Get ready for a thrilling journey into the world of boxing! We're about to dive into the controversial and captivating decisions made by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) for their 2025 awards. But here's where it gets interesting... and a little controversial!
The BWAA has named Terence Crawford as their 2025 Fighter of the Year. Crawford, an exceptional athlete, made history by moving up two weight classes and defeating the then-undisputed super middleweight champion, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. This victory, achieved in September, was a true testament to Crawford's skill and determination. Many still consider Alvarez to be the face of boxing, so this win was nothing short of remarkable.
But here's the twist: Crawford only fought once in 2025! Yet, the magnitude of this victory outshone the efforts of all other fighters. Crawford, known as "Bud," not only beat Alvarez but also dominated a future Hall of Famer over 12 intense rounds. This win secured his place as a five-division world titleholder, and he became the first male boxer in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles across three weight classes. With an unparalleled record of 42-0 (31 KOs), Crawford retired last December at the age of 38, having conquered it all.
Now, let's talk about the ladies! The BWAA's 2025 Female Fighter of the Year award went to Mikaela Mayer. Mayer successfully defended her welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Sandy Ryan in their rematch last March. She then added another belt to her collection with another unanimous decision win over Mary Spencer in October, unifying the titles. Talk about a dominant performance!
Moving on to the Male Fight of the Year award, the BWAA recognized the highly anticipated matchup between Chris Eubank and Conor Benn. This fight, a clash between the sons of British fighting icons, was a fierce 12-round battle that took place in April at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Eubank emerged victorious, but the story doesn't end there. An immediate rematch was set up, and this time, Benn came out on top in November. A true display of the sport's unpredictability!
Other Male Fight of the Year candidates included Carlos Canizales, Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz, Christian Mbilli, and Kenshiro Teraji, each delivering exciting performances throughout the year.
In the Female Fight of the Year category, the BWAA selected Shadasia Green's narrow split decision victory over Savannah Marshall in their unified super middleweight clash in July. It was a thrilling fight that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Now, let's take a look at some of the other BWAA award winners for 2025:
- Trainer of the Year: Robert Garcia (back-to-back wins!)
- Manager of the Year: Keith Connolly (his second win in this category)
- Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism: Roy Jones Jnr
- Marvin Kohn Good Guy Award: Sugar Ray Leonard
- Barney Nagler Award for Long and Meritorious Service: John Sheppard
- John McCain and Bill Crawford Award for Overcoming Adversity: Christy Martin
- Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism: Jon Saraceno
These award winners will be celebrated at the annual BWAA awards dinner, an event open to the public, with details to be announced soon.
So, what do you think? Are these awards well-deserved? Do you agree with the BWAA's choices? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below! Let's spark a discussion and celebrate the incredible world of boxing together!
