2025 Fighter of the Year

If Inoue beats Picasso it's got to be him that will be four lineal title defenses in one year.

 

What a terrible year for fights, honestly.

 

Yeah have to agree all the big fights happened in 2023/2024 there has been a lull this year.

 

And the biggest fights this year weren't exactly fights you will watch over and over again.

If Brian Norman knocks out Shakur Stevenson and hands him his first loss, I'd give it to Norman.

Or, if Parker-Wardley is a classic, I'd give it to the winner.

 

Naoya Inoue

If he wins in December, that's 4 defense in 1 year against the best fighters the division has to offer.

 

You mean Haney? That's ok I get Haney and Shakur mixed up as well they are both boring ugly fighters

 

It’ll be Terence Crawford most likely.

 

He will most likely win the ring magazine award as he is one of Turki's pets.

 

Going up 2 weight divisions to dethrone a 4-belt undisputed makes him a nailed-on favourite I think. I don't think anyone else on this list comes close. The inactivity is the only issue, so it depends what they base it on.

 

I think that 4 defenses of the lineal title from Inoue should trump one fight.

 

There is little doubt Crawford's win against Canelo was the single biggest single achievement of the year. But Crawford only fought the once. Which opens it to others who were more active, such as Inoue, who has already destroyed Kim, Cardenas and Akhadaliev, and will probably add the undefeated Picasso to that list.

 

Right. My mistake. Haney, Stevenson, can't stand watching either.

 

Inoue deserves it the most with his four linear title defenses.

Neither Crawford nor Usyk deserve it as much with both having just a single fight. Usyk won more impressively with a KO than Crawford's decision, and against a prime opponent not a faded guy, so I would pick him over Crawford. Usyk won in his opponents home country, while Crawford had the commentary team and the officials on his side with his home country advantage.

But because Crawford is an American, he will likely win.

 

Fair enough, it is subjective I suppose. I think the gravity of the Canelo vs Crawford fight, Netflix, stadium event, and the fact he went up 2 (basically 3) divisions to dethrone the undisputed champ gives him the nod this year. Inoue is more active, but the Kim and Cardenas fights were barely defenses, he went into those fight -7500 with the betting companies, they were cannon fodder, he still got dropped by one of them as well. Bud's inactivity is a problem though, I can see why this vote would go against him, if it did.