Boxing's Best of 2007: The Top Five Fights of the Year
Written by Ja Dawson   
Friday, 28 December 2007

I present my list of the year's best fights.  I place a heavy emphasis on quality of opposition, based largely on each fighter's Ring rating, as well as what is at stake in terms of title belts.  Most importantly, the fight must be exciting, with an element of drama.  By drama, I mean that at some point during the fight its outcome must have been in doubt.

Many were qualified, but only five were worthy.  Check out my selections below.

#5 Sakio Bika TKO 8 Jaidon Codrington For what these fighters lacked in boxing ability, they made up in terms of heart, punching power, and (lack of) defense.  No world title was on the line here, but the combatants were closing out season three of the Contender reality television series. And close it out is just what they did, as viewers were treated to the greatest Contender show of all-time.

#4 Floyd Mayweather, Jr. TKO 10 Ricky Hatton Few superfights matched this one in terms of intensity inside the ring as well as outside of it.  The year's final superfight played out like a classic novel.  The rising action, HBO's pre-fight reality show and televised weigh-in created the buzz, while Floyd Mayweather's blazing fists closed the show.

#3 Miguel Cotto TKO 11 Zab Judah Like Mayweather-Hatton, this fight was fairly one-sided (in favor of Cotto) yet exciting.  As usual, Judah shocked and awed with his speed and power early on.  Cotto ultimately weathered the storm and systematically beat Judah into submission like no fighter had ever done before.  Judah's wild hay-makers and Cotto's shaky chin kept fans on their toes for 10 rounds, until Judah finally succumbed in round 11.

#2 Israel Vazquez TKO 6 Rafael Marquez II Were it not for both men weighing less than an eighth grader and being as recognizable as a snowflake in Alaska, this fight would be #1 on my list.  Don't believe me?  Do a YouTube search for "Rafael Marquez."

#1 Kelly Pavlik KO 7 Jermain Taylor What do you get when two undefeated fighters meet, in their physical primes, for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world?  You get the 2007 fight of the year.  Kelly Pavlik got off the floor in round two, and the rest, Jermain Taylor included, was history.

If Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was the shining star of boxing in 2007, Kelly Pavlik sure was it's fastest rising one.  I don't know about you but I can not wait until next year!

For more boxing opinions, predictions, and tickets, visit www.FightInsight.com.

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