Take a look back at the big talking points of the boxing year.
We look back at the highs and lows of the boxing year
Once again Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao failed to come off, Wladimir Klitschko v David Haye did but failed to live up to the hype, Amir Khan and Carl Froch lost their world titles, but there was plenty of excitement to be had both domestically and internationally this year.
Mayweather appeared just once inside the ropes, which resulted in a controversial knockout victory over Victor Ortiz, while Pacquiao made Shane Mosley look the old man he is before being gifted a decision against bitter rival Juan Manuel Marquez, who was once again aggrieved by the result of the third fight in their trilogy.
Haye barely won a round against Klitschko - but had a broken little toe ready as an excuse - while Khan complained bitterly against the decision to give Lamont Peterson the win in their Washington showdown, despite most observers feeling the American just about deserved it.
Andre Ward emerged as one of the most talented fighters in any weight class with an impressive Super Six final success against Carl Froch, while there were also defeats for world title challengers Matthew Hatton and Ryan Rhodes, who both lost to Saul Alvarez, and Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray, who were both unfortunate not to get the verdict against Felix Sturm.
However, Britain still have two world champions as we head into 2012 - Nathan Cleverly became the fully-fledged WBO light heavyweight champion while Ricky Burns defended his WBO super-featherweight belt twice before stepping up to win the interim lightweight strap.
The feud between James DeGale and George Groves dominated the domestic scene - the two former amateur rivals clashing in May with the latter winning by the narrowest of margins in a fight that never really took off. The pair look certain to meet again somehwere down the road.
Fighter of the year
Andre Ward
It's fair to say Andre Ward was the find of the inaugural World Super Six Classic tournament - to give it it's full title - with his crowning glory coming against Carl Froch in Atlantic City.
The former Olympic gold medallist entered the event - which hoped to find the best super-middleweight in the world - over two years ago as something of an unknown with the only 'name' on his CV being former middleweight contender Edison Miranda.
That he had hardly lost a round in a 20-fight career went rather unnoticed with bigger and better-known names such as Jermain Taylor, Mikkel Kessler and Froch entering the six-man round robin contest.
But after dominating former Joe Calzaghe-victim Kessler in his opening match-up, Ward cruised through to the final as the likes of Taylor fell by the wayside.
Still he hadn't gained full recognition - the quietly focused 'Son of God' lacking the charisma of say a Mayweather or Pacquiao.
But Ward lets his fists do the talking and, allied to blinding foot speed and reflexes, now finds himself in the top five pound-for-pound lists.
Froch had fought the very best but while he was not always dominant, none of them made him look average like Ward did.
From the outset the American's combinations and left hook lead bemused Froch, who more often than not found his opponent had slipped out of range even before he had pulled the trigger.
Froch's trademark right hand was almost completely nullified by an incredibly slick opponent who now finds himself in a league of his own - at 168lbs at least.
International fight of the year
Victor Ortiz v Andre Berto
It was Berto's sixth and toughest defence of the WBC welterweight title against a 24-year-old who had lost his only previous world title fight against Marcos Maidana almost two years earlier.
That fight proved 'Vicious Victor' had the punch power, if not the heart, to trouble the best welterweights around and so it proved as the wild and woolly southpaw took on the undefeated champion.
Berto, far from orthodox himself, was happy to trade punches from the start and it quickly started to resemble the Maidana war, only this time Ortiz was willing to see it through.
The champion was on the back foot from the opening round, caught by a big right hook in the corner and when Ortiz followed up Berto took an eight count.
But it was never going to be all one-way traffic and Ortiz was down in the second when it was Berto's turn to land flush with a big right, although again Ortiz appeared more stunned than hurt.
The fight continued to go the way of Ortiz, who was more often than not the aggressor, until the sixth round when he was caught again with a straight right hand to the face.
With 30 seconds left in the round it was a question of whether he would see the bell with Berto raining down on him, with another huge combination stunning Ortiz on the ropes.
But with the seconds ticking down, an exhausted Berto was caught by a short left hand which was followed up with a bigger left that floored the older man. It was Berto who was saved by the bell!
The next three rounds passed uneventfully with the pair increasingly wary until the 10th, when Ortiz was docked a point for an illegal punch. That appeared to inspire the challenger who finished strongly and rightfully claimed a unanimous decision.
The good news is the pair are set for a rematch in 2012.
Domestic fight of the year
Nathan Cleverly v Tony Bellew
Somebody's '0' had to go but few expected Bellew to give WBO light-heavyeight champion Cleverly such a difficult night.
The Liverpudlian had been operating at a lower level than the champ but his relentless calls for a scrap were finally answered after their first intended clash earlier in the year was scuppered when late replacement Bellew failed to make the weight.
There were no such problems in October, though, and Bellew was as good as his word as he asked Cleverly questions no one else had posed him before.
To the champion's credit he took the belts to Bellew's home town and matched his intensity to make for an
enthralling match-up that delivered in every way.
And while Cleverly landed with the quality shots, Bellew had plenty of success of his own and surprisingly rallied late on to leave the result open to question. But whlie one judge scored it a draw, the other two were probably right in giving it to the champion, leaving a tearful Bellew wondering where to go next.
Rising stars
Scott Quigg
The Bury bomber announced himself on the domestic scene this year - but is already well on the way to challenging for a world title.
Super-bantamweight Quigg, under the promotion of Ricky Hatton, has compiled a perfect 23-0 record having barely lost a round, picking up the WBA's inter-continental title in the process.
Owning that belt means Quigg is highly ranked by the organisation and his seventh-round knockout of Franklin Varela in July took him one step closer to a title shot.
However, Quigg had business to attend to on home soil first, with his biggest test against former world title contender Jason Booth.
And while Booth may be 'damaged goods' after a long, stellar career at the highest level,
Quigg showed himself to be the real deal in out-working and out-boxing the Nottingham slugger, who knew he was on a hiding to nothing when he retired at the end of the seventh round.
Quigg is slated to fight another domestic warrior in Jamie Arthur in February, after which there are numerous options for the burdgeoning talent.
Saul Alvarez
'Canelo' continued his relentless ascent to the top in 2011, advertising his talents to UK fight fans in the process.
Alvarez, remarkably still only 21 despite now having racked up 39 wins to go with a draw early in his career, was highly ranked by the WBC after beating trial horses Carlos Baldomir and Lovemore N'dou last year and so was in the right place at the right time when Manny Pacquiao vacated the light-middleweight belt he won when beating Antonio Margarito.
Canelo was put up against Manchester's Matthew Hatton for the title shot, a fight Hatton - stepping out of the welterweight division for the first time - was never expected to win.
And while the plucky Brit gave it everything he had, the quality of Alvarez's shots and the Mexican's extra size was apparent for all to see - the only surprise being that he was unable to put Hatton away.
His
first defence came against another Brit, Ryan Rhodes, who had a more legitimate claim to a title shot having previously been the champion of Europe.
But Canelo looked even better on this occasion, his strength surprising Rhodes who was thought to hold the edge in that department before the fight. The Briton was put down in the fourth round and the further the fight went, the better Alvarez looked.
The youngster showed patience beyond his years against a man 14 years his senior, consistently forcing Rhodes onto the back foot with short bursts of spiteful punches.
The veteran deserved to see the final bell but it was not to be, the referee stepping in midway through the final session to spare Rhodes a fearsome beating.
Alvarez would be seen in even better light in the second half of the year, taking six rounds to finish off Alfonso Gomez before
dominating former welterweight champion Kermit Cintron in five one-sided sessions.
Next year promises to be a big one for Canelo. He plans to take fewer, but bigger, fights in 2012, with WBA champion Miguel Cotto and even Floyd Mayweather Jnr on his wanted list.
Comeback of the year
Erik Morales
Many questioned the motives behind last year's ring return of 'El Terrible', after previously announcing his retirement in 2007 following defeat to David Diaz - his fifth loss in six fights.
But return he did, and after two wins he took on ex-Amir Khan victim
Marcos Maidana for the WBA light-welterweight title. It looked a mis-match on paper, with Morales - now 34 - taking on the big-punching Argentine at a weight 18lb above the super-bantamweight division where he made his name.
Not so. Despite a difficult start, Morales showed all his ring smarts and renowned heart to get back into the fight, only for Maidana to win a majority decision.
Nonetheless, it confirmed Morales was back and still a force in the fight game - and his chance would come later in the year when Timothy Bradley was stripped of the WBC title for not fighting Amir Khan.
Fighting fellow Mexican Pablo Cesar Cano - some 14 years Erik's junior - for the vacant strap,
Morales wore the youngster down, causing damage around the eyes along the way, and with Cano pouring with blood from one cut, he was pulled out by his corner before the 11th round.
Whatever he does in the future, Morales' comeback has cemented his place in the Hall of Fame as a four-weight champion.
Knockout of the year
Nonito Donaire v Fernando Montiel
A knockout in all but name. Former flyweight champion Donaire had had only one fight up at bantamweight before he was matched with WBC and WBO champion Montiel.
Mexican Montiel had a stellar career at fly and super-flyweight before taking his power to bantamweight where four of his title defences had ended early.
So it was a
hotly-anticipated match-up at the Mandalay Bay in February, one that was not expected to go the distance.
The pair stayed out of range in a cagey opening, each wary of the other's power. But when Montiel opened up with a right hook in the second round, Donaire caught him with a wicked left that detonated on Montiel's chin, sending convulsions through his body.
He somehow made it to his feet, but why the referee allowed the fight to continue only he knows. Thankfully he stepped in two punches later realising Montiel was in no position to defend himself.
Upset of the year
Orlando Salido v Juan Manuel Lopez
Puerto Rican 'Juanma' had successfully made the transition from super-bantamweight to featherweight in 2010, and was making his third defence of the WBO title against Salido, who was considered little more than a stepping stone to a unification fight.
However, Salido's style proved all wrong for Lopez, who entered the ring with a perfect 30-0 record with all but two of those wins coming by stoppage.
Lopez was put on his backside in the fifth round by a big right hook, a punch that registered on several occasions throughout the fight. And while the cards had the fight level after seven rounds, it was Salido who looked to hold the upper hand.
The end came in the eighth - Lopez was repeatedly tagged by the rangy Mexican, who went in for the kill with his man on ropes, duly forcing the stoppage with the champion taking far too much punishment.
Mismatch of the year
Either Klitschko v any opponent
No discerning review can be allowed to pass without mentioning the continued dominance of the heavyweight division by Klitschko brothers Vitali and Wladimir.
Elder sibling Vitali defended his WBC belt twice during the 12 months while Wladimir had just one outing, the much touted unification fight against David Haye.
The paucity of emerging talent in the sport's weakest division was mostly to blame for the brothers' inactivity, while injury and illness ruled Wladimir out of fights with Dereck Chisora and, latterly, Jean-Marc Mormeck.
However, neither fighter was expected to put up much of a show against the Ukrainian giant, who put Haye in his place with a dominant performance that made the trash-talking Brit look a little silly.
Haye revealed his broken pinky post-fight as proof that he was not fully-fit, but no-one bought it - Klitschko was simply too big and too good.
Vitali wasn't threatened in the slightest by Cuban hope Odlanier Solis, whose knee gave way in the first round leaving him unable to continue, while former light-heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek went 10 rounds without laying a glove on the veteran.
Both will fight on in 2012 and neither is likely to be beaten.
Gone, but not forgotten
Joe Frazier, who died of liver cancer this year, had the fortune, or, depending on your viewpoint, the misfortune, of being born in the golden era of heavyweight boxing. With the likes of Ali, Norton and Foreman around, it was sink or swim.
Frazier was rarely found wanting, and while his style was tailor-made for George Foreman, Ali's was likewise made for him.
Smokin' Joe became the first boxer to defeat the man formerly known as Cassius Clay in what became known as the 'fight of the century' at Madison Square Garde in 1971. That fight and particularly that punch, which floored Ali in the 14th round, defined Frazier.
And yet there was more, much more. Ali won the rematch to set up a decider - a fight known the world over as the 'Thrilla in Manilla'. In the searing heat of the Philippines, Ali outlasted - just - his bitter rival, who was pulled out by his trainer before the start of the 15th and final round. Ali barely had the strength to celebrate in the opposite corner.
This time there was no way back for Joe, but he had done more than enough to seal his legacy.
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