Sky Sports boxing expert Adam Smith picks out his top 10 ring memories of the last 10 years.
Adam Smith selects his Top Ten Moments of the Decade
With the decade at an end, skysports.com has assembled its Noughties' Hot 100 - a century of stand-out sporting moments.
It covers all sports, but seeing as we have so many experts to call on, we asked our commentators and columnists to come up with their very own Top Ten from their sport.
And they have picked out one Moment of the Decade, their own personal highlight and why, from the Noughties - just scroll down to the bottom and watch the video.
Here, boxing commentator Adam Smith gives his selection, in no particular order...
Williams wins with one arm - 2000
The first time I have ever stood up at ringside - the only other time came in my moment of the decade - when commentating came at the end of one of the most courageous and incredible displays of human endeavour and bravery you will ever see. Danny Williams horrifically dislocated his right shoulder during a terrific British brawl with Mark Potter, and somehow won the fight with the use of one arm. Danny told me that the punch he felled Potter with came from God. It's quite an extraordinary boxing memory.
The Prince puts on a show - 2000
I had a unique relationship with Naseem Hamed. We did over 200 interviews together, and it was a fabulous journey. My highlight in the Nineties was travelling with The Prince to New York, and that epic tussle he had with Kevin Kelley. This decade, I was lucky enough to call the breathtaking roller-coaster that Hamed had with the hard-hitting but vulnerable American Augie Sanchez. What a cracking fight which rocked Foxwoods - now that was some night!
Barrera and Morales get going - 2000
Arguably though the greatest memory I have from all my time in the sport was the 12-round classic in the first encounter between Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. Ian Darke, Glenn McCrory and Bob Mee all said it was the best fight they had ever witnessed ringside. This was a wonderful blend of skills, machismo, pride and excitement between two phenomenal Mexican warriors, who will be remembered forever.
Lewis and Tyson get it on - 2002
The greatest event of the decade has to be the showdown between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson. This fight took 20 years to make - after they had first met as teenagers in the Catskill Mountains. The build-up was amazing, and the sight of the security guards dividing the ring as the two greatest MC's Michael Buffer and Jimmy Lennon announced the two boxing legends - will live with me for years. Lennox's remarkable performance was the icing on the cake.
Hatton wins world title - 2005
Another ringside reaction that has stuck with me is the hysterical reaction of Ricky Hatton's girlfriend Jennifer after her man was iced by Manny Pacquiao, but my memory here of our Hitman has to be a happy one and that late summer's night in June 2005, when it all came together for him. Hatton's titanic effort to dethrone Kostya Tszyu and become world champion in front of 22,000 passionate fans was quite magical. Something like 35,000 might have travelled to Vegas for his defeat to Floyd Mayweather, and 58,000 packed into the City of Manchester Stadium for his win against Juan Lazcano, but the Tszyu triumph was the most special night. No-one who was there will ever forget it. Exactly a week later Ricky was at my dad's house celebrating my wedding. Great fighter. Great friend.
Moore and Macklin serve up a thriller - 2006
The best moment - except for my number one choice - though, for savage action was the astonishing battle between Jamie Moore and Matthew Macklin. Two top guys going toe-to-toe in a 10-round British classic. It was a domestic Corrales-Castillo, and one of the most memorable fights I have ever seen. Jamie Moore was also in other thrillers with Michael Jones, and recently against Ryan Rhodes. What an exciting fighter! So too was Michael Gomez, and his sizzling upset toppling of the unbeaten and much fancied Alex Arthur just missed out on my best British war.
Mayweather singing in the rain - 2007
There are also two days in particular, that stand out over the past 10 years. One was for the fascinating Manchester press conference that I hosted during the extraordinary hoopla ahead of the Hatton-Mayweather fight. Amidst the most appalling driving rain, and in front of thousands of soggy Mancunians, who had braved the weather, I interviewed Ricky, Floyd, and a gleaming Oscar De La Hoya - under Sky umbrellas, and avoiding some of the beefiest security guards known to man. It was chaos and raw, live television. The image of the Pretty Boy winding up the crowd in his Manchester United shirt was hysterical.
Prescott KO's Khan - 2008
Lewis's defeat to Oliver McCall was one of THE boxing upsets of the nineties, and the biggest of this decade might well have been Lewis' shocking knockout by Hasim Rahman; but I'm picking Amir Khan's 54-second destruction from the blazing fists of Breidis Prescott, as the Bolton star's perfect record was dramatically shattered. It only happened 15 months ago, but I don't remember people talking as much about one particular fight as this. I was probably more stunned at ringside than ever before, and the piercing single scream of Amir's mother Faluk still haunts me.
Hanging with the stars at Pacquiao-Cotto - 2009
The other day that stands out in the decade was just a few weeks ago. I spent the morning in Las Vegas interviewing some of the most famous names in the sport - like Sugar Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Andre Berto, David Haye and Amir Khan - before taking my ringside seat amidst the best atmosphere I have ever experienced at the MGM, and having the privilege of commentating on the superb performance that Manny Pacquiao produced to dismantle fellow great Miguel Cotto. Days just don't get any better than that. Especially as I followed this with an exclusive hour-long interview with Floyd Mayweather!
Adam Smith's Moment of the Decade
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