Fight of the Year:

1. Mickey Ward vs. Arturo Gatti, May 18th in Uncasville, Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun was a fight that was no less than epic, savage, and brilliant. There were electrifying exchanges as both cut prone and battle scared warriors took turns blasting away with wicked salvos for ten torrid rounds. The junior welterweight battle saw Ward come from behind to floor the former IBF super featherweight champ Gatti in a hectic ninth to earn a majority decision in a memorable slugfest. Beginning at the sound of the opening bell, Ward immediately landed a left hook to the head. Relentlessly applying pressure, Ward connected with a compact left hook to the jaw as Gatti got off a one-two. Moving in and out, the faster Gatti drilled Ward with a four-punch combo and cut him with a left hook on the corner of the right eye. Targeting the cut, Gatti again swiftly stepped in an unloaded a three-punch combination to the face as Ward, his hands held high, advanced in a straight line eating leather. Both fighters continued trade with reckless abandon for the remainder of the fight. Ward dropped Gatti with a searing left hook to the liver in the 9th, and that knockdown proved to be the difference in the scoring.

2. Elvir Muriqi 3rd round TKO over Sam Ahmad. July 23, New Rochelle, New York, light heavyweight Muriqi managed to survive four knockdowns in the first two rounds to floor and stop Ahmad in the 3rd. In almost any other year, this fight would have pulled down top honors.

3. Leonard Dorin 12-round split decision over Raul Balbi. January 5, San Antonio, Texas, Freeman Coliseum, in a bloodbath, Dorin won the WBA lightweight title with controversial victory. Cut over both eyes and bleeding from the nose for much of the night, Dorin managed to rally over the last several rounds to nail down the victory by scoring a 12-round split decision win. Honorable Mention: Oscar Larios 12th round TKO over Israel Vasquez. May 17, Sacramento, California, War Memorial, super bantamweight Larios came on strong down the stretch in a shootout over Vasquez. The number-one rated Vasquez had expertise, talent, and heavy hands. The number-two ranked Larios simply fought as if life hung in the balance. When it was all said and done, it was the fighter with less skill but more heart that proved to be victorious

Big Fight of the Year: Oscar De La Hoya 11th round TKO over Fernando Vargas. This was the money fight of the year despite all the venom, hate, and bravado that engulfed the promotion. The momentum of the title fight moved back and forth between both boxers over the first five rounds of high velocity action. Vargas attempted to maul and muscle De La Hoya around the ring and was most effective along the ropes. De La Hoya controlled the contest in the center of the ring behind a stiff left jab, and an effective straight right cross. De La Hoya began taking control of the fight in the 6th, 7th, and 8th, opening up a deep gash under Vargas' right eye. With blood pouring from the wound, Vargas began to fade. De La Hoya's right cross effectively moved and maneuvered Vargas within target range before closing the show with a whistling left hook to the jaw and then a flurry of 10-ounce Reyes' leather. With the victory De La Hoya secured his position as the sport's top moneymaker other than a heavyweight, while Vargas would later be fined $100,000 and suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for use of steroids.

Round of the Year:

1. Round Nine Ward vs Gatti I: The best round of the year took place in the fight of the year, during the heroic Ward and Gatti encounter. Simply put it was a hellish ninth round in which both men inflicted and absorbed tremendous punishment. Pouncing as the round began, Ward drove in a crippling left hook to the liver. Grimacing in pain, Gatti took a knee for a nine count. Slamming in a succession of cruel left hooks and jarring right hands, Ward rocked Gatti back on his heels with a red-hot barrage of leather. Showing the heart of a lion and the courage of ten men, Gatti somehow gamely answered back. Hard ripping body shots by Gatti kept Ward off him and eventually backed him up. Pounding Ward against the ropes with sledgehammer blows from both gloves, the oncoming Gatti was nailed with a crackling right-hand to the temple. Once more in deep trouble, Gatti was roasted as the hard charging Ward worked him over. Pouring in lefts and rights as the teetering Gatti reeled against the ropes on drunken legs, Ward's searing shots had him out on his feet and unraveling as the bell sounded. The fans stood and screamed for the last sixty-seconds of action.

2. Round One Elvir Muriqi vs Sam Ahmad. There was no "feel 'em out" process in this slugfest as both warriors came out gunning at the opening bell. Aggressively moving in and firing the jab, Ahmad soon tasted a left hook as Muriqi quickly stepped into grimly greet him. Reaching in again with the left hand, the surprised Muriqi was sent skidding across the ring floor on the seat of his trunks from a numbing right-hand to the chin by the countering Ahmad. Wisely tying up the muscular Ahmad, as the bout resumed, the younger Muriqi clenched and bought some time until his head cleared. Sticking the oncoming Ahmad with a solid left jab, Muriqi ripped in a right uppercut on the point of the chin and dropped his opponent in a heap with only a minute and a half having elapsed off the clock. As the stunned Ahmad made it to his feet, Muriqi moved in to finish it. Loading up on a left hook, the wide-open Muriqi walked into a desperation right-hand bomb that exploded on his unprotected face and sent him crashing to the canvas. Sprawled out on the deck, Muriqi looked done but somehow wobbled up to beat the count. Managing to pull Ahmad into a clench, the glassy-eyed Muriqi hung on for dear life. Instinctively throwing shots after the referee pried him off Ahmad, the rubber-legged Muriqi was clipped by another sizzling right that sent him reeling back into the ropes. Gamely punching back, the woozy Muriqi stood swaying but stayed on his feet and stumbled back to his corner at the bell.

3. Round One Emmanuel Lucero vs. Frankie Archuleta. March 16, Bushkill, Pennsylvania, Fernwood Resort, in a bout that featured five knockdowns, Lucero was forced to climb off the canvas and prove he had the heavier hands by scoring a 12-round unanimous decision over Archuleta. In the 1st, Lucero looked to end things early by quickly flooring Archuleta. However, Archuleta rallied late in the 1st, as Lucero walked into a brutal right hand that sent him to the canvas. Despite eyes that looked like he had put his hand in a wall socket, Lucero managed to beat the count only to be dropped once more before the end of the electrifying opening round.

Upsets of the Year:

1. Vernon Forrest vs Shane Mosely I: People tend to forget because the bout took place last January but Forrest was a distant underdog and Mosley, was well, Mosley. The rangy challenger dropped Mosley twice and won the fight going away against the heavy favorite.

2. Juan Carlos Rubio 8-round unanimous decision over Francisco "Panchito" Bojado. February 16, Uncasville, Connecticut, Mohegan Sun, Rubio, a poor man's De La Hoya, didn't read the script and punished the favored and highly touted Bojado over the distance. Rubio dominated a number of the exchanges between the two fighters throughout the bout. In the eighth round referee Michael Ortega was compelled to rule Bojado down after his gloves touched the deck following a barrage of Rubio's punches.

3. Juan Valenzuela KO one Julio Diaz. April 26, Lemoore, California, The Palace, in a stunning upset; Valenzuela scored a first round knockout over the IBF's number fifth-ranked challenger Diaz. Valenzuela caught the heavily favored Diaz along the ropes and hammered him with a crushing five-shot combination to the head. Diaz was out on his feet and frozen along the ropes when the referee jumped in and quickly halted the contest at 1:56 of the first round.

Worst Decision of the Year: Johnny Tapia majority 12-round decision over Manuel Medina. The colorful Tapia conned his way to a decision and won IBF featherweight title against far busier Medina. Judge George Conlon scored the bout, 115-113, while Tony Paolillo had it, 115-113, both in favor of Tapia. Judge Melvina Lathan scored the contest, 114-114, a draw. As soon as the decision was announced to the 3,859 fans in attendance, the disgusted Medina who was concerned about poor judging coming into the fight, quickly left the ring.

Worst luck of the year: trainer Romula Quirarte Sr. Don't try and convince the veteran trainer Quirarte about fair play and justice in boxing. Quirarte worked the corner when his man Jose Luis Castillo lost a controversial decision and his WBC lightweight crown to Floyd Mayweather. One week later, Quirarte was in the corner again as the IBF featherweight king Medina came up on the short end after out hustling Tapia.

Three Blind Mice: worst judges based on overall performances and scoring lapses.

1. Anek "What The Heck" Hongtongkam
2. Jim "Try Again" Finnegan
3. Mike "Squints" Glenna

Worst Referee Performance: Guadalupe Garcia. Lupe really showed he was on the "job" with his work in Wayne Braithwaite's 10th round TKO over Vincenzo Cantatore. Handcuffing Braithwaite at every turn, Garcia did everything he could to help Cantatore. It wasn't enough.

Best referee of the year: John Shorley. The California based referee doesn't work enough high profile fights or he would get more recognition. Athletic and in shape, Shorley can move and stay out of everyone's way. He is quick enough on his feet to handle bantamweights and has enough presence to deal with heavyweights. However, his best attribute is that he knows when to stop a fight. He doesn't let damaged fighters linger on the ropes and take unnecessary punishment, yet he will let fighters battle.

Biggest Bust of the Year: Lennox Lewis TKO over Mike Tyson. Highly anticipated title fight quickly dissipates into one-sided pounding as Iron Mike is easily sent to the scrap heap.

Biggest Drubbings of the Year:

1. Eric Morales 12-round decision over Paulie Ayala.
2. Kostya Tszyu 12-round decision over Ben Tackie.
3. Marco Antonio Barrera 12-round decision over Johnny Tapia.

Best Trainer of the year:

1. Buddy McGirt. The former world champion continues to work miracles in the corner but his biggest transformation job was turning around Arturo Gatti. Under McGirt's guidance, Gatti changed styles, altered his fight plan, and actually had a far easier time in his rematch victory over Mickey Ward.

2. Honorable mention: Freddy Roach. Calm cool and collected, the disciple of legendary Eddie Futch, consistently gets the most out of the guys he trains.

Worst use of god-given talent: Floyd Mayweather. He is either too smart for his own good, or he just doesn't give a damn but Mayweather never opened up against in two wins over Jose Luis Castillo and played it too close to the vest. On both occasions his lack of desire has angered the people who pay to see him fight.

Best use of his head as a third glove: Evander Holyfield in his win over Hasim Rahman. Holyfield caught Rahman with a left-right combo followed by an exquisite headbutt in the 7th that altered Hasim's features to look like a 224-pound gargoyle. One round later, referee Tony Orlando stopped the fight.

Best luck: Promoter Bob Arum, who survived a plane crash in which his aircraft bounced off the runway and was on fire when it crossed a road before coming to a screeching stop in a field. Arum walked away unscratched and got aboard another plane back to Las Vegas, which should also qualify him for the "Biggest Balls of 2002."

Biggest Fiasco of the Year: Pay-per-view fight in which Christy Martin outpointed Mia St. John in front of 532 customers. Martin has yet to be paid her purse of $300,000 by promoter Peter Klamka.

Best Prospect: Former USA Olympic Bronze medallist Clarence Vinson improved his record to 11-0 with 5 knockouts this past year. Vinson has excellent speed and balance and can dominate his opponents with rapid-fire combinations to the head and body. He isn't a high-profile knockout puncher but he does throw punches in bunches.

Consistent Excellence: Jim Lampley and the entire broadcast crew at HBO.

Gone but not Forgotten: Chuck Davey, Joseph Velez, Irving Abramson, Daniel Espindola, Fabio Oliva, Ramsey McKnight, Arnie Boeh, Jerome Blanton, Hugo Benjamin Guzman, George "Sugar" Costner, Billy T. Adams, Mike Scionti, Howard Fenske, James Maes, Marty Wilson, Shigeyoshi Oki, Ricky Womack, Vincente Rodriguez, Chatchai Phaisithong, Jim O'Hara, Andrew Murray, George Chemeres, Pedro Alcazar and Carl "Bobo" Olson.