2015 has been a standout year for boxing. Not only did we see Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao AND Miguel Cotto v Canelo Alvarez, there have been some stunning upsets, brutal knockouts and electric performances.
We’ve taken a look back over the past 12 months and listed the top 15 performances of the year. Let us know what you think, and what other fights you think should be in there, in the Comments section. Click below to read on.
15. Lee Haskins w rsf 6 Ryosuke Iwasa
In a real 50-50 fight, Haskins dropped the highly-touted Japanese fighter with a vicious left in the sixth. His senses scrambled, Iwasa was a mess and Haskins stormed in to win the interim IBF world bantamweight title.
14. Zolani Tete w rsf 8 Paul Butler
In March, South African Tete travelled to Liverpool to defend his IBF world super-flyweight title against Paul Butler. He was relatively unknown in the UK and many fancied Butler to win his second world title. However Tete controlled proceedings from the start and the uppercut which finished the fight was sublime.
13. Daniel Jacobs w rsf 1 Peter Quillin
This WBA ‘world’ middleweight title fight had experts split down the middle, and no one expected it to be over inside a round. Jacobs had Quillin hurt and went for the finish – it paid off. A two-fisted flurry trapped Quillin on the ropes and as he stumbled free, it was rightly waved off.
12. Lee Selby w td 8 Evgeny Gradovich
Gradovich had been voted the IBF’s champion of the year in 2014 and came with a fearsome reputation. But Selby, vying for his first world title, dismantled Evgeny although a clash of heads caused a nasty cut over the champion’s eye, forcing the fight to go to the cards after eight rounds. Selby had won at a canter.
11. James DeGale w ud 12 Andre Dirrell
Not only did DeGale make history when he won the vacant IBF world super-middleweight title against Dirrell, he operated at a level some thought he could never reach.
James became the first British fighter to ever win an Olympic gold medal and professional world title, but he also beat one of the most talented boxers in his division. He almost finished things early, dropping Dirrell twice in the second, but the American fought back well and DeGale had to box out of his skin to claim the title.
10. Viktor Postol w KO 10 Lucas Matthysse
Postol had gone under the radar prior to his fight with Matthysse for the vacant WBC world super-lightweight crown. The Freddie Roach-trained Ukrainian was an underdog against the hard-hitting Matthysse, but he systematically broke the former champion down before ending things in the 10th – making himself the new division leader.
9. Anthony Crolla w KO 5 Darleys Perez
Crolla had returned to the ring after suffering career-threatening injuries to battle Perez to a draw earlier in the year. He was granted an immediate rematch and rendered the judges useless the second time around. He matched the WBA lightweight champion up until that fifth stanza when he uncorked a hellish left hook to the ribs, from which Perez could not rise. It was one of the best moments of the year.
8. Terry Flanagan w rsf 2 Diego Magdaleno
Having won his WBO world lightweight crown in disappointing circumstances, Flanagan truly burst onto the world stage when he destroyed the dangerous Magdaleno inside two rounds. The Manchester southpaw wobbled Diego early in the second and never let him off the hook, dropping him three times before the fight was halted.
7. Scott Quigg w rsf 2 Kiko Martinez
Former IBF world super-bantamweight champion Martinez was Quigg’s toughest fight to date and many predicted a long, hard night for the Bury man. That line of thought proved way out.
Martinez had a strong opening round but Quigg came firing back in the second, hurting the Spaniard and charging in with both hands, sensationally stopping him.
6. Jamie McDonnell w ud 12 Tomoki Kameda
In this WBA ‘world’ bantamweight title rematch, McDonnell once again travelled to Texas to upset the odds. He had risen from the canvas in their first fight to outpoint Kameda, but this time McDonnell won things more clearly and proved his championship class, dropping Tomoki in the final round to secure his win.
5. Floyd Mayweather w ud 12 Manny Pacquiao
Many will begrudge this inclusion given how dull the fight was, but Mayweather’s brilliance that night cannot be understated. Pacquiao looked a shell of his former self, but Floyd negated anything the Filipino tried and comfortably won the fight. It cemented his status as the best fighter on the planet and moved him to 48-0.
4. Gennady Golovkin w rsf 8 David Lemieux
In his first middleweight unification fight, Golovkin displayed an excellent jab to bludgeon the brave but overmatched Lemieux in eight rounds. Despite his talent, Lemieux was never in the fight as Golovkin battered him from pillar to post, eradicating any hopes that this contest would turn into a shootout. It was a statement of intent from the Kazakh that warned everyone at 160lbs what ‘GGG’ can do when he moves up in class.
3. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez w ud 12 Miguel Cotto
In the second biggest fight of the year, Canelo announced himself as the biggest star in the sport by outpointing the Puerto Rican legend. Canelo proved he has learnt a lot since his decision loss to Mayweather in 2013, countering beautifully and nullifying Cotto’s famed left hook. The win was even more impressive given how well Cotto boxed, despite his age and disadvantages in size.
2. Roman Gonzalez w rsf 9 Brian Viloria
Although he was already a proven world champion before the year started, 2015 seemed a breakout year for Nicaraguan sensation Gonzalez. He blitzed Edgar Sosa earlier in the year before facing the talented Viloria. On the night, Brian boxed better than he had in years though never came close to troubling Gonzalez. His defence was almost impenetrable while his work on the front foot was stunning. Viloria did well to last as long as he did, in all honesty.
1. Tyson Fury w ud 12 Wladimir Klitschko
Fury was written off by most before he faced the long-reigning heavyweight king, who had not lost in over a decade. However the giant traveller befuddled the usually genius Klitschko and won comfortably on the cards. With his constant movement and huge frame, Fury dissuaded Wladimir from going on the attack and had things his own way virtually all night.
