Middleweight Outlook: Martinez Proved to Be the Best in 2010

Middleweight Picture

The middleweight division gave us the Fighter of the Year and Knockout of the Year, as Sergio Martinez scored a breath-taking knockout in the second round over an excellent fighter in Paul Williams. This division also provided the best knockout I witnessed in person this year, Dmitri Pirog's shocking one-punch knockout of previously undefeated and highly touted prospect Danny Jacobs. Perhaps the most underrated division in terms of talent, 160-pounds could be the talk of the town in 2011.

Top Fights: Martinez-Pirog, Martinez-Williams III, Williams-Pirog

I believe the top three in the division are Martinez, Williams, and Pirog, respectively. They are all talented and exciting fighters. Any combination of the three and I can guarantee the fans will get their money's worth. The great thing about this division is that there are so many talented young fighters with so much to prove, they can't help but cross paths. I really wish I had enough room to list them all, but that would take too much time. Just know that if you're looking for a division to get excited about for 2011, this is it.

On the Rise: Sergio Martinez

It's hard to say he's on the rise AND number one in the division, but Martinez is a special case. After a tough-luck 2009, Martinez rebounded nicely in 2010 with dominance over the previous top-two of the division (Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams). He's transcending the division rankings and climbing up everyone's pound-for-pound rankings. Sergio is easily the number three fighter in the world at any weight right now. With his popularity growing by the day, his star power is increasing as well. Did any fighter have a better year than Sergio Martinez? Easy. No. With his age (35) and so much talent in his weight class, it's going to be fun to see how long "Maravilla" can stay on top.

On the Decline: Kelly Pavlik

Pavlik only fought once this year, partly due to injury and partly due to alcohol addiction. He was thoroughly dominated and took a beating by the aforementioned Sergio Martinez over twelve rounds. He's still young at 28, but he's been in many wars that seem to have taken their toll. Maybe a year or two off does Pavlik some good and he comes come back strong, but don't count on it.

One to Watch: David Lemieux

With so many prospects to pick from, it was a tough choice. Lemieux gets the nod based on potential excitement. At 25-0 (24 KO's), Lemieux has a style that every fight fan can love. He may not go on to be the best 160-pounder in the world, but he's going to generate plenty of excitement. You can expect Lemieux to significantly step up the competition in 2011 with a fight against either a fellow undefeated prospect, former world champ, or for a world championship. If he doesn't, 2011 will be a complete waste for Lemieux.