Wednesday 30 December 2015 15:04, UK
The year 2015 will be marked in boxing history for several reasons - but which bouts shone particularly brightly?
Most significantly, in Tyson Fury, Britain has a heavyweight champion for the first time since David Haye. But does his upset of the long-reigning Wladimir Klitschko feature in our list of the most exciting bouts?
2015 also saw Floyd Mayweather Jr finally meet Manny Pacquiao before retiring on a record-equalling 49-0 - so did the 'Fight of the Century' make the cut?
Let's find out...
Most predicted fireworks when Dave Ryan confirmed he'd defend his Commonwealth super-lightweight title against domestic rival John Wayne Hibbert - but few could have foreseen the dramatic turnaround in a fight that stunned The O2 with its relentless pace and brutality.
Hibbert was first to show as he set a tempo that left Ryan struggling, and the champion was knocked down by body shots in the third and fifth rounds. Although neither punch seemed a finishing blow, Ryan has a history of rib problems and Essex challenger Hibbert looked the clear favourite at the halfway point.
Ryan was not about to go quietly, though, and began finding his range with the jab and some heavy overhand rights. Hibbert's face became swollen and his sight diminished, allowing Ryan to gradually tighten his initiative. As Hibbert's eye areas continued to bruise and cut, Ryan pounced in the ninth to score two knockdowns and stop his man on the ropes.
German cruiserweight Marco Huck was going for a record 14th defence when he took on Krzysztof Glowacki - but did so in the unfamiliar surroundings of New Jersey, USA. In his 41 previous bouts, Huck had fought outside Germany just once, and that was in Switzerland.
Similarly, Glowacki was fighting outside his native Poland for the first time and although unbeaten, Huck was expected to surpass Johnny Nelson's record for cruiserweight world title defences. He began the fight solidly enough - asserting himself to the point where he scored a sixth-round knockdown with a well-disguised left hook lead.
Most expected Glowacki to fold, but back came the 29-year-old by regathering himself impressively and forcing his way back into the fight. In the 11th, he produced a moment of drama that will live long in the memory - clocking Huck with a counter left and then sending the champion to the canvas with a following straight right. Glowacki's finish was equally clinical as he pounded Huck to the body and then registered unanswered upstairs to prompt the stoppage.
When Roman Martinez regained the WBO world super-featherweight title in April by outpointing Orlando Salido, a rematch was hastily arranged for September 12. The night was supposed to be a celebration of Floyd Mayweather Jr equalling Rocky Marciano's record against Andre Berto - but the American's bout was comfortably outshone.
Salido - presumably fired by revenge - emerged all guns blazing and despite having to wear some crisp countering from Martinez in the opener, was edging wild exchanges by the second round. Martinez was stopped in his tracks by several huge right hands from the Mexican.
Roared on by his fellow Puerto Ricans, Martinez showed incredible spirit to find replies and begin to erode Salido's lead. Although the pair were almost constantly at war throughout the 12 rounds, Martinez boxed with increasing cunning and ended up retaining his title via a split draw. The fight will be remembered for the large volume of clean shots sustained by both fighters.
All that history. All that talk. All that hype. The fight couldn't possibly live up to expectation, could it? Surely it would be eclipsed by Chris Eubank Jr's enthralling stoppage of Gary O'Sullivan? That's not how it unfolded at The O2, as Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte served up a heavyweight battle for the ages.
As expected, Joshua emerged from his corner at the first bell hell-bent on exacting revenge on Whyte, who had beaten him in the amateurs. Looking for an emphatic early stoppage, the Olympic champion didn't take long to connect and put Whyte on unsteady legs. The drama continued after the session as Whyte attempted a haymaker after the bell. The bout could have been abandoned as both entourages entered the ring before order was restored.
With the venue a din of excitement, Whyte stunned the world in the second as he caught Joshua with a shuddering short left that weakened the favourite's knees momentarily. Joshua regathered himself admirably and with Whyte tiring, finished the night in the seventh with a vicious uppercut teed up by an accurate overhand right. There was no handshake afterwards, suggesting this thrilling feud is far from over.
Kevin Mitchell, by his own admission, had failed to do himself justice at world level in the past. In 2010, he was blasted out early at his beloved Upton Park by Michael Katsidis with the interim WBO world lightweight title on the line. Two years later, then-WBO champion Ricky Burns needed less than four rounds to stop him. But here was Mitchell's shot at redemption.
Lifted by arguably a career-best destruction of Daniel Estrada in his previous bout, The O2 roared Mitchell out of his corner for the opener and were encouraged by the Dagenham man's early endeavours. Jorge Linares, already a three-weight world champion, is a supreme athlete but struggled to establish his rangy jab early on.
The telling moment came in the fifth when Mitchell clipped Linares on the top of the head at the end of a fierce combination, sending the Venezuelan to the canvas. Some boxers are too quickly to their feet when knocked down but Linares set aside machismo, took the full count and rose calmly.
Mitchell was soon cut around both eyes and the area above his left became particularly gruesome as the fight wore on. Linares targeted it at the start of a spectacular 10th round and although Mitchell blasted his way off the ropes gamely to deafening encouragement from the crowd, the WBC champion stayed cool to corner his man and force him to the canvas late in the session. Victor Loughlin then waved it off with Mitchell's left eye a mess.
