2013 Comeback of the Year: Kiko Martinez
Mark E. Ortega
December 23, 2013
2013 saw a number of fighters being their careers back from the brink of irrelevance, making it more difficult than in other years to determine who had the biggest comeback.
Ironically, my choice for 2013's Comeback Fighter of the Year is a man who began the year in the losing column, and by knockout no less. Where he ended the year made it an intriguing and improbable run worthy of recognition.
2013 Comeback Fighter of the Year: Kiko Martinez
Junior featherweight Kiko Martinez actually entered 2013 on a bit of a roll, perhaps with the best momentum he'd seen in a nine-year career. Martinez met young rising Carl Frampton in an important bout in February.
Though Martinez gave Frampton unquestionably the toughest fight of his career, he eventually succumbed via a late stoppage. At 27 years old, Martinez was far from a finished fighter, but in danger of becoming a gatekeeper for the upper tier at 122 pounds.
Martinez got back in the win column with a stay busy victory over Damian David Marciano a few months later. Martinez then got the call to fight for a title, on HBO no less, against Colombia's Jhonatan Romero in August. Martinez passed up his former conqueror Frampton for the opportunity.
Though Martinez may not have totally deserved the title shot, he made the absolute most of it. Despite Romero's shaky run against top competition, Martinez was a long odds underdog to pull off the upset. From the opening bell, Martinez mauled Romero, beating him down to a statement making sixth-round TKO.
The title win put Martinez in the mix for big money fights in the junior featherweight division. Advised by Sampson Lewkowicz, Martinez is in a position to work with any of the top name (though Lewkowicz and Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer aren't exactly on speed dial).
Instead of cashing out against a Rigondeaux, Donaire, or a Santa Cruz, Martinez defended his belt against the durable Jeffrey Mathebula to close 2013. Mathebula had been on the losing end of a few split verdicts and gave Donaire a tough test.
The former titleholder was no test for Martinez, who broke him down on the way to becoming the first to stop the South African.
Martinez now operates in an extremely advantageous position and could easily land a big money fight with some of the previously discussed names. 122 is also so hot that Martinez could conceivably fight an Agbeko or Darchinyan, two fighters on the decline with name recognition, on major TV.
Runner-Up: Jhonny Gonzalez
It feels as though rugged Mexican veteran Jhonny Gonzalez could have been a recipient of this award on multiple occasions. When the chips have been down for Jhonny, he's managed to pull out a big victory. What made 2013 extra memorable was scoring arguably the biggest win of his career.
Gonzalez began 2013 by looking old and rusty in a unanimous decision win over Eusebio Osejo. Gonzalez had to climb off the canvas in order to do it.
Gonzalez's fragility in recent years made the task of toppling undefeated Abner Mares all the more difficult when the two met in August at the Home Depot Center, southern California's crown boxing jewel.
With Nacho Beristain in the corner, Gonzalez didn't show up to take an L. The manner in which Gonzalez wiped the floor with Mares in less than a round is what made the fight the year's biggest upset.
With the win, Gonzalez proved he does indeed have nine lives, and awaits Mares in a rematch at STAPLES Center, the West Coast's answer to Madison Square Garden.
Honorary Mention: Bernard Hopkins
2012 was not a good year for Bernard Hopkins.
It was the legend's first year he didn't record a victory since he began fighting world title fights in the 90s. He was to the point that people actually believed a one-dimensional Tavoris Cloud was going to beat him--that says enough right there.
Though Hopkins didn't fight a major fight this year, he took care of his mandatory in Karo Murat and targets a unification at 175 pounds, perhaps with Beibut Shumenov.
That Hopkins is still fighting that age 48, is a comeback in its own right.
Honorable Mention: Manny Pacquiao
That Brandon Rios, coming off the first loss of his career, was considered a sellable PPV opponent (ultimately, that failed) says exactly what kind of shape Pacquiao's career was in entering 2013.
Pacquiao fought only once, but put the shocking image of being laid out flat by Juan Manuel Marquez in the rear view mirror. That his image as a remarkable PPV draw took a bit of a hit as he took his show to Macau hurts his comeback a bit, but it's clear we've got at least another year of the Filipino to enjoy.
Honorable Mention: Felix Sturm
If there's one thing that has been the hallmark of Felix Sturm's professional career, it's been the murkiness of which he has won or lost.
Sturm's best performance until now was his 2004 American debut against Oscar De La Hoya in the Golden Boy's middleweight debut. Though Oscar was the one climbing the scales, Sturm was jumping a few levels in class and magnitude, and rose to the challenge and then some. Though Sturm broke Oscar's spirit with a wicked jab, he didn't get the decision.
Sturm ended 2012 losing his alphabet trinket to Daniel Geale, his one bargaining chip. Sturm began 2013 losing to Sam Soliman, though the fight was later overturned to a no contest when Soliman tested positive for traces of a banned substance.
Sturm got back in the win column over the unheralded Predrag Radosevic, getting a stoppage. Sturm was setup for a shot at his old belt, which Geale had wrestled away by Darren Barker in one of the year's better moments.
Barker traveled to Germany for his first defense, which was the most lucrative option available. Sturm showed up to put on his classiest performance, obliterating Barker in two rounds to put himself in the mix again.
Odds are that Sturm will hold onto his title as long as he can in fights in Germany. That is a shame given he's a tough out for anyone at middleweight at this moment.
Honorable Mention: Jesus Soto Karass
Soto Karass' career in 2012 saw his durability take a huge hit. For the first and second time of his career, he was stopped.
Still, the Mexican gatekeeper was given a big opportunity when he met Selcuk Aydin in January on a Showtime card. Soto Karass edged a majority decision in a close fight, positioning him for a rebounding Andre Berto in a main event on a big Showtime card in July.
Soto Karass ended up stopping Berto in the last round of a wild and entertaining fight. There are two camps of people when it comes to Soto Karass. There are those that think he exposed Berto as nothing special and therefore isn't credited with the win, and those that think he's tough for anyone.
Soto Karass was able to land unbeaten Keith Thurman, and wound up on the losing end of another supremely entertaining scrap. Even though he was stopped, Soto Karass has positioned himself as an action fighter worthy of television as long as he holds up. Golden Boy's deep stable and competitive matchmaking has taken his career to new heights, something Top Rank was unable to do while with him.
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