where I currently am in my career. I am looking forward to 2014 being another exciting year for me. I appreciate the recognition and all of the support my fans shown me over the years."

Runners-Up

2. Gennady Golovkin: Kazakhstan's Golovkin (28-0, 25 KOs) was a good boy in 2013, defending his middleweight title four times with four lopsided knockout wins -- including two that were in the running for KO of the year honors -- and becoming one of boxing's breakout fighters. In January, despite being ill in the days leading to the bout, he routed Gabriel Rosado, badly cutting him en route to a seventh-round stoppage. He went to Monte Carlo in March and obliterated Nobuhiro Ishida -- who had never been stopped -- in a sick, third-round knockout. Returning to the United States, GGG cut down quality contender Matthew Macklin in June with an audible body shot in the third round. Golovkin capped a huge year in November with an eighth-round destruction of Curtis Stevens.

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AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz
With four victories -- all by knockout -- in 2013, light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson announced his arrival in a big way at 175 pounds.
3. Adonis Stevenson: "Superman" moved up to the light heavyweight division and took it by storm with four resounding knockout wins, one of which earned him a belt and the lineal title. Stevenson (23-1, 20 KOs) first cleaned up the mess of his only loss by destroying journeyman Darnell Boone in a sixth-round knockout in March. In June, Stevenson got a shot at champion Chad Dawson and knocked him out with one big punch -- the KO of the year -- in just 76 seconds to win the title. In his first defense in September, Stevenson was extremely impressive showing off his boxing skills -- and power -- as he walked through former titlist Tavoris Cloud. Stevenson, a growing attraction in his adopted hometown of Montreal, closed a fine campaign in November with a one-sided, sixth-round destruction of mandatory challenger Tony Bellew.

4. Timothy Bradley Jr.: Talk about turning things around. In 2012, Bradley was mocked around the world for claiming a welterweight title on a bad call made by two judges, who made him a split-decision winner against Manny Pacquiao in one of the most controversial calls in boxing history. Upset by controversy and with a point to prove that he could be an exciting fighter, Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) let it all hang out in March as he went toe-to-toe with Ruslan Provodnikov in a brutal slugfest. Bradley was badly hurt numerous times, nearly knocked out in the first and second rounds and dropped in the waning seconds of the fight, but pulled out the well-deserved decision. Bradley returned in October and went back to his boxing ways as he claimed a split decision, one he deserved this time, against future Hall of Famer Juan Manuel Marquez.


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5. Danny Garcia: Garcia claimed a pair of junior welterweight belts in 2012, but he stamped himself as the division's legitimate champion in 2013 with two important victories. In April, Garcia (27-0, 16 KOs) faced former titlist Zab Judah in Judah's hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., and survived a tough battle. Garcia dominated early and scored an eighth-round knockdown before surviving a late Judah rally to retain his belts via unanimous decision. In September, Garcia left no doubt as to who the true 140-pound champion was when he outboxed and outslugged "The Machine," Lucas Matthysse, the huge puncher and betting favorite. Garcia swelled up Matthysse's eye and sealed the tight, unanimous decision with a knockdown in the 11th round.
 
Thanks for the new thread. This thread is one of the few things keeping me on NT.

I hate that May is winning most of the fighter if the year awards. Since when is this a popularity contest?
 
when it comes to PBF news, if its not on fighthype then there aint **** to talk about...
 
Trust me...it's BS :lol: being the "source" announcing the Ghost and Canelo fight isn't exactly something to stamp on your resume, EVERYONE knew those fights were next a few months in advance.

Let's see if anything leaks from a credible source.

Yeah, I feel the same way. I would probably buy it but I have Floyd winning pretty easily.
 
I don't think you can get fighter of the year if you've got a controversial or extremely close decision on your resume and you've only fought twice. I don't think it was Floyd but I think Danny & Timmy are good at 4 and 5. IDK if I can put either of them over Golovkin or Adonis either.
 
I don't think you can put them two over GGG or Adonis because GGG fought four contenders and KO'ed them all + Adonis throwing extreme beat downs on two belt holders (and the Ring champ) in seven obscenely efficient rounds.
 
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