As we approach the end of 2022, the discussions for fighter, knockout and prospect of the year are well underway.
Matchroom promoter, Eddie Hearn, has shared his opinion and revealed what he believes to be the standout stoppage of the year.
There has been a catalogue of huge knockouts in the UK alone over the last twelve months, with Leigh Wood knocking out Michael Conlan in Nottingham, and Tommy Fletcher and Chris Billam-Smith throwing late contenders into the mix.
However, on Hearn’s Twitter, the 43-year-old revealed that his pick for the KO of the year award was Welshman Joe Cordina’s brutal second round stoppage against Kenichi Ogawa.
For me, this is the 2022 KO of the Year! @JoeCordina_91 will be back in Cardiff in April to become a two-time Champ! Fight news dropping soon 🌍 pic.twitter.com/TijJS7Io7I
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) December 22, 2022
The night was a picture perfect one for Cordina, as he won his first world title by a viral knockout in his hometown of Cardiff. Unfortunately for the super-featherweight, the aftermath was far from perfect.
Ahead of his first defence of his world title, against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov, he broke his hand and was stripped of his title by the IBF.
As a result, Rakhimov fought and beat Zelfa Barrett in Dubai, winning by a knockout in the ninth round of a highly-competitive fight. Cordina is now focuses on fighting Tajikistani, only this time he will be the challenger rather than the defending champion.
When, praising Cordina’s stoppage over Ogawa, Hearn stated that Cordina will return to action in April, as he looks to become a two-time champion, which implies that he will get his chance to fight Rakhimov and win back his IBF title.
Hearn also retweeted a tweet where another of his shows, Taylor-Serrano, was awarded the Sporting News Fight of the Year, suggesting that he agrees with that opinion.
Katie Taylor’s victory over Amanda Serrano represented a monumental moment in the history of women’s boxing, as the pair became the first female boxers to headline at Maddison Square Garden.
Not only was the fight historic, but it was also as entertaining as any other legendary fight at MSG and would be a deserved winner of the award in the eyes of many.