606v2 Boxing Awards 2011 - The Results.

Across the last three weeks you have all been voting on who you believe to be deserving of the 606v2 domestic and international boxer of the year awards.

Thank you for your votes, and here are the results:


Domestic Boxer of the Year 2011

This vote proved to be very much a two horse race, with the top two sharing 67% of the vote. However, your winner, with 36% of the vote, is Scotland's Ricky Burns.

Spoiler:

Burns fought three times in 2011, kicking off the year when forcing Ghanaian Joseph Laryea to retire on his stool in the 7th round and successfully defending the WBO super-featherweight title that he won from Roman Martinez back in 2010.

A further defence of his WBO crown followed when scoring a first round TKO victory over Nicky Cook in July; Cook being unable to continue due to a back injury no doubt not helped by Burns' accurate body punching.

Talk ensued of a fight against unbeaten American prospect Adrien Broner, though Burns made the move north to the lightweight division before this could take place, citing his struggles to make the super-featherweight limit. Despite the protestations of many that this step up was as much to avoid Broner as anything else, Burns immediately signed to fight an equally dangerous opponent in Australia's Michael Katsidis, a fight held for the Interim WBO lightweight title. A heavy underdog, and with many questioning whether he had the power to keep Katsidis from walking through him, Burns boxed superbly mixing up a stiff jab with accurate body punching. Katsidis was relentless, but Burns kept his concentration and consistently landed the crisper shots on his way to a clear unanimous decision win.

2011 has been a watershed year for Burns, gaining wider public recognition, and also showing everyone in the sport that he has the ability and the desire to move on to bigger and better things. An interesting 2012 awaits as he looks to get in amongst the very best of what is a dangerous lightweight division. We wish him all the best, and I think you'll all agree that Ricky is deserving of this award.

An honourable mention to Carl Froch, who narrowly missed out on this award. Froch may have been a victim of unfortunate timing, given that his second fight of 2011 takes place later this month. A super-middleweight unification bout with America's unbeaten Andre Ward awaits in the final of the Super Six World Boxing Classic, and no doubt a win there would have greatly enhanced his claims to this award.


International Boxer of the Year 2011

As with the domestic award, the international boxer of the year vote proved to be very tight between two fighters who shared 68% of the vote. However, your winner, with 37% of the vote, is 'The Filipino Flash' Nonito Donaire.

Spoiler:

Donaire fought twice in 2011, the highlight being his stunning second round stoppage of world class Mexican Fernando Montiel for the unified bantamweight championship of the world. Montiel is a fearsome puncher in his own right, but this fight really highlighted the speed, accuracy and power that 'The Filipino Flash' possesses. Donaire also picked up a unanimous points win over the previously unbeaten Omar Andres Narvaez, winning every single round on all three judges scorecards to retain his titles. It was clear from the off that Narvaez only had survival on his mind throughout this fight, with Donaire even telling his corner "I'm bored" part way through. Nevertheless, he got the win despite failing to get the stoppage he was looking for.

Since causing an upset in stopping Vic Darchinyan at flyweight back in 2007, many have been left frustrated by the seemingly slow progress of the supremely talented Donaire. 2012 does however hold big things, with talk of a fight against Cuban sensation Yuriorkis Gamboa. This remains unlikely to happen, given the weight difference and Gamboa looking to move north to super-featherweight, but it does highlight the intent and the type of fights that Donaire will now be looking to land in order to seal his legacy. Japan's Toshiaki Nishioka looks the most likely opponent up at super-bantamweight.

For his stunning win over Montiel, and his solid showing against Narvaez, Donaire is fully deserving of his award.

Again, an honourable mention must go to the narrow runner-up, 'Dr Steel Hammer' Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko further unified the heavyweight crown in July of 2011 when winning a unanimous points decision against Britain's David Haye, reaffirming his status as the best heavyweight on the planet. Along with his boxing prowess, Klitschko demonstrated class, intellect and charm in spades in the face of intense media interest throughout the build-up to the Haye fight, and of course the trash-talking aimed in his direction from 'The Hayemaker', winning many British fight fans over in the process.

Can you fly me to Vegas to present Donaire with his award?

First class on Virgin
Skyloft suite at the MGM
$10,000 spending money
$50,000 in casino chips

I think i deserve it for my contrubition to the forum and for simply making it a better place when logged on....

Sounds fair enough.

coxy0001 wrote:Can you fly me to Vegas to present Donaire with his award?

First class on Virgin
Skyloft suite at the MGM
$10,000 spending money
$50,000 in casino chips

The hope that the casino/mob do him over for cheating....priceless

coxy0001 wrote:Can you fly me to Vegas to present Donaire with his award?

First class on Virgin
Skyloft suite at the MGM
$10,000 spending money
$50,000 in casino chips

I think i deserve it for my contrubition to the forum and for simply making it a better place when logged on....

Coxy do you think there's enough money in the 606v2 coffers for such frivolous spending? Don't forget Adam has to keep his mansions warm this winter as well as run his ferraris (not easy with todays fuel prices). Only kidding Adam.

good to see burn's get some praise!

By the way has anyone told Ricky Burns that he won our (Extremely Coveted) Domestic boxer of the year award?