Oscars: Mayweather, Pacquiao and Other Academy Award Winning Boxing Performances

This Sunday, eyes will be on the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles as the film industry’s highest accolade will be bestowed upon those deemed most worthy.

So in honour of the Academy Awards annual event, we take an irreverent and, at times, satirical cinematic journey through the past twelve months of boxing and in the process, hand out awards in the name of the inaugural Boxing Oscars.

We relive the bizarre to the sublime in the way that only the silver screen knows how.

Evelyn Waugh may have described the Oscars as ‘Continuous psalm of Self-Praise,’ but what’s wrong with a little self-congratulation every once in a while?

Anyway, to the list of awards and the criteria governing those categories.

Best Costume Design – awarded to the most outstanding and innovative in-ring or ring-walk outfit

Best Make-up – awarded to the best achievement in facial rearrangement

Performance by a Fighter in a Supporting Role – awarded to a fighter who has delivered an outstanding performance on an undercard

Best Visual Effects – awarded to the most outstanding achievement in visual effects

Best Foreign Fight – awarded to the most outstanding bout staged outside of the United States of America.

Best Trainer – awarded to the best achievement in training, like directing it requires one’s imprint to be left on a bout.

Best Ensemble – awarded to the finest collection of fights/fighters on one card

Performance by an Fighter in a Leading Role – awarded to a fighter who has delivered an outstanding performance in a main-event bout.

Best Fight – awarded to the most outstanding fight.

Nominations for Best Costume Design

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‘No Country For Two Old Men’ Bernard Hopkins (vs Roy Jones)

‘Lost in Translation’ Daiki Kameda (vs Takefumi Sakata)

‘Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Whiffed’ Koki Kameda (vs Pongsaklek Wonjongkam)

‘The Color of Money’ Floyd Mayweather (vs Shane Mosley)

‘The Full Munty’ Rendall Munroe (vs Toshiyaki Nishioka)

and the award goes to…

Daiki wondered why nobody took him seriously

‘Lost in Translation’ Daiki Kameda (vs Takefumi Sakata)

In a rather narrow yet eclectic field of contestants, we see homage paid to ancient traditions, pantomime costume and high-end fabrics. However, there is only one that stands out for its ingenuity and creativity.

To those outside of Japan, the symbolism of this outfit may be lost.

"Why on earth would a man enter such a physical, masculine event as boxing, dressed as a Nun?" you ask.

Well, Daiki Kameda does not win this award for his obscure fashion sense.

Oh no. There appears to method in the madness.

Accessorising in the form of the beaded necklace and the naginata (Japanese Martial Arts Staff) make the outfit little less convent and a little more warrior.

The luxurious lightness in the headscarf in contrast to the underlying black kamishimo-I believe this to be a samurai outfit-effuse the formality of the event and thus signify the dedication and seriousness with which Kameda approaches it.

Then again, maybe I’m reading too much into it.

Nominations for Best Makeup

‘The Good, the Bad and the Downright Despicable’ Manny Pacquiao (feat Antonio Margarito)

‘The Eye…lid’ Rafael Marquez (feat Israel Vasquez)

‘Das Fist’ Vitali Klitschko (feat Shannon Briggs)

‘The Man In The Crimson Mask’ Nonito Donaire (feat Wladimir Sidorenko)

and the award goes to…

Manny demonstrating his cosmetic wizadry

‘The Good, the Bad and the Downright Despicable’ Manny Pacquiao (feat Antonio Margarito)

Manny Pacquiao is fast becoming a celebrated make-up artist.

He gained critical acclaim in ‘The Elephant Man’ (featuring David Diaz) for his wonderful work and received an honourable mention for Ghost II: The Spirit of Oscar De La Hoya.

He still astounds us with his wizardry and to this day, we are dumbfounded as to whether he used a golf ball or prosthesis to perfectly capture the swollen eye-socket of everyone's favorite pariah, Antonio Margarito.

With values and principles firmly in the old-school way of thinking, he has shunned the populist voice.  When it comes to make-up in film, Manny has spurned the contemporary movement towards CGI, preferring to rely upon his own hands to sculpt facial abrasions and swelling.

Sheer genius.

Nominations for Fighter in a Supporting Role

Bundrage was understandably miffed that he missed out on a best costume nomination

Takahiro Aoh in ‘Rising Sun’  (feat Vitali Tajbert)

Cornelius Bundradge in ‘The Third Man’  (feat Cory Spinks)

Tavoris Cloud in ‘Glengarry Glen Robbed’ (feat Glen Johnson)

Tomas Rojas in ‘Fists of Fury’  (feat Kohei Kono)

Jason Litzau in ‘Trading Places’  (feat Celestino Caballero)

and the award goes to…

‘The Third Man’ Cornelius Bundrage (feat Cory Spinks)

A boxer may fight for years with varying success, but never achieve acclaim.

Then suddenly, motivation, temperament, trainer, role and opportunity all coincide to produce a defining moment.

Great challenges bring great opportunities and so that proved for Cornelius Bundrage.

Inspired by his legendary director, Emanuel Steward, he absorbed every fragment of information offered to him on the way to producing a dominant and one-sided destruction of World Champion, Cory Spinks.

His emotional growth was transparent from the opening bell to its conclusion. As he grew in confidence, so did his propensity to express himself.

For shock value alone, this would have been worthy of nomination. Couple that with an emphatically one sided outcome and you have a clear winner for best supporting fighter.

Nominations for Best Visual Effects

‘The Stunt Man’ Kermit Cintron (vs Paul Williams)

‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Wladimir Klitschko (vs Samuel Peter)

‘Stark Raving Mad’ Andre Dirrell (vs Arthur Abraham)

‘Seeing Stars’ Fernando Montiel (vs Nonito Donaire)

and the award goes to…

‘The Stunt Man’ Kermit Cintron (vs Paul Williams)

The ability to make an audience question something, which appears so obvious at first sight, is testament to Kermit ‘The Frog’ Cintron’s brilliance.

Often that is the modus operandi of Visual Effects—to astound and befuddle an audience. To leave them wondering, "how did they do that?"

Such was the dedicated tenor of Kermit’s dive, as he was willing to abandon self-preservation, clatter into the ringside announcer’s table and flop into the second row. No one would willingly fling themselves without regard for health, just to escape another fighter, would they?

Suddenly, the legitimacy of the fall seems entirely plausible, doesn’t it?

Boxers falling out of the ring is quite a rarity, but falling into the second row is almost unheard of. Perhaps Kermit had a few hidden secrets, one’s that producers and visual effect people are not willing to divulge.

Was he aware of the slack ropes? Had he been practising his flops whilst watching the latest episode of Fox Soccer Report?

Nominations for Best Foreign Fight

Even Rocky had to leave the US to get a decent fight

‘The Bold and The Brave’ Denmark/England (Carl Froch vs Mikkel Kessler)

‘Little Big Men’ Puerto Rico/Mexico (Giovanni Segura vs Ivan Calderon)

‘Braveheart II: Burn’s Night’ Scotland/Puerto Rico (Roman Martinez vs Ricky Burns)

‘Once Upon A Time in Mexico’ Mexico (Roman Garcia Hirales and Manuel Vargas)

‘There Will Be Blood’ Japan/Mexico (Nobuo Nashiro and Hugo Fidel Cazares)

And the Award Goes To...

‘The Bold and the Brave’ Denmark/England (Carl Froch vs Mikkel Kessler)

Foreign fights can often be off-the-wall, esoteric productions, which either feature on US television outside of peak times or not at all.

However, this particular fight departed from the usual convention in foreign film. Out with artistry and nuance, in with crudeness and clarity.

That’s not to say that there wasn’t beauty in this piece. Those who wish to find it are required to take several viewings and like a masterful painting, they will be rewarded.

Sometimes two fighter intentions are so similar, their styles so complimentary and their chemistry so sweet that they jump of the screen and into our hearts and minds. This night was such an occasion.

The first stanzas may have assumed a pace that was quietly glacial, but it steadily guided us towards a slow melt. Both Froch and Kessler bubbled with bellicosity that overflowed in fits and starts, leading to brutal exchanges that captivate the audience.

Of course, all of this is a prelude to the huge action set-piece at its climax. Every inch of canvas is contested with the fervour of a medieval feud. Both having exhausted their stamina reserves and with scant regard for defensive discipline carried us, on their heavy shoulders, to an epic conclusion.

Nominations for Best Trainer

‘The King’s Stench’ Robert McCraken (Froch vs Abraham)

‘Catch Me If You Khan’ Freddie Roach (Khan vs Maidana)

‘The Hangover II: It’s Time To Go To Rehab’* Gabriel Sarmiento (Martinez vs Pavlik)

‘Brief Encounter’ Gabriel Sarmiento (Martinez vs Williams)

‘The Third Man’ Emanuel Steward (Bundradge vs Spinks)

*Apologies to Kelly Pavlik, but I really couldn’t resist.

And the Award Goes To...

Pucker up

‘Brief Encounter’ Gabriel Sarmiento (Martinez vs Williams)

Prior to 2010, Gabriel Sarmiento had not received the recognition of mainstream boxing. All that changed in an instant when Sergio Martinez met Paul Williams.

Although the screenplay may have failed to provide us with enough high drama and suspense, we are left with a resoundingly curt image embedded on our conscience.

Two opponents so equal in stature had become streets apart just five minutes later. One man exploiting another’s subtle frailty with such aplomb that we are left in no doubt as to his superior expertise.

All of this is testament to excellent instruction, preparation and execution. The perfect strategy concocted to deliver the perfect result.

Sarmiento revealed this in a post-fight press conference. Williams’ flaw, said Sarmiento was that he followed his jab by leaning forward and "putting his body in front of his [lead] leg," leaving his chin exposed as the fighter's right, jab-hand dropped after being deployed.

Nominations for Best Ensemble

‘In Harm’s Way’ (feat Humberto Soto vs Urbano Antillo,. Nonito Donaire vs Wladimir Sidorenko, Pawel Wolak vs Raul Pinzon, Raul Garcia vs Oliver Lontchi)

‘Fight of the Year: The Rematch’ (feat Juan Manuel Marquez vs Juan Diaz II, Dmitry Pirog vs Daniel Jacobs, Jorge Linares vs Rocky Juarez, Robert Guerrero vs Joel Casamayor)

‘Dig in For a Hard Hitting Holiday’ (Juan Manuel Marquez vs Michael Katsidis, Jason Litzau vs Celestino Caballero, Andre Berto vs Freddy Hernandez)

and the award goes to…

‘Fight of the Year: The Rematch’

Packed from top to bottom with stars and prospects.

The main event may have not lived up to its predecessor, but how often do sequels outdo the original?

Nevertheless it was twelve rounds of elite boxing where the pace didn’t relent and both were forced to absorb and dish out pressure and punishment.

Golden Boy Promotions also were willing to pitch two of boxing’s brightest stars against one another when Dmitry Pirog and Daniel Jacobs slugged it out. Such is the investment Golden Boy has made in Jacobs that this seems reckless with hindsight. It provided us with hotly contested action and an explosive melodramatic ending, in the form of one of the knockouts of the year.

Add to that we were treated to two crossroad fights and people can safely say they got their money’s worth.

Nominations for Fighter in a Leading Role

Nonito Donaire in ‘Seeing Stars’ featuring Fernando Montiel

Sergio Martinez in ‘Brief Encounter’ featuring Paul Williams

Floyd Mayweather in ‘The Color of Money’ featuring Shane Mosley

Fernando Montiel in ‘My Left Hand’ featuring Hoszumi Hasegawa

Giovanni Segura in ‘Little Big Men’ featuring Ivan Calderon

and the award goes to…

Floyd Mayweather in ‘The Color of Money’ featuring Shane Mosley

In a lesson of character development, this bout was sublime. We watched a journey over the course of thirty-six minutes as Mayweather began his ascent from callous anti-hero to almost feasible redemption.

Sure, the main narrative was not exactly thrilling, but the lead character’s guided side plots were nothing less than compelling.

I commented in the prelude to this bout that we would gain a true and unabridged insight into the motivation and mindset of boxing’s number one caricature. When Mosley dialed up the pressure we would gain a glimpse into Floyd’s soul. If money was truly his raison d’etre, he would have ran or surrendered.

Quite the contrary, he fought back. Refusing to indulge Mosley’s offerings of sportsmanship, he replied ‘’We are here to fight’'. Mayweather proved that he will not be intimidated and he does care for the game beyond the prize. Beneath the pitina there does lie pure tungsten.

In essence it was a stylised example of expressionism, in which we saw reality through one man’s true consciousness.

The caricature evaporated for those twelve rounds and we witnessed, perhaps for the first time, the resolve and spirit of Floyd Mayweather the boxer.

The Boxing Academy Honorary Award

I know what the fans want...what I tell them they want

Bob Arum

He has hovered over the boxing scene for four decades like a giant firefly, previously only fleetingly in the public conscience owing to a rather benign presence.

All that has changed in recent years. Now that he wields great power over the sport, his behaviour has bordered on tyrannical.

Arum has exploited his greatest asset to the maximum. He has the marvellous ability to transform what appears to be bucket of rotting fish heads into Grand cru champagne, all through the power of his truculent language.

Often, it turns out to be mere hypothesis and in fact, we find out it was a bucket of rotting fish heads after all.

But let that not detract from the succession of stirring pieces he has brought us.

In recent years he’s brought us such masterpieces as ‘ The Good the Bad and the Downright Despicable’ (featuring Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito) ‘The Man Who Would Not Fight’ (featuring Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey), ‘Senseless and Stupidity’ (feat Miguel Cotto and Ricardo Mayorga) ‘Big Fat Liar’ (Pac vs Mosley) and set for release in 2018 after a decade of anticipation – ‘Remember the Titans II: Once Upon A Time They Could Fight’ (feat Yuriorkis Gamboa and Juan Manuel Lopez)

Such is his hypnotic inculcations and messianic powers of persuasion that more and more fans have begun to believe his latest feature ‘Big Fat Liar’ will be a genuine all action brawl. This is in spite of the fact that three months previous he adopted a completely contradictory stance.

Yet suddenly, Shane Mosley transforms from a welterweight version of Roy Jones into a modern day Roberto Duran.

So today, we pay homage to the accomplished set-designer, the man superbly skilled in dressing stages heedless of fact that there will be no substance in its eventual production. Today, we pay homage to Bob Arum.

Nominations for Best Fight

Mickey Ward and 'The Fighter' represent the boxing world in the 'Best Picture' category at the Oscars

‘Catch Me If You Khan’ Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana

'True Grit’ Juan Manuel Marquez and Michael Katsidis

‘The Bold and The Brave’ Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler

‘The Defiant Ones’ Humberto Soto and Urbano Antillon

‘Little Big Men’ Giovanni Segura and Ivan Calderon

And the Award Goes To...

‘Catch Me If You Khan’ Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana

Two alpha male performances, generating more tension than any Christopher Nolan epic.

In its opening stanzas, Khan’s devastating rib-crunching hook lull us into thinking that this maybe a short and obvious conclusion. Yet the plot skilfully avoided taking too easy a trajectory and we take a roller-coaster ride where momentum swung back and forth and predicting an ending was nigh on impossible.

It was a moment where time stands still, a reminder why we live for sporting contests.

Khan seized the early initiative only to see it clutched from his grasp as the plodding oncoming steam-train that is Marcos Maidana got ever closer. Khan then resorted to pot shots, some may have served as emphatic punctuation marks against any other opponent than one etched out of granite.

Khan’s vulnerability and Maidana’s growing confidence conspired to produce a final ten minutes straight from a stirring Hollywood epic. The protagonist teetering again and again on the edge of disaster only to scramble to safety.

Such was the enormity of the bout and the fierce competitiveness that both departed with reputations enhanced. Testament to a truly inspiring clash and one that will live long in the memory.

And Also...

Surely a nomination for best picture is forthcoming!