Yet again another year comes to an end and it has been an incredible one for boxing fans.
Anthony Joshua cemented his reputation as the most exciting heavyweight the division has seen in a long time and there are also signs that Tyson Fury may be on his way back to the ring, which, regardless of your views on him, is good for the sport.
Some greats bowed out including Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward while Floyd Mayweather claimed his 50th win in a farcical fight with Conor McGregor. He is still on 49 for most of us.
Joshua V Klitschko
Whatever happens in 2018 it will be hard to top this fight, with a changing of the guard as the legendary veteran Wladimir Klitschko was eventually beaten by Anthony Joshua – arguably the heavyweight division’s brightest star since Mike Tyson. Klitschko tested Joshua and even had him down, but the younger man had too much in an epic encounter at Wembley.
Golovkin V Canelo
Two of the hardest punchers in the sport met in Las Vegas in September resulting in a controversial draw.
Most fight fans thought the Kazakhstani boxer has done more than enough to edge the contest, but judge Adalaide Byrd’s scoring gave the Mexican it 118-110 sparking angry reactions.
Both fighters lost none of their credibility in the fight and are still widely considered the best two pound for pound fighters in the sport.
The WBC ordered a rematch following the draw, likely to take place in the middle of 2018, and the hapless judge had lost her place at the top table of boxing.
Andre Ward V Sergey Kovalev
Classy light heavyweight Andrew Ward went out at the top, with the demolition of Sergey Kovalev becoming the only fighter to stop the Russian.
Ward retires unbeaten with 33 wins with some impressive scalps including Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler.
His stoppage of Kovalev ensures he goes out as one of the very best and in fitting style.
Bellew V Haye
Whilst it will certainly not enthuse the purists the drama and hype surrounding the fight meant that this fight makes the top five.
The vitriol between the two fighters beforehand was as good as any we’ve seen in the sport and Haye regained a lot of credibility after lasting five rounds with a ruptured Achilles before he was stopped in round 11.
Bellew achieved his dream of packing ut his beloved Everton’s Goodison Park for one of British boxing’s great fight nights.
The rematch in May will do well to match this.
Horn V Pacquaio
The surprise of the year came in Australia as a veteran Manny Pacquaio was beaten by the relative unknown Jeff Horn.
In a bloody encounter in Brisbane, Horn somewhat controversially won a unanimous decision to inflict Pacquaio with only his second career defeat (after Floyd Mayweather). While the Philippine legend was magnanimous in defeat, it seems to have ended his boxing career. Talk of a rematch in 2018 appears to have been just that.
