With big time boxing drawing to a close as we approach the end of the year, we have decided to compile a list of five of the best fights of the year in the boxing ring. We saw some absolutely mesmerising fights in 2022, including the likes of Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano and Leigh Wood vs Michael Conlan. So here are our five best fights of the year inside the boxing ring.
The list includes some of the best fights from over the course of the year, as well as some fights you may well have forgotten about. So without further ado, here are the five best boxing fights of 2022, as judged by our boxing expert.
5 Best Boxing Fights Of 2022
Without further ado, here are five of the best fights over the previous 12 months in the sport of boxing counting down from five to one…
5. Daniel Dubois vs Kevin Lerena – 3rd December
The first fight on our list of the five best fights of the year is one that is fresh in the memory. Daniel Dubois vs Kevin Lerena went down on the Tyson Fury vs Dereck Chisora 3 undercard at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite only lasting three rounds, it was an absolute barnstormer. A cracking fight with a handful of knockdowns to kick off this list at number five.
Going into the fight, Daniel Dubois was the heavy favourite with the majority of sports betting apps, given the fact he has wo the WBA Regular World Heavyweight Title in his previous fight. However, the fight didn’t play out the way many fans would have anticipated in the early rounds.
‘Dynamite’ was knocked down three times in the opening round, with it looking like Lerena was going to win via KO inside the first three minutes of the fight. Dubois somehow got through the round, saw out the second and then had success of his own in the third. Lerena was knocked down twice prior to the eventual stoppage by the referee, with Dubois somehow recovering from three heavy knockdowns and a suspected injury to win the fight via TKO in Round 3.
Although the fight didn’t even last nine minutes, it was super explosive and was unmissable for the time it lasted. Probably a surprise inclusion on this list, but it had everything. Non stop action from the opening bell until the end in the third round. Certainly worthy of kicking off our list of the five best fights of 2022.
4. Joe Joyce vs Joseph Parker – 24th September
In at number four is yet another heavyweight fight with Joe Joyce vs Joseph Parker back in September being next on our list of the best fights of the year.
This fight was viewed as a genuine 50/50 going into it, with the boxing community split right down the middle as to who they thought would be victorious in this one. In the end, it was Britain’s Joe Joyce that won via 11th round KO after brutally beating Joseph Parker up for the majority of the fight prior to the stoppage.
The ‘Juggernaut’ walked Parker down, taking his best shots to land his own clubbing punches. This was an absolutely incredible fight, and one we urge you to go and watch back. There is just something about heavyweight boxing that is so special and even more entertaining.
The fight headlined the Manchester Arena on a BT Sport Box Office show, with Joyce securing the biggest win of his career. 2023 looks like it could be the year Joyce finally gets his world title shot. If the same Joyce turns up that did against Parker and puts on a display like that, do not rule the 37-year-old out from lifting world honours within the next 12 months.
3. Jermell Charlo vs Brian Castaño 2 – 14th May
Kicking off our top three best fights of the year is the rematch between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño that happened back in May. The fight was an undisputed clash for all four world title belts in the super-welterweight division. The fact that this was a rematch and how the fight eventually ended, simply means this fight has to be included on this list.
Despite the fight not being on any UK boxing live streaming sites and being in the early hours of the morning for British fight fans, it was a quite incredible dust-up which had serious implications in the light-middleweight division. The first fight was deemed a draw with a lot of people feeling that Castaño was hard done by. However, Charlo left no room for chat the second time around after emphatically knocking his Argentinian counterpart out in the 10th round.
Up until the stoppage, the fight was far more one sided than the first one in favour of the American. He had clearly trained extremely hard and studied what he had done wrong in the first fight and make the necessary adjustments in this one. The fight was highly entertaining, with Castaño also having success throughout the fight.
What makes us include this fight on the list of the best five boxing fights of the year is also how emphatic the finish was. Charlo knocked Castaño down with a beautiful left hook, before the Argentine got back to his feet but was on shaky legs. The fight continued but not for long as Charlo followed up with a four punch combination that sent Castaño tumbling to the canvas yet again – this time he wasn’t able to continue.
A quite magnificent fight that ended in emphatic fashion. Worthy of third place on this list.
2. Leigh Wood vs Michael Conlan – 12th March
In at number two on our list of the best fights across the previous 12 months in the boxing ring was the fight between Leigh Wood and Michael Conlan back in March.
The fight was for the WBA World Featherweight Title, a belt that Wood had won in his previous fight. The fight headlined a big DAZN show at the Nottingham Arena, which ended up being one of the best fights of the year that included one of the best knockouts of the year.
Going into the fight, the Irishman was the relatively heavy favourite with the majority of betting sites. Conlan was undefeated and was a standout amateur, and it was clear to see why the bookies had him as favourite with how the fight panned out. ‘Mick’ secured a super knockdown in the opening round, and began to pick rounds up comfortably as the fight progressed.
Despite being on top and winning the fight, it was clear to see that Conlan was tiring with Wood coming on stronger in the last few rounds. Just as it seemed there was no hope of Wood winning the fight, he secured a knockdown in the 11th round. Conlan complained it was a slip and didn’t look buzzed from the shot, and saw out the round.
All Conlan had to do was stay on his feet in the final round and he would be crowned world champion. But in the most emphatic and quite magnificent fashion, Wood knocked Conlan out cold with the Irishman falling through the ropes and out of the ring with only 90 seconds or so remaining in the bout.
The fight had everything and the finish was the icing on the cake of what was a quite incredible fight. Very unlucky not to claim top spot here.
1. Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano – 30th April
In at number one as the best fight of 2022, as selected by our SportsLens boxing expert, is the undisputed lightweight fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden back in April.
The fight was one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year and it certainly lived up to expectation and more. These two female warriors put it all on the line and battled it out in the most spectacular fashion. The fight itself was nip and tuck, with Taylor looking sensational in parts, but then Serrano coming back firing and landing with great success herself.
In the end, the Irish boxing legend was awarded a split decision victory, winning all four world championship belts at 135-pounds. After ten rounds of gruelling action, the entirety of MSG was in raptured, on their feet applauding these two warriors. The fight has been awarded ‘Fight of the Year’ by various different media outlets, as well as picking up many other endless accolades.
No matter whether you are a fan of women’s boxing or not, you could watch this fight on repeat every single day – it was that good. A highly entertaining fight that fully deserves to come in at number one on our list of the best boxing fights of the year.
Fingers crossed 2023 is the year these two men sit down, sign a contract and face-off in the middle of a ring inside a huge stadium in England. What a spectacle it would be.
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