BBBofC Fighter of the Year 2019

Taylor for me with Josh Warrington running him close

 

If he wins he will be right up there. Also there’s still 5 months of the year left. Ridiculous time to announce it.

 

In 2019 Warrington has only fought Galahad (and arguably lost) and this other fella coming up.

Taylor has Baranchyk with Prograis coming up.

Callum Smith had N’Dam

Yafai I didn’t even realise had had a fight.

Edwards done brilliant picking up that WBC strap but that was 2018.

Fury had Schwarz with Wallin coming up.

It’s not been the best year for British boxing in all honesty.

 

The omission of Dillian Whyte is very telling, unless there’s another reasonable explanation for it apart from the UKAD failed test,

 

He’s only beat Rivas in 2019, a fight he was dropped in. Take away all the drug tests and adverse findings that doesn’t warrant fighter of the year IMO.

 

I totally agree, but (on paper) he’s had a better win than Fury, Yafai & Callum Smith.

 

It's been awful. We need Taylor to beat Prograis to stop the award being made redundant.

 

The debate seems to only be between Warrington and Taylor. I think Taylor had a good year but just not on same level as Warrington.
Let's use Boxrec as a comparison tool as I believe its relatively accurate in terms of ranking...
Since last September,
Josh Taylor has fought Ryan Martin (ranked 38th) and Ivan Baranchyk (ranked 14th)
Josh Warrington has fought Carl Frampton (ranked 5th) and Kid Galahad (ranked 7th)
My opinion was that Galahad fight was close but result was correct.
Prograis fight won't happen in time to be included but fair enough if he won that it would put a completely different spin on things.

For me, Callum Smith has had bigger fights since last September in Groves and N'Dam than Taylor has had. I think if Charlie Edwards comes through his fight on 31st August then he should win it but that is only if he does.

Fury had Wilder and Schwarz. But on paper he drew with Wilder so shouldn't even be in this discussion.
Yafai's name in there clearly to just make the numbers up.

 

If your classing it from last September then Callum Smith with the Groves / WBSS win trumps everyone else’s achievements.

 

I believe it runs from September and I think the significance of the WBSS boosts Smith's claim to it.

Warrington for me though...

 

September - September then it’s Warrington just ahead of Taylor IMO

 

Agreed.

 

Taylor or Warrington, even though I can’t stand Warrington...that said there was an element of contentiousness around the Galahad victory...

 

Agreed. FOTY is a lot trickier now in the era of 2 fight a year schedules; often it comes down to who had the best single win.

While in a purely between the ropes context you can argue that Frampton is a better win than Groves, the significance of the WBSS and Ring titles tips the balance for me. Smith also had a better (or at least more convincing) second win.

I wouldn't argue with Warrington though. There's not much in it.