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'Tis the season to put on a few pounds, let the stitches heal the wounds, to soothe the swollen hands, take the weight off the feet without every second counting… and confer the annual awards.
Anno Domni 2012 began with Muhammad Ali further defying Parkinson’s by reaching his landmark 70th birthday. It ended with Manny Pacquiao being knocked flat out of contention as pound-for-pound king by the anatomically reconstructed 39-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez.
Between those ring-posts, history was made...
BOXER OF THE YEAR
Sergio Martinez achieved, at last, the recognition and the world title of which he had been deprived for too long.
The Argentine matinee idol, having begun his year by knocking out our own Matthew Macklin, went on to beat Son of Chavez and thus overcome the boxing politics in which he had been unfairly entangled.
He did so with a master-class for 11 rounds of dazzling style against Julio Cesar Jnr, capped off by his courageous recovery from a 12th round knock-down. The classic middleweight division found its latest successor to Sugar Ray Robinson.
Champ: Sergio Martinez recovered from a late knockdown to claim victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
BRITISH BOXER OF THE YEAR
Carl Froch, the outstanding fighter of his UK generation, gritted his teeth to come back from last year.s disappointing Super Six Final defeat by the accomplished Andre Ward.
He did so in commanding fashion, putting an end to the fancied Lucien Bute's unbeaten record to regain a world super-middleweight title.
A similar stoppage blitzing of Yusaf Mack not only gave the Nottingham Cobra a rousing homecoming but served notice on Ward and Mikkel Kessler that he intends, in 2013, to avenge the only two defeats of his warrior career.
Pride of Britain: Carl Froch was back to his brilliant best in 2012, especially against Yusaf Mack
WOMAN BOXER OF THE YEAR
Nicola Adams took her indelible place in the record books by becoming the first female to win Olympic gold in the boxing ring.
The wee lass from Leeds lit up London 2012 with her sunshine smile and lifted the roof off the cacophonous ExCel Arena by decking Chinese legend Can Can Ren en route to winning her historic final.
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez*.
The asterix is there because the veteran Mexican idol had turned to a self-confessed former Olympics steroid provider to build him up physically in his desperation to secure a result against the legendary PacMan at the fourth attempt.
Marquez consistently denied using drugs to turn himself into a mini Arnold Schwarzenagger. So while there is no boxer of the year accolade from me, there is no denying that the Las Vegas night in its own right, with both men floored before Marquez landed his Hail Mary punch as Pacquiao appeared to be on the point of sixth round victory, was the thriller of 2012.
A broken man: Juan Manuel Marquez finally got the better of his old foe Manny Pacquiao
TRAINER OF THE YEAR
Rob McCracken not only brought Froch back from the professional brink to a third world title but also guided Team GB’s boxers to a rich medal haul at London 2012.
The first part of that double act has set up Britain's top prize-fighter for block-busting world super-middleweight title re-matches against Kessler and Ward in the coming 12 months.
The second part delivered not only Olympic glory but increased funding for this country’s amateur boxers.
SWANSONG OF THE YEAR
Ricky Hatton returned to the stage of pain for one last hurrah... and hurrah it was even though he over-matched himself after more than three years' absence by taking on an immediate past world champion.
We still love you: Ricky Hatton gave his fans once last chance to see him action, but was defeated
The Hitman paid the price in the form of a crippling blow to that part of his body rendered most vulnerable by his past life of hard-boozing, his liver.
But he was ahead on the score-cards at the time and remains dear to the hearts of his army of fans, a sell-out 20,000 of whom sang him out of the ring for the last time and into a future as a trainer and promoter.
The sound of bells ringing in the ears - rather than the church steeples at this time of year - has stopped for the moment, but the memories linger on. Happy Christmas.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2252976/Boxing-review-2012-Jeff-Powell-Ricky-Hatton-Manny-Pacquiao-more.html#ixzz2G9y41veh
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