2013 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year - Gennady Golovkin

Breakthrough Fighter of 2013: Gennady Golovkin

Mark E. Ortega
December 25, 2013

A number of fighters enjoyed years in 2013 that may later be traced back to the beginning of their legacies. Here's who I deemed the breakthrough fighters of the year.

Did HBO's 'Champions Dinner' snub Rigondeaux?

Did HBO's 'Champions Dinner' snub Rigondeaux?
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 8, 2013


This past weekend in Los Angeles, HBO Sports had a private dinner that they called the "Dinner of Champions."

Fighters in attendance were Adonis Stevenson, Ruslan Provodnikov, Mike Alvarado, Gennady Golovkin, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Nonito Donaire, Juan Manuel Marquez, Terence Crawford, and Mikey Garcia, based on a picture tweeted by Provodnikov.

When reached by e-mail for a list of those in attendance, HBO informed RingTV.com that it was a private dinner and that the guest list was not available.

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Journeyman Boone an unsung hero in boxing

Journeyman Boone an unsung hero in boxing
Mark E. Ortega
Freelance
March 23, 2013

Years from now, most people will have forgotten about Darnell Boone.

I'm not talking 20 years from now. If last night's sixth-round TKO loss to Adonis Stevenson on WealthTV is the last we see of Boone, even a few years from now he will have faded from the memories of most. His 19-21-3 record, despite the level of competition and circumstances it has come against, won't standout as anything but subpar.

But to those who have closely followed Boone's career, which may end up being just a few others outside of myself, they will remember Boone as one of the sport's toughest journeyman or gatekeeper types of this era.

Boone hoping history repeats itself against Stevenson

Boone hoping history repeats itself against Stevenson

Mark E. Ortega

RingTV.com
March 20, 2013

With greater exposure comes greater opportunity.

The last time Darnell Boone and Adonis Stevenson met, it was on a small untelevised club show in Salisbury, Md. Stevenson, then an undefeated but untested 13-0, was promptly knocked out by a single overhand right in the second round of the fight.

Due to the where and the when, the win garnered Boone little fanfare.

When the two meet Friday night in Montreal, it'll be the televised headliner of a WealthTV broadcast with Stevenson on the verge of a world title challenge.

Tough journeyman Boone (19-20-3, 8 KOs) told Boxing Monthly in their May 2012 edition that the biggest purse he'd ever earned was the $12,500 he'd received to fight Anthony Thompson in 2006.

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