WHAT better metaphor to judge this year in and out of the ring than the sport itself. Like a journeyman pro, the sport has in 2006 been all things to all men.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER made an extraordinary retirement pledge after underlining his status as the best boxer in the sport by claiming the WBC welterweight title from Carlos Baldomir.

RICKY HATTON will make light of losing out on a projected super-fight against Arturo Gatti and head straight back across the Atlantic for his next contest on December 9.