Boxing review 2008

Pacquiao: Star turn in 2008

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It was a year when the Hitman bounced back, the Golden Boy looked to have lost his shine and the Pac Man destroyed all before him.

The past 12 months have once again provided plenty of highlights. Check out skysports.com's highs and lows of 2008 and share your thoughts on the past year using the feedback box below...

Fighter of the Year - Manny Pacquiao

Already regarded as the pound-for-pound king, the national hero of the Philippines put paid to the theory that size matters when he dismantled another modern-day legend, Oscar De La Hoya, in December. That spectacular stoppage win, which saw the Golden Boy retire after eight punishing rounds, came at an astonishing 28lbs heavier than where the 30-year-old had started his career, way down at flyweight. He had already proved he was the best at super-feather with a split decision verdict over Juan Manuel Marquez in March before following that up with a TKO win over David Diaz to claim the WBC lightweight title three months later. At this current rate, not even the heavyweights may be safe from the Pac Man.

British Fighter of the Year - Rendall Munroe

A bin man in Leicester, Munroe collected more than just rubbish in 2008 as he upset the odds with an impressive points victory over the previously unbeaten Kiko Martinez , becoming the European super-bantamweight champion in the process. The southpaw went on to defend the title three times in the year, his last outing seeing him stop Fabrizio Trotta inside five rounds in Dublin. Despite his rapid rise to fame, the only trash talking Munroe does is when he's pounding the streets doing his day job.

Fight of the Year - Margarito v Cotto

The Tijuana Tornado blew the boxing world away in July with a stunning stoppage win over Miguel Angel Cotto. A heavy underdog going into the fight, Margarito's aggressive, come-forward style saw him picked off in the opening rounds. However, as the fight wore on his constant pressure overwhelmed an exhausted Cotto, who lost his perfect record, as well as the WBA welterweight strap when his corner threw in the towel midway through the 11th. Carl Froch's epic showdown with Jean Pascal came a close second, the battle for the vacant WBC super-middleweight belt somehow going the distance despite both men landing some heavy blows. In the end it was Froch who came out on top on the scorecards in his home city of Nottingham.

Rising Star(s) - Nathan Cleverly/Olympic amateurs

Welsh light-heavyweight Cleverly came to the attention of Sky Sports viewers in October when he claimed the vacant commonwealth belt with a unanimous points victory over veteran Tony Oakey. The 21-year-old has plenty of skills and is smart too, though you'd expect as much from a man studying for a maths degree at Cardiff University. Appropriately nicknamed 'Clever Boy', the former stable-mate of Joe Calzaghe is aiming for a British title tilt and beyond in 2009. The next 12 months will also see several Beijing Olympians begin their life as professionals. Bronze medallist Darren Sutherland has already started with a win, while James DeGale, who beat Sutherland on his way to a glorious gold, has decided to drop his hopes of winning in London by leaving the amateur ranks.

Shock of the year - Paul Williams losing to Carlos Quintana

Having desperately tried, and failed, to talk his way into a fight with Miguel Angel Cotto, the lanky Paul Williams - considered a fighter no one wanted to face at welterweight because of his 6ft 1" frame - was forced to defend his WBO belt against Carlos Quintana, a southpaw from Puerto Rico who had fought just once since being made to quit on his stool by Cotto in 2006. However, the form book was turned upside down as a disinterested, overweight Williams was beaten to the punch for all 12 rounds in front of his home crowd in California. By the time it came to the re-match 'The Punisher' knew not to take his rival lightly - he duly went on to win inside a round.

KO of the year - Breidis Prescott

Amir Khan's world was rocked in the space of 54 seconds on September 6 when he felt the full force of an unknown Colombian called Breidis Prescott. Apparently picked by Khan's new trainer Jorge Rubio as a perfect opponent, the heavy-handed South American flattened the Bolton boxer with the first meaningful punch of the fight. Although Khan was somehow allowed to continue on, Prescott wasted little time in sending him back to the canvas and setting back the former Olympian's world title hopes. The night was also Rubio's one-and-only in the Brit's corner.

Trainer of the year - Freddie Roach

Having fallen out with Oscar De La Hoya after working with the Golden Boy before his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jnr, Roach enjoyed some sort of revenge when he mapped out Manny Pacquiao's victory over De La Hoya in the biggest fight of the year. Pac Man admits Roach, who was little more than a journeyman during his boxing career, is now as much a father figure as a trainer. Amir Khan is also hoping that the American will steer him to glory having turned to him after parting company with Rubio. While Roach wasn't present, Khan won his first fight under his tutelage.

Comeback of the Year - Vitali Klitschko

The heavyweight division in recent times has been about as lively as an alcohol-free office Xmas party. In stepped Vitali Klitschko to breathe life into a weight class lacking box office appeal. Having retired in 2005 due to injury, Dr Ironfist marked his comeback after nearly three years out by stopping Samuel Peter to win the WBC crown. With the emergence of David Haye onto the scene, the boxing public finally has a heavyweight showdown to look forward to. On the domestic front, Ryan Rhodes has turned his career around, the former Spice Boy of boxing becoming British light-middleweight champion for a second time.

Shock decision of the year - Williams beats McDermott?

Nearly down in the middle of the fight and deducted three points in the closing rounds, it appared Danny Williams was going to let slip his grip on the British heavyweight title when his bout with John McDermott went to the scorecards. However, the Brixton Bomber somehow was awarded the verdict, one judge deeming him a winner by a three-round margin. Poor McDermott was almost bought to tears by the outcome and then missed out on a re-match later in the year due to injury. Williams still fought, though, losing to Brentwood-based Pole Albert Sosnowski.

Gone but not forgotten

Oscar De La Hoya? Evander Holyfield? - While he remained unsure of his future after being badly beaten by Pacquiao, the Golden Boy did admit afterwards that while the mind was willing, his body seemed no longer capable of competing at the very highest level. With a life as a promoter already established, many boxing fans will be urging De La Hoya to hang up his gloves after a stellar career between the ropes.

Holyfield is another great who appears unable to let go. His pursuit in becoming a five-time heavyweight champion shows no signs of slowing, despite the fact he lost out when challenging Sultan Ibragimov and Nikolay Valuev during 2008. Now at the age of 46, it's fair to say he stopped being 'The Real Deal' sometime around the turn of the century.