Boxers to follow in 2012
By Jasveer Singh Gill
The year of 2011 is a year that will stand out in boxing history. Big fights happened but failed to deliver, there were big upsets and as usual, lots of controversy.
Whilst fans were delighted to see big match ups finally getting made, most of them were anticlimactic. The potential for new stars to emerge was there but in most cases it never came through, with many upsets resulting in big setbacks.
Fans were delighted to see Floyd Mayweather fight again, although probably not too happy with the choice of opponent, in Victor Ortiz. No one was happy with the way the fight ended though, when Mayweather knocked out Ortiz while the Mexican was barely paying attention.
Fans were also delighted by the continuation of Bernard Hopkins defying his age, beating fighters close to 20 years younger than him. However, when he fought Chad Dawson – someone recognised as a fighter with the ability to be a modern great – the fight ended in a no contest after Dawson threw Hopkins to the floor, with Hopkins injuring his shoulder and thus being unable to continue.
Manny Pacquaio finally agreed to settle the score with Juan Manuel Marquez but rather than a definitive conclusion, we may now be looking at a fourth fight. Pacquaio won a decision in a fight that most people thought he lost.
In maybe the most anticipated fight for a long time, David Haye finally fought Wladimir Klitschko and promptly stunk up the arena in an awful display, fighting just as timidly as most Klitschko opponents do, losing a 12 round decision.
All the afore mentioned fights ended with fans booing.
Along with this, rising stars such as James Kirkland, Giovanni Segura, David , Lemeuix, James De Gale and others lost in big upsets. Only Andre Ward, after winning the Showtime Super Six tournament, made a genuine step up to stardom this year.
However, 2012 will definitely be a year when a new star emerges to ensure fights do not end in a chorus of boos. And here are five that are most likely to do so.
Tyson Fury – Heavyweight (17-0, 12 KOs)
With his name, his looks, his style of fighting, his size, his background, his family and basically everything about him, Tyson Fury is destined to be a huge star.
As a heavyweight boxer, he is 6ft 9in but with great hand-speed and power; more or less the perfect package for a fighter in his division. Fury comes from a boxing and Gypsy background, with his father, Johnny Fury (currently in jail for 25 years for gouging someone’s eye out) a noted bare knuckle and former professional boxer.
As a fighter he is as exciting as heavyweights come, combining a high work-rate with the ability to recover from a punch (as noted in superb bouts against Derek Chisora and Neven Pakjic). A man he beat comprehensively is fighting for a world title next (Chisora) but at 23 he is not in a rush. By the end of 2012 he will have been in some exciting bouts (with a bout against his big rival David Price on the agenda) and probably be among the best heavyweights in the world.
Yuriokis Gamboa – Featherweight (21-0, 16 KOs)
Perhaps the most explosive and lethal fighter in the world today, Gamboa is on a mission to become the known as the best boxer on earth as quick as he can.
An Olympic Gold medallist from Cuba, Gamboa decided after winning the medal in 2004 he needed to escape his countries communist regime to pursue his dream to become the world’s best. Selling his Gold medal to fund his move to America, he eventually ended up in Germany and now America. With blinding hand-speed and a fearlessness that has seen him his the canvas because of his willingness to consistently trade toe-to-toe, Gamboa has enthralled fans. After rampaging his way through the featherweight division Gamboa is now looking to jump two divisions up to fight lightweight champion Brandon Rios, and such is his talent Gamboa would probably be favourite to beat him. There are some real tests for Gamboa (Adrien Broner, Gary Russell Jr) around his weight division but if he can come through them in 2012 Gamboa may be the pound-for-pound best by the end of the year.
Nonito Donaire – Super-bantamweight (28-0, 18 KOs)
The Filipino went to the same school as Manny Pacquaio and is currently rampaging through divisions in a similar style as his compatriot. After losing his first second pro fight Donaire has gone on to prove he is the ultimate under-dog, and is currently noted as one of the top ten pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Left handed like Pacquaio, his left-hook is a real killer, nearly decapitating Fernando Montiel in KO of the year in 2011. So good is he, opponents now come looking to survive rather than to win. A fight against the aforementioned Gamboa could be in the pipeline but for now do not expect anyone to even challenge him and goes on to create a legacy for himself as one of the best bantamweights in history.
Anthony Dirrell – Super-middleweight (24-0, 21 KOs)
The brother of former Super Six contestant Andre, Anthony may not be as refined a boxer as his brother but is clearly a more aggressive and powerful fighter. The reason he is not rated as highly right now is because run ins with the law and a battle against a form of lung-cancer has delayed his career, but now he is back and as hungry as ever. Now working his way as number one contender to fight Andre Ward for the WBC title, Dirrell arguably has a style more suited than anyone to defeating the seemingly undefeatable Ward. A great boxer with a superb amateur pedigree, he has become the forgotten man in American boxing but in 2012 will make sure he forces his way back into the minds of boxing fans.
Ismayl Sillakh – Light-heavyweight (17-0, 14 KOs)
“The Black Russian” is seen in many boxing circles as one of the best talents to emerge from Europe since Joe Calzaghe. Originally from Sierra Leone, Sillakh was born and raised in the Ukraine and was taken in by boxing coaches that recognised his huge amount of potential. Both highly skilled, very powerful and with a vicious killer instinct, Sillakh may be the most avoided fighter in the world in 2012. The likes of Nathan Cleverley, Bernard Hopkins and Tavouris Cloud will not want to risk their statuses against such a dangerous opponent that has such a small following. He has recently though, started calling out these champions, telling anyone who listens he could knock them all out. All anyone needs to do is watch him fight and they would probably agree with him. A real star, by the end of 2012 Sillakh will either be a world champion or be a victim of boxing politics.
