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01/03/2005 Archived Entry: "The CBZ 2004 Year End Awards"
The CBZ 2004 Year End Awards
Fighter of the Year: Glencoffe Johnson
Fight of the Year: Scott Pemberton KO10 Omar Sheika
Knockout of the Year: Antonio Tarver KO2 Roy Jones, Jr.
Round of the Year: Round 12 of Ebo Elder - Courtney Burton
Upset of the Year: Glencoffe Johnson KO9 Roy Jones, Jr.
Comeback of the Year: Kostya Tszyu
2004 was another memory-filled chapter in annals of the sport. In a year that began with the exit of Lennox Lewis, the boxing world turned upside down when some of its top performers were reduced to washed up fighters or fighters who it appear to be on the downside of their careers. "Sugar" Shane Mosley, fresh off his career reviving victory over familiar rival Oscar De La Hoya the following year, suffered debilitating losses to the avoided Winky Wright. His defeat has prompted him to squeeze down to a lighter division, one he may find to be tougher than he thinks.
Oscar De La hoya suffered his most humbling defeat when defending middleweight champ, Bernard Hopkins took him out with a single body shot. No one would have ever expected to see the proud 5-time champion gasping for breath on his knees despite who was standing above him.
But the most shocking unravelling however, was the overnight demise of the great Roy Jones, Jr. who was stretched twice by fighters he would have dazzled a short year ago. Some had forecasted that Roy Jones, Jr. wouldn't be the same fighter after reducing his new heavyweight frame back to his most natural weight, but the effects would prove to be irreparable. In his rematch with Antonio Tarver in May, the "Magic Man" pulled a devastating left cross out of his hat to demolish the once untouchable Jones. In the year's most brutal knockout, Jones was out before he hit the floor as his deteriorated reflexes couldnt' sense the punch coming. As if that fight wasn't surprising enough, Glencoffe Johnson showed why Jones will never be the same, unbeatable fighter when he dominated Jones in September and knocked him senseless in 9 rounds, the year's biggest upset.
Who would have guessed that a match-up beteween Tarver and Johnson would not only ultimately decide who the best light heavyweight in the world was but the year's top performer. In a close battle, the Road Warrior as he is named, who ironically has experienced controversial decision's in foreign countries, defeated Tarver and deservedly won both honors. Like the Conderalla Man that will hit theaters in the upcoming weeks, the Jamaican story was truly a reversal of fortunes and story for the ages.
Though this year's fight of the year wasn't as clear-cut as the Ward-Gatti brawls, two tough contenders opened last year with a brutal test of wills. Scott "The Sandman" Pemberton and Omar Sheika waged a drag-em out brawl that would defy the human capacity for pain and desire. Pemberton got off the deck twice and knocked out the indestructable Sheika with a vicious 10-punch combination. It was a back and forth war that rivaled the violence of a Marco Antonio Barrera - Erick Morales slugfest, whose epic third fight, won by Barrera in November, was a close runner-up in the CBZ's voting.
Another surprise this year were the pleasant returns of Felix Trinidad and Kostya Tszyu. Trinidad pulverized former welterweight champ, Ricardo Mayorga and sent a statement to all of the people that are calling out his distinguished name. Trinidad's brief retirement didn't show the typical signs of rust associated with most layoffs and his proposed match with Wright should be next year's most anticipated fight among boxing fans.
Though Tszyu never left the sport, he fought for the first time in nearly two years. Most expected Tszyu to be one of the top fighters that would at least slow down, let alone lose some of his elite status, but the Thunder from Down Under displayed his typical sharp and destructive skills set when he easily dismantled the division's top contender, former world champ, Sharmba Mitchell. Tszyu's pungent return in November showed that there is plenty left in the 35 year old's tank ...... or so we may think.
