The 10 best fights of 2016

francisco vargas vs Orlando salido

10. Jessie Vargas w rsf 9 Sadam Ali

Vargas produced a career-best performance to topple Ali for the vacant WBO welterweight crown.

9. Anthony Crolla w ko 7 Ismael Barroso

WBA lightweight champ Crolla soaked up punishment before felling Barroso with a perfectly timed body shot.

8. Craig Cunningham w rsf 6 Ryan Aston

This shootout resulted in Aston lying face down on the canvas, while a cut Cunningham took the win.

7. Mike Towell w rsf 2 Robert Dixon

A marauding Towell rose from an early knockdown to wade into Dixon and force an unexpected stoppage.

6. Tony Bellew w rsf 3ย Ilunga Makabu

On an emotional night in Liverpool, hometown hero Bellew climbed off the deck to ruin Makabu in three and claim the vacant WBC cruiser crown.

5. Jesus Soto Karass d pts 10 Yoshihiro Kamegai

Much like Vargas-Salido, this was expected to be an all-out war and it didnโ€™t disappoint. The pair didnโ€™t stop throwing until the final bell.

4. Keith Thurman w pts 12 Shawn Porter

Keith Thurman edged out Shawn Porter to defend his WBA welterweight title over a frenetic 12 rounds.

3. Jamie Conlan w ko 8 Anthony Nelson

Both were down in the first, and again later in the fight, until Conlan churned out a fight-ending left hook to the liver.

2. Tom Doran w rsf 2ย Luke Keeler

This war saw both men stunned and dropped, and Doran managed to rip victory from the jaws of defeat with some meaty right hands.

1.ย Francisco Vargas d pts 12 Orlando Salido

As expected, these two warriors put everything on the line for the WBC super-featherweight title. Both were hurt and bloodied, but the judges couldnโ€™t split them.

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