Boxing purists are furious that Tyron Woodley’s stoppage to Jake Paul won ESPN’s Knockout of the Year award.
ESPN Ringside gave fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite KOs of 2021, which featured some of the most brutal stoppages of the year.
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Paul’s viral sixth-round KO Woodley was one of the contenders for the end of the year and won the honor by a landslide.
But longtime sweet science followers weren’t happy, with one saying: “It was a brutal KO, but I feel a little bad for real boxers such as [Oscar]Valdez that deserves a little more IMO
Another said: “The state of boxing these days.”
And another said: “That’s ridiculous.”
One commented: “ESPN ringside turned their backs on professional boxers who actually fought for their hearts in title fights!
“For a million dollar gimmick!”
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Another chimed in: “So KOing people who aren’t boxers now win prizes? How far has boxing fallen.”
Only one said: “Taking p**s.”
Paul’s surprise KO of former UFC welterweight champion Woodley claimed their fight was a ‘fixed one’.
But that notion has been debunked by Woodley’s longtime coach, Deen Thomas, who said during an appearance on Sirius XM radio: “This whole theory, it makes me laugh.
“Because being in his camp, I know how serious it was.
“It was seriously like Tyron really wanted this win back, he really wanted this fight and it was a serious thing.
“Now, if it was a dive, I wish they had told me about it because I wouldn’t have shown up and took the night off.
“I would love to party but it wasn’t. I mean it was a real, legal battle.”
Former Disney star Paul, 24, locked horns with Tommy Fury this month, before the Love Islander withdrew from his grudge match due to illness and injury.
But the problem kid is not interested in facing the youngest fury brother any time soon.
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He added: “I really don’t know what’s next on the roadmap. I’ve done it all, I’ve accomplished what I’ve achieved.
“I need to take a break, I’ve been going on this non-stop for a year and a half and that’s a lot.
“I’m tired, I need to spend time with my family on Christmas and go on vacation, I haven’t been on vacation since I was 18.”
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