Norcalboxing.com: February 2014

Voting for the 3rd annual Northern California Boxing Awards has concluded, and the winners have been announced!

RELATED: [2011 AND 2012 AWARD WINNERS]

Each member of the media panel had one vote, with the readers’ choice for each category counting as one composite vote for the overall total. Here’s who participated:

Ramon Aranda (3MoreRounds.com), Mario Cabrera (BeatTheCount.com), Jerry Hoffman (ESPN Central Coast), Lucas Ketelle (Tha Boxing Voice), Kim Francesca Martinez (Boxingscene.com), Ryan Maquiñana (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area/Boxingscene.com), John Raspanti (DoghouseBoxing.com), Champ Ross (BeatTheCount.com), Joel Stern (The Sweet Science), Vic Tafur (San Francisco Chronicle), Richie Tomassini (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area), Darren Velasco (FightDomain.net).

Read below for descriptions on the recipients as well as special mentions of the readers’ choice for each category. All of the descriptions and photos will be available by the end of the day.

Special thanks to CSAC referee Michael Margado, USA Boxing's Lydia Razo and local matchmaker Eddie Rodriquez for their contributions to the categories!

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POUND-FOR-POUND KING: Andre Ward, Oakland

Andre Ward fought only once in 2013, but he proved again why most media outlets rank him as the second best fighter in the world regardless of weight class. The super middleweight world champion dismantled eager challenger Edwin Rodriguez in November in a year marked by news Ward made outside the ring (shoulder surgery, the unjust stripping of his belt by the WBC, an unsuccessful attempt to break free of his promotional contract from Goossen Tutor). "S.O.G" gets the nod here based on his recent overall body of work.

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MALE PRO FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: Bruno Escalante, San Carlos

Bruno Escalante has yet to reach junior bantamweight world title contender status, but the diminutive Filipino-bred southpaw showed the NorCal fight faithful his ascending progress toward that level with an impressive array of performances in 2013. After Rigoberto Casillas took him the distance, Escalante blasted Christian Salgado and Manuel Galaviz in the early rounds before concluding the year with two majority decisions over grizzled veteran Joseph Rios and fellow prospect Michael Ruiz Jr.

Readers’ Choice: Andre Ward, Oakland (39%); Escalante (23%)

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FEMALE PRO FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: Melissa McMorrow, San Francisco

Melissa McMorrow, like Ward, appeared on only one occasion in 2013, but the flyweight world titleholder did it in remarkable fashion, traveling to Germany for the second time in three years to have her hand raised in triumph. McMorrow’s trademark pressure and combinations were enough to outwork challenger Nadia Raoui in a fight where one errant scorecard couldn’t deny the champion from returning back to the Bay Area with her belt.

Readers’ Choice: Martha Salazar, Pacifica (45%); Ava Knight, Chico (38%)

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MALE AMATEUR FIGHTER OF THE YEAR (ELITE): Eros Correa, San Jose

Eros Correa, the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials winner at 108 pounds, continued an illustrious amateur career in 2013. The now full-fledged flyweight was a semifinalist at the USA Boxing National Championships and won his first bout in AIBA’s pro-style World Series of Boxing as a member of the USA Knockouts.

Readers’ Choice: Daniel Thomas, Concord (55%); Correa (27%)

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FEMALE AMATEUR FIGHTER OF THE YEAR (ELITE): Marlen Esparza, San Carlos

Marlen Esparza felt right at home in her new training grounds of the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos after spending most of her career in Houston. The Olympian flyweight excelled in international competition while continuing her domestic dominance, which was capped by her seventh gold medal at the USA Boxing National Championships.

Readers’ Choice: Casey Morton, San Francisco (70%); Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove (18%)

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MALE AMATEUR FIGHTER OF THE YEAR (YOUTH): Suray Mahmutovic, Daly City

Readers’ Choice: Izaiah Bautista, San Francisco (64%); Mahmutovic (14%)

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FEMALE AMATEUR FIGHTER OF THE YEAR (YOUTH): Marisol Lopez, Avenal

Readers’ Choice: Katrina Nahe, Antioch (62%); Lopez (34%)

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PRO FIGHT OF THE YEAR: John Abella, Sacramento TKO4 Christian Cartier

Readers’ Choice: Martha Salazar, Pacifica UD6 Sonya Lamonakis (51%); Bruno Escalante MD8 Joseph Rios (27%)

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AMATEUR FIGHT OF THE YEAR: Queen Underwood dec. Stalacia Leggett, Alameda

Readers’ Choice: Joshua Zydonis, San Francisco dec. Joe Ryley, San Francisco (49%); Katrina Nahe dec. Odalys Camacho, Bakersfield (27%)

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PRO ROUND OF THE YEAR: Bruno Escalante, San Carlos vs. Michael Ruiz, Fresno – Rd. 5

Readers’ Choice: Escalante vs. Ruiz – Rd. 5 (60%); Jonathan Chicas, San Francisco vs. Adolfo Landeros – Rd. 2 (26%)

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PRO KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR: Nonito Donaire Jr., San Leandro TKO9 Vic Darchinyan

Readers’ Choice: Jose Ramirez, Avenal KO1 Eric Hernandez (49%); Bruno Escalante, San Carlos KO2 Christian Salgado (24%)

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PRO TRAINER OF THE YEAR: Brian Schwartz/Mike Bazzel, San Carlos

Readers’ Choice: Schwartz/Bazzel (55%); Ben Bautista, San Francisco (28%)

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AMATEUR TRAINER OF THE YEAR: Rob Fernandez, San Francisco

Readers’ Choice: Angelo Merino, San Francisco (43%); Miguel Rios, South San Francisco (13%)

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MALE COLLEGIATE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: Gabriel Sanchez, San Jose State

Readers’ Choice: Colin Schmitt, UC Davis (44%); Fabian Rivera, UC Davis (23%)

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FEMALE COLLEGIATE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR: Nargis Shaghasi, USF

Readers’ Choice: Shaghasi (90%); Adrianna Boursalian, USF (10%)

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PRO PROSPECT OF THE YEAR: Manuel “Tino” Avila, Fairfield

Readers’ Choice: Guy Robb, Sacramento (57%); Jose Ramirez, Avenal (36%)

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PRO EVENT OF THE YEAR: Bruno Escalante, San Carlos vs. Michael Ruiz Jr., Fresno (Redwood City SportsHouse)

Readers’ Choice: Manuel “Tino” Avila, Fairfield vs. Jose Angel Cota – Redwood City SportsHouse (42%); Escalante vs. Ruiz (29%)

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AMATEUR EVENT OF THE YEAR: Beautiful Brawlers III (Pacifica)

Readers’ Choice: Aleman Boxing’s Independence Day – Fresno (61%); Beautiful Brawlers III – Pacifica (34%)

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CROWD OF THE YEAR: Fox Theater, Redwood City

Readers’ Choice: Pacific Ring Sports, Oakland (54%), Aleman Boxing, Fresno (22%)

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