5. Caleb Truax MD 12 James DeGale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tww8B8YplbE
Nobody gave America’s Caleb Truax a chance going into his IBF world super-middleweight world championship shot against James DeGale.
DeGale was a proven contender and going into the fight, ‘Chunky’ bullishly told the press he was the number one fighter in world boxing at 168 lbs.
Many had expected the Briton to slash Traux to pieces while utilising superior ring generalship.
Ahead of the final press conference for the fight, DeGale talked at length about licking his lips at potential mammoth clashes against David Benavvidez, Gilberto Ramirez, George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr.
The lack of focus killed DeGale, nevertheless Truax embodied many of the virtues that make for a great champion. He was dogged, relentless and fought with an air of confidence to gamely pressure DeGale into an unlikely defeat.
4.Errol Spence KO 11 Kell Brook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUGLjfGH4lI
It was the coming out party for Errol Spence Jr in 2017. One of the sport’s brightest talents achieved what many had expected for some time now and that was Spence was going to become world champion.
He had to travel to enemy territory to get his shot at Kell Brook. However, ‘The Truth’ wasn’t about to let a little thing like home advantage stand in his path of victory.
In his trademark head-on style of fighting, Errol Spence tactically broke down Kell Brook and sapped the air from his legs.
Spence and Brook were evenly matched for the first six rounds with many calling the fight dead even by that stage.
Spence’s all out aggression allowed him to seize a foothold down the stretch of the fight, however. Spence’s workrate and power punching ultimately told the tale of the fight.
This fight probably marked the beginning of a reign that is surely on course to becoming one of the most significant of this era.
Errol Spence looks as though he will be the next poster boy for American boxing in the glamorous and decorated welterweight division.
3. Sor Rungvisai KO 4 Roman Gonzalez (II)
Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez was widely credited with being the standout pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.
The 4-weight world champion Nicaraguan found sizeable acclaim as he punched his way to four world titles with his fan friendly, all offence style of fighting.
However, when he met Srisraket Sor Rungvisai, everything changed and Gonzalez surrendered his WBC super flyweight crown in a gruelling encounter.
He lost a lot of blood during a fight where he was overawed with his bigger opponents advantages in the strength department.
However many believed the result of the first fight was down to a fluke. Gonzalez was going to demonstrate his greatness as an all-time great by recapturing the throne…
The second bout began much like the first and Sor Rungvisai was having sustained success with his pressuring style.
The second time around Gonzalez didn’t seem to be demonstrating the same resistance he had put up in the first encounter.
A short left hook signalled what was to come as Gonzalez crashed to the canvas, looking badly shaken.
Rungvisai didn’t let his opponent get a rest.
The Thai slugger once again turned up the pressure following the knockdown, attacking with a barrage of punches and a crisp right hand left him almost lifeless on his back.
With his eyes open, this knockout was eerily reminiscent of Manny Pacquiao’s stunning 2009 knockout of Ricky Hatton.
2. Andre Ward TKO 8 Sergey Kovalev (II)
There was a lot of bad blood going into this highly anticipated rematch in June. Kovalev insinuated he lost because of corrupt judges who were protecting an American hero and 2004 Olympic gold medal winner. Kovalev vowed to kayo Ward ahead of their rematch, furthermore he even threatened that he would end his career.
Ward himself wanted to silence the many doubters who questioned if he truly deserved the victory in their 2016 meeting.
Kovalev was a fearsome puncher. Throughout his entire career had been able to stand and trade opposite the ferocious Russian and live to tell the tale.
That all changed however on June 17th, when Andre Ward made an almost symbolic statement to stand up to the bully and he did gradually chop his menacing foe down.
It had been widespread that Kovalev had a strong appetite for alcohol and Ward had revealed he had knowledge of his tendency to drink to excess and aimed to focus his gameplan around draining Kovalev’s energy and going to the body.
The body assault eventually took its toll in the eighth round when Sergey’s legs began to fail him and it became readily apparent the pace of the bout was taking its toll and he was looking for a way out.
1. Anthony Joshua TKO 11 Wladimir Klitschko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqcFZqtra3o
The heavyweight division has traditionally been the sport’s glamour division. April 29th seemed to mark the return of the division back into mainstream sport’s entertainment circle.
It was marked as a changing of the guard fight between the rising star and the decorated, seasoned pro.
It was a titanic battle of the ages which saw both men having to dig deep to haul themselves off the canvas. This came after both suffered heavy knockdowns during the middle rounds.
Anthony Joshua showed his first real glimpses of greatness when he obliterated Klitschko with a dynamite uppercut in round 11.
‘AJ’ demonstrated his killer instincts when he cut the ring off effectively and pounded the former 2-time heavyweight kingpin into submission.
With this victory, Joshua added the IBO and WBA (Super) titles to his IBF world championship.
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