Yeah, with Fernando Martinez out of the fight with Ioka, Usyk becomes not just the favored option, but really the only option.
What Usyk did this year is something that hadn’t been done for a quarter of a century. Becoming the undisputed heavyweight champ is the ultimate prize in boxing, especially in this day and age of giants where Usyk gives up every physical advantage.
All of the candidates did quite little this year, so it´s hard to pick, but I am going with Usyk. Had Inoue fought 3 times this year, and had Usyk only fought once again, I would have picked Inoue. I was actually pretty sure Inoue would be fighter of the year in 2024, but things worked out the way they did.
agreed on all counts. if there’s an honorable mention for a fighter on the way up who is looking better and better, it has to be Bam. He’s been on absolute fire. He’s in the process of showing that, yep, he really may well live up to the promise he’s showed. And man, a potential future HOFer / ATG from my state — **** yeah.