Boxing Awards: Top 5 Best Performances of 2024
as if Paul R. Jones: With awards season over and 2024 in the rearview, I’m counting down boxing’s Top 5 Gutsiest Performances of 2024 and giving the hardware to honor the fighters who got us here.
(⚠️WARNING: This article contains graphic box images that some readers may find disturbing. Viewer feedback is encouraged.)
Number 5. GUTSIEST PERFORMANCE
Photo © DAZN by X
Candidate: Bektemir Melikuzhiev
• Date: April 20, 2024
• Venue: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York)
Rated competitor, BEKTEMIR MELIKUZIEVAnd an undefeated competitor Pierre Hubert DIBOMBE, square in April Honey from Garcia Undercard for the WBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight Title. What ensued was a bloody mess, the result of MELIKUZIEV and DBOMBE having a deep gash over their eyes, which coincidentally exchanged heads and elbows at close range. Although DeBombe dealt a manageable injury in the opening round, Melikuzvi’s brutal head clash in the 5th round with DeBombe was far worse, leaving the self-proclaimed “bully” blindfolded for the rest of the fight. Fortunately for MELIKUZIEV, he had banked enough early rounds and was comfortably ahead on the cards when the ring doctor stopped the fight in the 8th round due to an accidental headbutt. And it was no surprise when MELIKUZIEV won a technical unanimous decision over DiBombe when the final scorecards were read.
Number 4. GUTSIEST PERFORMANCE
Photo © World Boxing Association/@wbaboxingofficial
Candidate: Jono Carroll
• Date: July 24, 2024
• Venue: IBA Colosseum (Serpukhov, RUS)
In an entertaining battle with the fiercest dogs, JOno CarrollWith a former Olympic gold medalist Albert BatyrgazievFor the WBA (Interim) Super Featherweight title, Carroll started off hot in the first quarter of the fight, badly knocking out BATYRGAZIEV in the 3rd round. But for the remainder of the fight, Batyrhaziev continued to deliver systematic blows to Carroll, striking Carroll in the head and body before ending the Irishman’s night with a brutal body shot in the 9th round.
After the fight, Carroll said, “I’m going to have to take modeling back for a while. That’s an understatement considering BATYRGAZIEV’s boxing upgrade to Carroll. For Carroll’s bravery and ability to persevere despite having both eyes nearly swollen shut – the likes of which we haven’t seen since the likes of GUERRERO and BERTO in 2012 – Carroll earns number 4 on our list.
Photo © Jae C. Hong/AP
Number 3. GUTSIEST PERFORMANCE
Photo © NEFLIX
🥉 3rd place: Amanda Serrano
• Date: November 24, 2024
• Venue: AT&T Stadium (ARLINGTON, TX)
3rd place Amanda Serranopushed it to the max. Taylor VS. Serrano – II (Women’s Boxing Convention Fight of the Year), fight Kathy Taylor She had a bad gash over her right eye in the last 3 rounds. Although Serrano battled Taylor nip-and-tuck through their 10 rounds, what stood out was SERRANO’s ability to step up her performance in the clutch – the Boricua legend receiving a headbutt from Taylor in Round 8 after 285 of 734 punches thrown (39%, via COMPUBOX). And with 4 world titles on the line, and yet fighting with constant blood in her eyes in the championship rounds, Serrano proved to be a hair cut again here, losing by controversial decision to Taylor (score: 95-94 (three)) – many believe SERRANO won.
is not. 2. GUTSIEST performance
Photo © Esther Lin/PBC
🥈Race: Sebastian Fundora
• Date: March 30, 2024
• Venue: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
Checking in at number 2 on our countdown is a late fill-in. SEBASTIAN FUNDORAHe defeated the former WBO world champion Tim Tzeu, By split decision in March, serving as one half of the 2024 Bloody War. TSZYU vs. FUNDORA.
Photo © Esther Lin/PBC
Despite Fundora’s pipe-like nose and mouth covering his dripping face and body and his vision being blurred at times – ‘THE TOWERING INFERNO’ managed to land over 700 of the 1100 combo punches exchanged in this fight. . Likewise, FundorA’s history-making victory helped set up the fastest fight of the year for the runner-up, edging out TSZYU to become the unified super welterweight world champion (WBC/WBO). Completion of place. A match that had fans clamoring for a re-match of this ‘Damn-Good’ affair.
is not. 1. GUTSIEST PERFORMANCE
Photo © @MIKAELALAUREN76/Instagram
🏆Winner: Michaela Lauren
• Date: November 30, 2024
• Venue: Hotel Intercontinental (Vienna, AUST)
Finally, the best performance of 2024 came from the former world champion; Michaela LaurenSweden. November’s championship bout and reigning title roster; Michael KotaskovLauren, 48, proved she is indeed a “fighter” as she battled until the final bell despite suffering from horrific facial swelling. Lauren’s bump was reportedly caused by a crack in her skull, caused by a few accidental headbutts early in Round 1.
To make matters worse, as a result of the combination of KOTASKOVA’s punches on LAUREN, and an inadvertent headbutt, LAUREN’s face was unrecognizable after the match, impersonating a central character for the movie THE ELEPHANT MAN, and beating LAUREN.
Although Lauren recalls looking like a “freak show” after the fight, her courage is undeniable, as the undefeated, world-ranked 13-year-old, at an age when most people worry about leather business 401Ks. And for these reasons and Michaela Lauren’s massive physical damage, she topped the list. Performance of the year!
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About the author:
Paul R. Jones! He is a longtime boxing writer and ring photographer for Boxing News 24. Scientist by day and writer by night, he covers jokes, jokes and nonsense from the sport of boxing. His articles, photographs, and commentary have appeared in numerous online outlets (such as Boxing News 24/7, Round by Round Boxing, Boxing Insider, and Medium.com), as well as in print and scholarly journals.
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