Disagree or agree?

Question

Finally, Ring Magazine has announced its awards for 2007. Floyd Mayweather was named ‘Fighter of the Year’ for the second time in his career. He was also named in 1998.

Israel Vazquez KO 6 Rafael Marquez II was named ‘Fight of the Year’.

Israel Vazquez – Rafael Marquez II, round number 3 was named ‘Round of the Year’.

Nonito Donaire KO 5 Vic Darchinyan was named ‘Knockout of the Year’.

Nonito Donaire KO 5 Vic Darchinyan was named ‘Upset of the Year’.

Paulie Malignaggi was named ‘Comeback Fighter of the Year’.

Floyd Mayweather – Oscar De La Hoya was named ‘Event of the Year’.

Now I disagree with one of these nominations and that is Floyd Mayweather Jr. being named fighter of the year. I believe that honor should have went to Miguel Cotto. Any other thoughts?

Answer 1

Devon P.,

I think you may have a legitimate arguement.

Lets take a closer look at each fighter this year.

As for Mayweather:

Mayweather's next match was the long-anticipated superfight against six-division champion and current WBC junior middleweight titleholder Oscar De La Hoya on May 5, 2007. De La Hoya's belt was on the line, which required Mayweather to move up in weight from 147 pounds to 154.

Despite De La Hoya's insistence that money was not a factor, the Mayweather-De La Hoya bout set the record for most PPV buys for a boxing match with 2.4 million households, shattering the record of 1.95 million for Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson II. Around $120 million in revenue was generated by the PPV, which set another record. With the percentages factored in, Oscar De La Hoya ended up earning $58 million for the bout, the highest purse ever for a fighter. The previous record was $35 million, held by Tyson and Holyfield. Floyd Mayweather earned about $35 million for the fight. Mayweather Jr. won the bout by split decision.

Mayweather decided to relinquish his WBC junior middleweight championship and kept his WBC welterweight championship. On July 28, 2007, it was announced that Mayweather would come out of his short retirement to fight light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton which was promoted by Oscar De La Hoya's promotion company Golden Boy Promotions and Floyd Mayweather's "Mayweather Promotions." The bout was labelled "Undefeated" and took place on December 8, 2007, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. In the build up to their fight, Mayweather claimed that he is the greatest boxer ever, saying: "I respect what Robinson and Ali did for the sport. But I am the greatest, and this is my time."
Cortez called a halt to the action at the same time Hatton's corner threw in the towel.

After the fight, Mayweather said that Hatton was one of the toughest fighters he had ever fought, that he just kept coming and coming. He later announced that he will take a two-year layoff from boxing.

As fo Cotto:

World Boxing Association Welterweight Championship. Cotto's Welterweight reign began successfully on March 3, 2007 when he retained his belt with a technical knock out victory in the eleventh round over Oktay Urkal. Urkal's corner threw in the towel because he was apparently down in the fight, and had just had a second point deducted for a head butt, leading to his corner's belief that the referee was unfair.

On June 9, 2007 Cotto defended the WBA Welterweight Title against Zab Judah in New York City before a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden. The bout included two low blows by Cotto (which led to a point deduction) and at stoppage had Cotto leading 97-91. Cotto won by technical knockout in the eleventh round when the referee stopped the fight.

Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley fought on November 10, 2007 at Madison Square Garden in a card made possible by a legal settlement between Top Rank, Cotto's promoter, and Mosley's promoter, Golden Boy Promotions. The fight was broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View and was won in a close unanimous decision by Cotto.

I feel Mayweather deserves the honor however, in my opinion, Cotto was an underdog in his last two fights this year against Judah and Mosely.

He pulled through like a champ and made a statement loud and clear.

I may go with you on this one.

I vote for Cotto. He should have won.

Answer 2

Thumbs up to Elmer, Big Henry, Ernie and John M all valid points. I think Pavlik's KO of Taylor was the KO of the year. Mayweather easily earned fighter of the year in spite of his obnoxious attitude outside the ring, in the ring he is simply the best of his era. If Floyd would shut his mouth, his fan base would grow to match his ego. As it stands, Mayweather has no business being mentioned in the same sentence as Sugar Ray Robinson or Muhammad Ali, as good as Floyd is, he's not even close to the level of the historical significance people like Joe Louis or even Julio Cesar Chavez let alone boxing's all time greats. I rate Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins and even James Toney as historically more significant than Floyd.

I don't consider Vazquez, Donaire or Darchinyan significant enough to war-rent such awards, so I disagree on principle. The fight of the year in my opinion was Calzaghe/Kessler, and Pavlik coming off the canvass or Mayweather KOing Hatton both were bigger rounds than Vazquez/Marquez. Paul Williams beating Margarito was as big an upset as Donaire's KO of Darchinyan, but opinions vary with each person.

I think the biggest event was Oscar De La Hoya's "Golden Boy Promotions" impact on boxing in general, with the purchase of most of the major Boxing Magazines being as big as the Boxing cards Golden Boy promoted. The use of the HBO mini reality series to promote fights is revolutionary and should have got more recognition, it was brilliant on the part of Golden Boy and contributed as much to the massive pay per view income as anything. De La Hoya/Mayweather wouldn't have grossed anywhere near what it did without the HBO reality series promo, it was that significant a contribution to the marketing of boxing match's.

I guess I disagree with most of what Ring Magazine announced for their awards.

Answer 3

Disagree. I am not a Floyd Mayweather fan but he KO tough Ricky Hatton. On the other hand Cotto barely survive Shane Mosley. Manny Pacquiao for fighter of the Year.

Answer 4

Pavlik should have been fighter of the year. 3 fights in 2007 all 3 were wins by way of knock out not to mention the third fight was a fight with Jermain Taylor. Taylor knocked PAvlik down in the 2nd, but Pavlik came back and tkoed Taylor in the 7th and became the undefeated middleweight champ.

Answer 5

I have Cotto at #2 for f.o.y.There is just noway you can discredit Pavlik's three spectacular fights w/ three ko's.Mayweather's two fights couldn't come close to being fight of the year,yet Kelly had two that could be fight of the year.I admit this is a tough year to choose best of's,but it's a no brainer to have Kelly Pavlik as fighter of the year.BIGGEST FIGHTS DON"T MEAN BEST FIGHTS,OR BEST FIGHTER!!!

Answer 6

I AGREE 4 THE MOST PART BUT UPSET OF THE YEAR SHOULD OF WENT 2 MAYWEATHER 4 NOT FIGHTTING SOLID WELTER WEIGHTS ALTHOUGH U HAVE 2 GIVE HIM THE BENAFIT OF THE DOUT I GUESS I THINK VIC IS SO 1 DIMENSIONAL AND SO FULL OF HIMSELF THAT IT DIDNT REALLY SUPRISE ME HE GOT KO ED HIMSELF

Answer 7

I'm not a big Mayweather fan but he deserves the honor.

Answer 8

Myweather's domination of Ricky Hatton should
leave no doubt that he is "Fighter of the Year".

Answer 9

No way. Floyd won the 2 biggest fights of the year. Cotto better avoid the Floyd for a while.

Answer 10

how about Paul Williams?