The 2015 Boxing Glove Awards: Puncher of the Year: Anthony Joshua & Jamie Cox

The Boxing Glove Awards 2015
Puncher of the Year
Jamie Cox & Anthony Joshua

Big punchers always hold a special fascination for boxing fans.  A fighter who can regularly render his opponents unconscious with a few punches has the makings of being a star, as long as he can take it, as well as dish it out.

Super-middleweight Jamie Cox returned from over 2 years of inactivity to score 3 spectacular 1st round knockouts, and capture the WBO European super-middleweight title in 2015.  What was most impressive about Cox’s victories was not so much ‘who’ he beat, but ‘how’ he beat them.  He is a quick-fisted fighter who looks to have dynamite in both hands.  There will definitely be bigger tests for Cox in 2016, but he has already shown himself to be one of the fighters to look out for in the coming year.

Anthony Joshua has ploughed through his opponents since turning professional in late 2013.  He is a fighter who seems to be able to hurt his opponents with just about every punch he throws.  In December, Joshua had his 15th professional contest, and was tested as never before by unbeaten rival, Dillian Whyte, who hurt him early and then took him past the 3rd round for the first time in his career.  But, Joshua caught up with Whyte in the 7th round, kncoking him senseless with a brutal uppercut.  Theres nothing the fans like more than a heavyweight that can punch.  Joshua showed signs against Whyte that he has the tools to go all the way.  He is still raw and inexperienced, but his punching power is world class.

Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

The 2015 Boxing Glove Awards: Comeback of the Year: Jamie Cox

 The Boxing Glove Comeback of the Year 2015
Jamie Cox
Super Middleweight

Until February of this year Jamie Cox had only fought 4 times in the previous 5 years, and had not fought at all since 2013, due to a severe hand injury. Then in 2015, the unbeaten Cox returned with 3 fights, and 3 wins, all devastating knockouts in the 1st round.  It wasn’t so much who Cox beat, but the way he was beating them.  He showed speed, chilling power, and the cruel streak associated with such vicious punchers.

In his 3rd fight of the year, Cox koed Ferenc Albert in the 1st round, to win the WBO European Super-middleweight title, with one of the knockouts of the year.
Cox is now seen as one of the fighters to watch in the super-middleweight division, and is being tipped for a big fight in 2016, perhaps even a world title shot.

Watch the Jamie Cox Vs. Ferenc Albert fight:

Copyright © 2016 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com

Jamie Cox Crushes Ferenc Albert: Calls Out The Best At 168 Pounds

By Peter Silkov

After a stop and start career, which saw him sidelined by injuries in 2012 and 2014, Jamie Cox (20-0, 12koes) is a man in a hurry, and proved it again last night when he successfully defended his WBO European super-middleweight title with a clinical 68 second knockout at Dublin’s National Stadium.  Hungarian challenger, Ferenc Albert (20-8, 9koes), barely got the chance to throw a punch before Cox’s punches had him on the floor.  The first knockdown came from a right hook to the head, which seemed to just clip Ferenc.  Ferenc bravely beat the count, but was then flattened by another right hook that caught him squarely on the jaw, and sent him down with a thud, with his head bouncing on the canvas.  It was a nasty knockout, and unsurprisingly, referee Mickey Vann abandoned the count at two.  This was Cox’s 3rd straight 1st round knockout since his return from his period of inactivity, which has seen him have just 4 fights in the past four years. 

Originally a light-middleweight and ex-Commonwealth champion at that weight, Cox has come back from his spells of enforced absence a more muscular and stronger fighter, whose mixture of speed and power at super-middleweight is fast making him one of the most talked 168-pound fighters in the country.  It’s not so much who he has beaten, but the way he has been beating them.  Albert was a respectable opponent who had won his last 10 fights, and in contrast to Cox, was having his 13th fight this year.  Unfortunately for Albert, it turned out to be unlucky 13 for him, as he never had a chance against Cox’s sizzling power.

At the age of 29,  Cox is in a hurry to make up for lost time, and says that he is ready for anyone now at 168 pounds. In Liverpool on the same night, Callum Smith produced a spectacular performance of his own, to stop his Liverpool rival, Rocky Fielding, in the 1st round, and claim the vacant British super-middleweight title.  There may well be a clamour now for a showdown between Smith and Cox, in what could be a huge domestic match. After his performance against Ferenc, Cox was in no doubt about his credentials, telling Box Nation, in his post fight interview:

“If that was Smith or Fielding in there tonight they’d have been knocked out as well.  The winner out of those two is not the best in the country and the public know it. I have too much power for them.  I’m the best and when I get my chance I’ll prove it.

After being out of the ring for a while, I’ve returned this year with three first round knockouts, I mean serious business at super-middleweight, and I’m going to win a world title. I’ll fight anyone at 168 pounds in the world right now, give me the opportunity and I’ll prove it! That’s a promise!”

Ironically, Cox’s biggest problem at the moment is his recent devastating success.  He has gone less than 3 competitive rounds in the past 2 years, and could do with more rounds under his belt before he challenges for a world title, but perhaps unsurprisingly, 168-pound fighters are not exactly lining up asking to fight Cox. 
The answer could well be a showdown with Callum Smith, if boxing politics allow it.  Yet, that too looks like a fight which could end early. 

Certainly Cox is an exciting addition to the 168-pound scene, which at the moment seems to be exploding domestically with possible world class talent. There is James Degale, who already holds a world title at 168-pounds (the IBF title) then a little way behind Degale is George Groves, who was very unlucky not to win the WBC title recently against Badou Jack, and Martin Murray, who challenges veteran WBO champion Arthur Abraham, on November 21st.   Now, both Callum Smith and Jamie Cox are vying to break through into world class in the very near future. 

The chances are that Britain will end up with at least one or two more world champions at 168-pounds in the next few months. 

Hopefully, Cox won’t have to wait long to prove his worth on a bigger stage, against a world class opponent. It may be too early to say just how good Jamie Cox is, but his speed and punching power alone, looks to give him a chance at just about anyone at the weight.  What he needs now though is more demanding opposition. The next year looks set to be an explosive one at 168-pounds.

Watch Full Fight:

Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com