Myriam Lamare receives the WBF Female Fight Of The Year Award from WBF Vice President Jean Marcel Nartz.
2010 Fighter Of The Year – EVANDER HOLYFIELD (USA)
WBF World Heavyweight Champion
One of boxing greatest all-time legends, the former multiple champion has been written off more times than anyone cares to remember. Having lost points decision in both his previous contests for the WBO and WBA titles respectively, Holyfield was without a win since 2007 and out of the ring for 16 months. And he was trailing on points in his challenge to WBF champion Francois Botha – until he downed the South African in the 8th round and finished him. That sort of comeback from one of the biggest names in the sport was enough to earn Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield the WBF 2010 Fighter Of The Year Award.
2009 Winner: WILLIAM GARE (South Africa)
WBF World Supermiddleweight Champion
2010 Female Fighter Of The Year – RAMONA KÜHNE (Germany)
WBF Women’s World Superfeatherweight Champion
The year 2010 started bad for Ramona Kühne: A huge cut stopped her in her featherweight fight with Ina Menzer, but it was all uphill from then on. She moved up a division to clinch the WBF Women’s World Superfeatherweight belt with a clinical 4th-round stoppage of Maribel Santana in June and then made an impressive first defence, taking away the unbeaten record of Irma Balijagic Adler with a clear verdict in November. Certainly impressive enough to net Ramona the WBF 2010 Female Fighter Of The Year Award.
2009 Winner: NATASCHA RAGOSINA (Russia)
WBF Women’s World Heavyweight Champion
2010 Fight Of The Year – EVANDER HOLYFIELD vs FRANCOIS BOTHA
WBF World Heavyweight Championship
Apr. 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Showing that age is little barrier, old warhorses Botha and Holyfield battled it out in Las Vegas. For the ‘White Buffalo’ from South Africa, it was his 3rd defence of the WBF title and finally a big name as challenger in modern legend Holyfield. Defying their ages, it was give and take with the fight up for grabs after seven rounds. Two judges had Botha ahead by one point, while the third official had ‘The Real Deal’ in front by five points. It was all academic when Evander landed a huge right hand in round eight which send Francois down and then went on to finish the champion with an avalanche of punches raining down on a cornered Botha. Highlight stuff from big-time names – and WBF 2010 Fight Of The Year.
2009 Winner: KRESHNIK QATO vs FABIO LIGGIERI
WBF World Middleweight Championship
Oct. 24 in Dessau, Germany
2010 Female Fight Of The Year – MYRIAM LAMARE vs LUCIA MORELLI
WBF Women’s World Lightwelterweight Championship
Nov. 6 in Aix-en-Provence, France
On paper, it was a good fight with Lamare and Morelli’s combined records reading 31-4. In the ring, it was even better. As French star Lamare already proved in the previous year, to be her own promoter does not mean she fights easy pickings. And Morelli proved a worthy challenger, battling on almost even terms with the champ for five rounds. In the sixth, Myriam’s greater physical strength finally told. In a finish that brought her fans up from their seats, Lamare punched Morelli to a stand-still until referee Paul Thomas stopped it with half the round over. Lucia bitterly complained about a premature stoppage, and her willingness to battle on with punches raining down on her certainly contributed to this fight becoming the WBF 2010 Female Fight Of The Year.
2009 Winner: MYRIAM LAMARE vs ANN SACCURATO
WBF Women’s World Lightwelterweight Championship
Oct. 9 in Marseille, France
2010 Prospect Of The Year – YVAN MENDY (France)
WBF Intercontinental Lightwelterweight Champion
The year 2010 started for French lightwelter Yvan Mendy with two non-title wins and in June he reached the pinnacle of his pro career so far, when he won a 12-round decision over teak-tough Brit Peter McDonagh and with it the WBF Intercontinental title. This was followed by a defence in December against equally strong Sam Rukundo, again on points over 12 rounds. In both fights, Mendy put on outstanding performances, which make him a deserving winner of the WBF 2010 Prospect Of The Year Award.
2009 Winner: GORAN DELIC (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
WBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Champion
2010 Promoter Of The Year – YLLI NDROQI (Albania)
Albanian businessman and boxing promoter Ylli Ndroqi, who later assumed the post of WBF Honory President, staged only one WBF show in 2010, but it was the only one of the year that featured three WBF fights in one night (one world title and two International titles). It took place in Tirana on May 2 during the WBF World Convention, which also was heavily supported by Ndroqi. Later in the year, he also backed the WBF world middleweight title fight between Kreshnik Qato and Karama Nyilawila in Prague, Czechia. No doubt, the man is deserving the WBF 2010 Promoter Of The Year Award.
2009 Winner: ULF STEINFORTH (Germany)
2010 Presidents’ Special Service Award – JOHN SHEPPARD (England)
Since almost two years, John Sheppard’s invaluable website boxrec.com is a partner of the WBF when it comes to rankings, which are generated by a computer system. The WBF Championship Committee uses the boxrec ratings almost on a daily basis when evaluating sanctioning applications and it has proven a highly effective tool in determining whether to approve a fight or not. The WBF 2010 Presidents’ Special Service Award is thus given to John Sheppard in recognition and appreciation of his services to the WBF and boxing in general with the most important website in the business.
2009 Winner: ANILA QATO (Albania)
