Fight of the Year: Mickey Ward versus Emanuel Burton. These two gladiators set a torrid pace throughout this electrifying 10 round junior welterweight punchathon. Erasing each other's brain cells with one high voltage exchange after another, there was never any letup in the all out action. A 9th round knockdown scored by Ward's patented left hook to the liver was the difference in this memorable if not historic encounter. This was just a great fight on ESPN2 along with an outstanding call by Bob Papa and Teddy Atlas.

Runner up: Julio Gonzalez versus Julian Letterlough. In a battle of undefeated light heavyweights, these two demolition experts took turns placing blasting caps under each other's chins for 12 seesaw rounds. The lanky Gonzalez hit the deck hard 3 times, while the stocky Letterlough unceremoniously visited the canvas twice. The busier work rate of Gonzalez nailed down the unanimous decision in an unforgettable encounter. Along with Ward & Burton, this was another classic Friday night encounter on ESPN2.

Honorable mention: Floyd Mayweather versus Jesus Chavez. The talented "Pretty Boy," was tested in this one-sided competitive fight by the aggressive Chavez's gritty effort. Always trying to stay on top of the evasive Mayweather, the crowding Chavez forced one brutal exchange after another. Continually coming out on the short end, Chavez bravely charged in, playing the bull to Mayweather's skilled matador before his corner wisely halted matters after the 8th.

Upset of the Year: April 21, Brakpan, South Africa, Hasim Rahman versus Lennox Lewis I. Hubris and a whistling right cross to the chin reduced Lennox Lewis to a Christ-like figure on Big Top Arena canvas. Baltimore's Hasim Rahman registered one of the biggest upsets in boxing history by scoring a dramatic fifth round knockout over the heavyweight champion Lewis. Rahman caught the clearly overconfident Lewis with a crushing right hand flush on the jaw that sent the thirty-five-year-old heavyweight king crashing to the floor. Belgian referee Daniel van der Wiele quickly counted Lewis out as the British champion struggled in vain to regain his feet. The official end of the evening came at 2:32 of the fifth round.

Runner up: Zab Judah versus Kostya Tszyu. Judah's night ended with the taste of ashes and leather. The WBA/WBC king Kostya Tszyu scored a stunning second round TKO over the Judah to win the unified 140-pound world championship at the 2:59 mark. With one-second remaining the round, Tszyu nailed Judah with a clean right hand to the chin. The IBF champ Judah hit the deck flat on his back but popped back on his feet only to stagger sideways and then collapse to the canvas for the second time. Veteran referee Jay Nady waved off the world title bout at count of four despite Judah's vigorous protest.

Worst Decision of the Year: Paulie Ayala versus Hugo Dianzo. Defending his title in nearby Fort Worth, the Texan Ayala needed all the help he could get and he got it. Dropped in round four, Ayala was cut over the left eye in the 5th and was continually beat to the punch by the feisty Dianzo but somehow won a close unanimous decision. 'Twas wet cheese in the breeze on this erroneous decision and just about everyone held their nose on this stinker.

Runner up: Willie Jorrin versus Oscar Larios. Jorrin's hometown of Sacramento, California awarded him a twelve-round unanimous decision over the far busier Larios, who was simply jobbed in this injustice. As the wise guys in the Valley say, "Those who smelt it dealt it."

Judges
Three Blind Mice Award: Crystal Wright. She can be counted on to be just about always wrong.

Runner up: Melvina Latham. She can see some light and movement, which would account for her consistently bizarre scoring.

Honorable mention: Robert Grasso. When push comes to shove, it appears Grasso can be counted on to be a company man whenever an upset tries to occur. He should get a lot of work.

Billy Goat Award: Vassily "The Tiger" Jirov. In a 10 round heavyweight bout with Adolpho Washington, the IBF cruiserweight champ Jirov should have been made to wear a 10. ounce Everlast boxing glove on top of his head. Repeatedly ramming Washington throughout the one-sided fight, the heady Vassily dropped him in round two from a head butt that was ruled an "official" knockdown by referee Bernie Grafado. Way to stay on top of the action Bernie.

Runner up: Agapito Sanchez. The stocky Sanchez always manages to include a head butt mixed in with his combinations. In a unification bout with IBF super bantamweight champ Manny Pacquiao that ended in a 6th round technical draw, Sanchez pulled out all stops on his foul filled repartee. It's the head butts though that's the glue that holds his offensive attack together.

Best Judo technique during a boxing match: Kostya Tszyu versus Sharmba Mitchell. The WBC junior welter champ Tszyu threw WBA champ Mitchell down 5 times with an assortment of wrestling holds before registering an 8th round TKO over Mitchell who surrendered with a twisted left knee.

Best Wrestling move of the Year: Marco Antonio Barrera managed to get a headlock on Prince Hamed and ram his head into the turnbuckle. Somewhere, Count Billy Varga is smiling.

Best rack on a fighter: Mia St. John

Runner up: Brian Nielsen. It's time for a manzier!

Honorable mention: Butterbean

Runner up: In any other year, Zab Judah's infantile mayhem would be the easy winner, however, Butler's shot after the bell was neo-classic. Judah's brat like tantrum after getting whacked by Kostya Tszyu in round two pulls down the Runner up spot. On the deck twice from one punch, Judah went after referee Jay Nady when he stopped the unification bout. Putting a glove to referee's throat, the enraged Judah moments later threw a chair at the Nady. The highly touted Judah showed no class and no chin as the likable Tszyu pulled off a huge upset.

Honorable mention: The illustrious career of Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker came to an ugly conclusion when he separated his left shoulder and had to quit against Carlos "El Elegante" Bojoquez in round four. When Whitaker was in his prime, Bojoquez wouldn't have even been considered a sparring partner for the defensive wizard Sweet Pea. It was another sad ending in boxing to another great career. So it goes.

Runner up: Aaron "Superman" Davis versus Vinny Pazienza. In a battle of ex-world champions, the hard hitting Davis rearranged the cut prone Pazienza's facial features like a tortured piece of clay until registering an 8th round TKO. All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't patch Vinny back together again.

Honorable mention: Thomas "Ice T" Tate versus Omar Sheika. Surviving two knockdowns, the groggy Tate reduced Sheika's right eye to a mere slit and dug a bloody canyon over his left eye before winning a controversial 5th round TKO. The hard punching Sheika suffers from the same fate as legendary bleeder Henry Cooper and has also been known to cut during the ring introductions.

Runner up: Juan Manuel Marquez versus Johnny Walker "Black". The featherweight bomber Marquez downed Walker at 56 seconds of round one, dropping him first with one jolting right and then finishing him off with another right hand. Walker did all the talking, Marquez did all the walking.

Runner up: Lennox Lewis versus Hasim Rahman II. In the rematch on November 17th of last year, Lewis regained the heavyweight crown with audible right-hand wallop that is still echoing at the Mandalay Bay Casino after impact. Lennox Lewis dropped Hasim Rahman with a devastating left hook followed by a whistling right cross to the jaw to regain the heavyweight championship at 1:29 of the fourth round. The concussions from the jackhammer blasts were audible as Rahman hit the deck flat on his back. Honorable mention: Terrance Lewis versus "Big" Ed Mahone. In a hard fought battle between two second division heavyweights, Lewis dropped the hulking Mahone with a right-hand smash, that made Big Ed resemble a felled oak as he crashed to the floor in the 9th. Timber!

I think I double-parked my car award: Referee Michael Ortega working the Antwun "Kid Dynamite" Echols versus Charles "The Hatchet" Brewer, in the NABF super middleweight title fight. Down three times in round two, Echols was literally beaten from pillar to post by the wicked punching Brewer. Rallying in the third round, Echols rebounded and had Brewer in trouble along the ropes when Ortega prematurely jumped in and stopped the fight. The quick TKO gave the title to Echols, who wanted no part of a rematch with the unlucky Brewer.

Mustard knocked off the hot-dog award: Jesse James Leija versus Hector "Nacho" Camacho Jr. In his first real test in the ring, Camacho Jr. failed miserably. Shook and cut, Camacho Jr. elected not to get going when the going got tough. Instead after getting accidentally head butted, he relied on the three hometown judges to bail him out. They did and there was such an outcry about the dubious win it was later reversed to a no-decision. The biggest dog in Coney Island wasn't at any of the fast food stands that night.

Prospect of the Year: Francisco Bojado keeps separating opponents from their senses with heavy hands.

Biggest Disappointment: Michael Grant. The heavyweight that only a year before seemed to be on the verge of perhaps winning a world title has dropped of radar screens. Little known strongman Jameel McCline dropped Grant in the opening moments of their scheduled 10-round heavyweight contest with a crushing left hook to the jaw. When Grant awkwardly hit the canvas his right foot folded up underneath him and he snapped his ankle.

Best move in the ranking: Darrin Morris jumped two spots in the WBO rankings despite being dead.

Best heavyweight no one had heard about: Jameel McCline is a weapon at 6'6" and 260 pounds. This guy doesn't lift weight weights he eats them. McCline destroyed Grant in one and then put a hurting on Lance Whitaker.

Worst nickname: Lance "Call me Goofi" Whitaker.

Worst tragedy: The death of Beethaven Scottland. In a scheduled light heavyweight co-feature of southpaws, undefeated George Jones scored a tenth round knockout over Beethaven Scottland. Scottland would later die from injuries sustained in the fight. Scottland collapsed to the canvas late in the 10th after taking a barrage of shots in the final round. Scottland remained on the deck for a number of minutes before he was removed by New York Emergency Medics from the ring on a stretcher and taken to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition. Jones had dominated the action for almost the entire fight and rocked Scottland in the first round with a right hook to the temple. Jones continued to control the bout in the second round and drilled Scottland with a clean right hook to the chin that snapped his head back. Jones trapped Scottland on the ropes in the 5th, and landed almost 15 unanswered blows but referee Arthur Mercante Jr. let the contest continue. Jones caught Scottland in the corner in the 7th and unloaded another brutal salvo but the fight was not halted. With 46-seconds remaining in the 10th, and Scottland's hands down around his belt line, Jones nailed him with a straight left to the face. As Scottland began to fall forwards, Jones caught him with a right hook almost to the back of the head and the fighter pirouetted onto the floor his arms outstretched when he hit the canvas. Mercante quickly removed Scottland's mouthpiece but by that time the damage was down and it would be almost 15 minutes before the stricken fighter was finally taken to the hospital. Scottland took the fight on short notice after moving up in weight from the super middleweight division when David Telesco withdrew with a broken nose suffered in training.