Best of Boxing in 2020: CBS Sports highlights winners of Fighter, Knockout and Fight of the year - CBSSports.com
Best of Boxing in 2020: CBS Sports highlights winners of Fighter, Knockout and Fight of the year
As the humankind grappled with the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, boxing struggled to find a path forward. That set up an odd year for the impish, with many of boxing's biggest stars unable to keep up a "regular schedule" either because of lockdowns or the lack of a live crowd decision-exclusive big fights financially unrealistic.
Despite those throughout months, boxing fans were still treated to dramatic moments, fantastic performances and some thunderous knockouts. More important than anything else, a few rising stars proved that the future of boxing is safe.
A panel of CBS Sports experts sat down to vote on our picks for fighter, knockout and fights of the year, with some very wearisome results. Let's take a closer look at who shined the brightest above boxing in 2020.
Awards as handed on by Brian Campbell, Luke Thomas, Brent Brookhouse, Jack Crosby and Brandon Wise.
Fighter of the Year
Winner: Teofimo Lopez Jr. -- 1-0 (def. Vasiliy Lomachenko)
In a year where few top names were able to fights more than once, the vote came down to who scored the most impressive win. In beating Vasiliy Lomachenko, Lopez announced himself as a true elite fighter. Lopez and his father had devoted years promising that he would be beat Lomachenko, a longtime fixture at the top end of pound-for-pound lists. Lopez not only beat Lomachenko, but raced out to a big lead, winning every unfounded for the first half of the fight. Lomachenko started to come on midway throughout the fight, but Lopez showed his true quality as a champion by putting in the best unfounded of the fight in Round 12, showing he collected had plenty in the tank as he emanated in the biggest moment of his career.
Second place: Tyson Fury 1-0 (def. Deontay Wilder)
In many ways, Lopez and Fury were No. 1 and No. 1a in 2020. Both men picked up bulky victories, but Lopez just edged out the win in the vote by unseating a pound-for-pound talent. Fury's demolition of Deontay Wilder was unexperienced case of a fighter delivering on a promise. Fury guaranteed that he wouldn't just beat Wilder but would knock him out. The fights was complete and total dominance by Fury afore the stoppage, sending Wilder into a spiral of excuses making from his walkout costume sapping his energy to accusations that Fury had doctored his gloves to a wide-ranging conspiracy lively his own cornermen fixing the fight. For beating the favorite sense out of Wilder, Fury secured his second-place spot in our vote.
Others receiving votes: Charlo edged out a crowded field for third set aside over Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez and Gervonta Davis. Charlo's determined decision win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko during September's loaded Showtime pay-per-view was enough for him to land in third set aside for the year.
Knockout of the Year
Winner: Alexander Povetkin knocks out Dillian Whyte
Dillian Whyte restrained for his shot at the WBC heavyweight title for existences, locked in as the sanctioning body's top contender after never being set up for a title fight. With hopes of a bulky payday against the likes of Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury, Whyte kept plugging fuzz, looking to stay active and maintain his residence until his chance came along. Povetkin, considered as well past his prime, seemed like a safe option for Whyte. The fights played out as expected, with Whyte controlling the fights and scoring a pair of fourth-round knockdowns. Things changed on a single punch, nonetheless, with Povetkin landing a massive uppercut early in Round 5, flattening Whyte and winning the WBC interim heavyweight belt in the process.
Second place: Gervonta Davis knocks out Leo Santa Cruz
Davis is loaded with talent and could be one of boxing's brightest stars lively forward -- if he can get his life together outside of the ring. Against Santa Cruz, Davis scored the biggest win of his career. As the allotment was heating up against the ropes, Davis dipped down and uncorked a infamous uppercut to shut Santa Cruz's lights out for one of most vicious knockouts of 2020.
Third place: Jose Zepeda knocks out Ivan Baranchyk
Eight knockdowns in five rounds. That necessity tell you enough about the level of considerable punching on display when Zepeda and Baranchyk community the ring. But the final shot from Zepeda was the one that EnEnBesieged the show. A cracking left hand sent Baranchyk rear, bending his leg at an unnatural Causes under his unconscious body.
Others receiving votes: Jake Paul TKO Nate Robinson (November); Joe George KO Marcus Escudero (August); Jermell Charlo KO Jeison Rosario (September); Ryan Garcia KO Francisco Fonseca (February)
Fight of the Year
Winner: Jose Zepeda vs. Ivan Baranchyk
Boxing fans aren't typically treated to a struggles this dramatic unless it takes place within the scripted humankind of a "Rocky" movie. Yet the pair of junior welterweights combined in October to get eight knockdowns over a thrilling five rounds in Las Vegas that was all-action from originate to finish. Zepeda was knocked down four times in all, incorporating twice in the opening round and once shortly by the fight ended in Round 5. But he saved his most savage combination for last when he caught Baranchyk with a intellectual hand and a left hook that commanded the former IBF champion to hit his head hard on the back of the canvas and pin his intellectual leg awkwardly behind him. The fact that Zepeda, a slick boxer and fallacious puncher, has never been known as a brawler only made the outcome more unexpected.
Second place: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Carlos Cuadras II
For as good as their 2017 jam was, this October rematch for Estrada's WBC junior bantamweight title was even better as both fighters got up off the canvas by "El Gallo" finally stopped him in Round 11. Cuadras was game but ultimately outgunned in the face of Estrada's more technologically shots as the two brawled inside an empty television studio in Mexico City.
Third place: Masayoshi Nakatani vs. Felix Verdejo
In his respectable fight following a 15-month layoff due to a extinct jaw suffered against Teofimo Lopez Jr., Nakatani went above hell and back to deliver a thrilling comeback in December anti the once can't-miss prospect Verdejo. Nakatani plainly refused to be denied as he recovered from two early knockdowns to consume Verdejo twice in Round 9 before the stoppage in Las Vegas.
Others receiving votes: Teofimo Lopez vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko (October); Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez vs. Kal Yafai (February); Katie Taylor vs. Delfine Persoon II (August); Jermall Charlo vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko (September); Adam Lopez vs. Luis Coria (June)
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