1 Dmitry Bivol
Not content material with beating only one Mexican star in 2022, Russia’s Dmitry Bivol managed to observe up a breakout efficiency in opposition to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in May with an equally convincing thrashing of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in November. Indeed, regardless of what some of the scorecards might have stated, Bivol misplaced only a few of the 24 rounds he spent in the firm of each Alvarez or Ramirez and primarily taught two fighters fuelled by lengthy unbeaten runs a boxing lesson. He additionally hit the brakes on the progress of not solely the sport’s present primary Mexican celebrity but in addition a person who was being tipped to hold that mantle in the future.
2 Jesse Rodriguez
Nowhere close to a listing like this in 2021, this yr occurred to be the yr Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez transitioned from sizzling prospect to champion in a single big leap, taking a struggle at brief discover in an unnatural weight class to bang down the door and let his voice be heard. This strategy paid off in spades again in February, when he stepped as much as super-flyweight to dethrone Carlos Cuadras, and he was then simply as spectacular when stopping Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in eight rounds in June. He completed the yr with a 12-round determination win in opposition to Israel Gonzalez, when, at the tender age of 22, Rodriguez performed the chief help position to Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin III in Las Vegas.
3 Shakur Stevenson
After first making a splash as a featherweight, 2022 was the yr Shakur Stevenson actually introduced himself at super-featherweight, constructing on a 2021 win in opposition to Jamel Herring to extensively outpoint main rivals Oscar Valdez and Robson Conceicao. Both these opponents regarded well-matched with Stevenson on paper, but the American has, at simply 25, already developed a knack for making the supposedly tough look simple.
4 Jack Catterall
As unusual as it might appear to characteristic on this checklist a fighter who didn’t formally “win” a struggle in 2022, such was the high quality of Jack Catterall’s efficiency in a February super-lightweight title struggle in opposition to Josh Taylor, and so heinous have been the eventual scorecards, he greater than deserves his place. From spherical one to 12 that evening in Glasgow, Catterall boxed fairly superbly, even dropping Taylor, the champion, in the eighth spherical, and would have, in another sport, been rewarded for his brilliance with a well-deserved, career-defining victory. But, alas, that is boxing.
5 Oleksandr Usyk
Although on the face of it Usyk’s 2022 seems no totally different than his 2021, it’s essential to remember the context and duress underneath which he carried out, and to additionally emphasise the significance of eradicating all doubt by beating Anthony Joshua a second time in August. To accomplish that in the yr during which Ukraine, his dwelling nation, went to warfare with Russia is a testomony to not solely Usyk’s psychological fortitude however his willingness to step up, again himself, and ignore any and all potential excuses.
6 Devin Haney
Few will probably be eager to rewatch the two fights anytime quickly, but Haney’s back-to-back victories over George Kambosos in Australia this yr deserve recognition and respect. Pitching a one-sided boxing lesson in each (one in June, the different in October), he tamed a person in Kambosos who not solely had the backing of dwelling help however had simply crushed Teofimo Lopez in a career-best efficiency.
7 Jai Opetaia
Australian southpaw Opetaia was unproven and comparatively unknown earlier than his title problem in opposition to cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis in July. However, after 12 scintillating rounds on the Gold Coast, the 27-year-old had effectively and actually confirmed himself as each a warrior and the new primary at 200 kilos.
8 Jermell Charlo
After the disappointment of a cut up draw with Brian Castano in 2021, Charlo was adamant he would make the gulf between them a lot clearer in 2022. And this he did, too, enjoying his half in a single of the greatest fights of the yr earlier than, in spherical 10, knocking Castano out to verify as soon as and for all his supremacy at super-welterweight.
9 Naoya Inoue
“Monster” Inoue ended the yr with a routine and considerably disappointing eleventh spherical stoppage of an overmatched Paul Butler, but started the yr with a much more thrilling and significant second-round dismissal of outdated rival Nonito Donaire. That was a struggle many assumed can be aggressive, based mostly on their titanic first struggle in 2019, however Inoue had different concepts, exploiting his opponent’s advancing age with the quickest and scariest of begins.
10 Kenshiro Teraji
WBA and WBC super-flyweight belt-holder Teraji rebounded from a tough 2021, a yr during which he suffered his first professional loss, to each precise revenge on his conqueror and likewise win a “Fight of the Year” contender in 2022. He began the yr by stopping Masamichi Yabuki in three rounds in March, avenging his 2021 loss to Yabuki, after which waged an exhilarating warfare with Hiroto Kyoguchi, finally prevailing in the seventh-round of a mini basic.
British Fighter of the Year
1 Jack Catterall
2 Tyson Fury
3 Joe Joyce
4 Leigh Wood
5 Joe Cordina
6 Chris Billam-Smith
7 Sunny Edwards
8 John Ryder
9 Dan Azeez
10 Maxi Hughes
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