Writer Picks for Best in Boxing 2010

This year was the year of the non-heavyweights in boxing.  Obviously, we wanted the year to go out with a bang, but the fight that everybody wanted to see did not happen. 

You may or may not disagree on my selections in the boxing categories this year.  Nevertheless, my picks are based on the fights I watched in 2010.

In making my selections, I tried not to be biased in the boxing figures that I named. Without any delay, here are my picks and why.

The fight of the year, I think, was the Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley match in May.  Mayweather caught Mosley at a time when he was ready to fight Andre Berto, who withdrew to help relief victims in his adopted home country of Haiti.  Mosley may have overtrained when he took on the fight against Mayweather and it showed.

Manny Pacquiao is my choice for fighter of the year.  He was ready to fight.  If it wasn't for Pacquiao giving Antonio Margarito a shot after serving a suspension for the hand-wrapping scandal, the Pac Man would've been in chill mode, waiting for the next man to challenge him.  Mayweather wasn't ready to step to the Pac Man.

The counter-punching and timely body shots that Pacquiao put on Margarito was a clinic on how to box a taller and heavier opponent.  Pacquiao knew Margarito kept past opponents on the ropes and used them as a punching bag.  Pacquiao avoided leaning on the ropes for a long time and kept moving.

A split-decision between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana was terrible.  Khan dominated in the first half of their fight.  Maidana, who was knocked down in the fight, got his second wind but ran out of gas after Khan got his energy back.  The decision could've went either way.

Freddie Roach is my pick for trainer of the year.  He trained Khan and Pacquiao to wins this year.  However, Roach wasn't sure if his top fighter could pull off the win, despite scaling back on training to attend public functions.  Pacquiao eased Roach's concerns with the win.

My pick for best undercard was Brandon Rios vs. Omri Lowther.  The better undercard would've been Kelly Pavlik and Brian Vera, but Pavlik pulled out of their match due to an injury.

Timothy Bradley is an up-and-coming star in boxing at 140 pounds.  I call him my new prospect.  He has a tough draw against Devon Alexander next month.

Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman are two of the best boxing commentators out there.

Chris Arreola disappointed me in his fight against Manuel Quezada.  I expected better, but it was the worst fight I saw this year.

Bob Arum gets my pick for promoter of the year.  He had a deal on the table with Pacquiao and Mayweather.  At least that's what his camp led us to believe.  Now he's in the process of negotiating a fight with Pacquiao and Mosley.  He and Don King could've put the superfight together, but Arum got tired of waiting on Mayweather.

I think the 12th round between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz was the most exciting that I saw.  Boxers usually have lots of energy in the last round.  They want to finish the last round with a bang.

Miguel Cotto's upset over Yuri Foreman was huge.  The favorite was Foreman going in.  When Foreman's knees gave out, Cotto took advantage and TKO'd him in the ninth round.

Those are my picks.  You're free to share your opinions.