Strictly Business Boxing Awards: 2025
(December 31st) In 2025, boxing witnessed a seismic shift, one that redefined greatness. As the year drew to a close, the world of professional boxing delivered twelve months of unprecedented achievements, historic upsets and defining rivalries reshaping divisions and legacies across the sport. Here at Strictly Business Boxing were going to name a few.
Men's Fighter of the Year: Terence Crawford
Crawford earned this honor with a historic unanimous decision victory over Canelo Alvarez in September 2025, becoming
the first male boxer in the four-belt era to claim undisputed titles in three weight classes (super middleweight added to his prior welterweight and junior middleweight
feats).
This masterclass performance showcased his elite movement, control, and adaptability
against a bigger opponent, solidifying his status among the all-time greats.
Runners-Up: Oleksandr Usyk - Naoya Inoue
Usyk made history by becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years after defeating Tyson Fury. He then solidified his legacy by winning the rematch in late 2024/early 2025, proving his technical mastery over the "Gipsy King."
Naoya “Monster” Inoue continued his reign across weights recording 2025 wins over Ye Joon Kim – KO4, Ramon Cardenas – TKO8, Murodjon Akhmadaliev – W12, David Picasso – W12
Women's Fighter of the Year: Katie Taylor
Taylor maintained her status defending her undisputed lightweight title in a thrilling trilogy
bout against Amanda Serrano, demonstrating her technical mastery, boxing IQ and resilience proving her endurance in one of the year's biggest women's fights.
Runners-Up:
Amanda Serrano - Gabriela Fundora
Serrano demonstrating her power-punching and fortitude making the Taylor trilogy the fight it was.
Fundora had a breakout year, becoming the undisputed flyweight champion at just 22 years old. Her clinical 7th round knockouts of Marilyn Badillo Amaya and Alexas Kubicki made a statement.
Men's Fight of the Year: Crawford vs. Canelo
Crawford vs. Canelo earned its spot as Fight of the Year honors for its historic stakes, elite matchup, and thrilling action. Crawford's upset win as a welterweight moving up two divisions to claim Canelo's undisputed super middleweight titles made him the first in the four-belt era to go undisputed in three weight classes.
Runners-Up: Usyk vs. Fury II - Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev II
The Fury vs Usyk rematch bearing massive stakes for undisputed supremacy delivered non-stop action, heavy exchanges, and a controversial late-round knockdown, with Usyk retaining heavyweight supremacy via split decision amid record viewership.
Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev II - A light heavyweight masterclass rematch of precision versus unbeaten power for the undisputed crown setting up a much- needed trilogy fight.
Women's Fight of the Year: Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano III
Taylor vs Serrano III for its historic trilogy conclusion, massive Netflix viewership and razor-close ten round war returning to Madison Square Garden.
Runners-Up:
Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan II - Alycia Baumgardner vs. Delfine Persoon
Mayer vs Ryan II - A technical and gritty back-and-forth rematch, Mayer's dominant ten round points three-division title grab featured sharp boxing over very competitive exchanges.
Baumgardner vs. Persoon - A competitive unification fight where Baumgardner's speed and power clashed with Persoon's volume, clearing their 2024 split decision.
KO of the Year: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Anaeul Ngamissengue
A terrifying display of one-punch middleweight power.
Runners-Up: Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Tim Tszyu - Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul
Ortiz vs Tsyzu - Ortiz's devastating mid-fight knockout epitomized power and timing.
Joshua vs Paul – Joshuas big right hand sixth round knockout of Paul “saved boxing.”
Men's Prospect of the Year: Moses Itauma
The young heavyweight phenom Itauma compared a bit early to a young Mike Tyson demonstrating a blend of elite power and footwork stayed undefeated with pair of stoppages of Mike Balogun and Dillian Whyte.
Runners-Up: Abdullah Mason - Xander Zayas
Mason, the 21-year-old lightweight technician followed up on a 5-0, 5Ko’s 2024 the lightweight technician went 4-0 grabbing the WBO World Lightweight title 2025.
Zayas, 23 years old, 2-0 2025 still improving technically and gaining experience at the top level became the youngest active world champion winning the WBO Junior Middleweight title convincingly outpointing Jorge Garcia Perez.
Women's Prospect of the Year: Tamm Thibeault
Thibeault - displaying sharp boxing skills and potential, her ranked status and stoppage wins on major platforms to challenge for titles soon quickly rose with three impressive 2025 KO wins over Sonya Dreiling, Mary Casamassa and Cristina Mazzotta.
Runner-Up: Tiah Mai Ayton
The "Star Girl" has been flawless since her June debut, showcasing elite amateur pedigree and a fan-friendly aggressive style, raw excitement and finishing ability
2025 Trainer of the Year:
Brian “BoMac” McIntyre
In a tight one, “BoMac” earns our Trainer of the Year honors for 2025 for proving his camp is a true modern dynasty. While maintaining Terence Crawford’s elite, pound-for-pound excellence and his historic win over Canelo Alvarez, BoMac guiding multiple fighters to world and near-world level success simultaneously piloted Keyshawn Davis to a WBO Lightweight title, O’Shaquie Foster to a WBC Interim World Lightweight belt and Abdullah Mason to a WBO World Lightweight championship.
Runner-Up: Robert Garcia
In a year defined by the historic Crawford vs. Canelo showdown, Garcia capped a season steering a deep 2025 roster to signature victories and world titles. Highlights included Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez defending his WBC/WBO Super Flyweight titles against Phumelela Cafu and Fernando Daniel Martinez; Vergil Ortiz Jr. capturing and defending the WBC Interim Super Welterweight title over Israil Madrimov and Erickson Lubin; and Raymond “Danger” Muratalla winning the IBF Interim Lightweight title against Zaur Abdullaev.
Upset of the Year: Terence Crawford over Canelo Alvarez
Crawford, defying the odds, moving up in weight, dominated the favored Alvarez with superior boxing, handing him a rare loss and reshaping the super middleweight landscape.
Runners-Up:
Daniel Dubois over Anthony Joshua - Ekow Essuman over Josh Taylor
Dubois / Joshua - While Dubois was a champion, few expected him to dominate Joshua from the opening bell and win by a brutal knockout.
Essuman / Taylor –The loss a major setback for the former undisputed champion Taylor.
Promoter of the Year: Turki Alalshikh for his leadership building Riyadh Season as a boxing hub elevating production standard and attracting top talent, and fellow promoters reshaping boxing's global landscape with massive media coverage and fan engagement for mega-events like Canelo vs. Crawford.
Runner-Up: Eddie Hearn - Matchroom Boxing “Steady Eddie” continuing his top shelf balanced global reach and growth with multiple stadium-scale events.
Fraud of the Year: Ryan “Kingry” Garcia
Garcia with repeated controversies, missed fights, failed drug tests, and social media chaos tarnished his in-ring legacy and credibility.
Most Improved Fighter: Jaron “Boots” Ennis
"Boots" had a breakout year unifying the IBF and WBA Welterweight titles with a sixth-round corner retirement over Eimantas Stanionis in April, then immediately vacating to move up to super welterweight capturing the WBA interim title with a first-round TKO of Uisma Lima in October.
Runners Up: Junto Nakatani - Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez
Nakatani unify WBC/IBF Bantamweight titles with knockout wins over unbeatens, David Cuellar and Ryosuke Nishida before setting up a potential 2026 showdown vs Nayoue Inoue with a late December, year ending twelve round unanimous decision victory previously undefeated Sebastian Hernandez.
Rodriguez a strong contender with back-to-back, super flyweight knockout unifications stopping Phumelela Cafu in July and Fernando Martinez in November.
Comeback of the Year: Devin Haney - Deontay Wilder
Haney, rebounding from his emotionally devastating 2024 loss turned NC-ND to Ryan Garcia with two emphatic victories outpointing former WBC/WBO Light Welterweight Champion Jose Carlos Ramirez in July and grabbing the WBO World Welterweight strap with a one sided twelve round points win over Conyers, Georgia’s previously unbeaten Brian “The Assassin II” Norman Jr.
Wilder, after years of setbacks, setting aside 2020-21 back-to-back stoppage losses to Tyson Fury with an October 2022 7th round TKO win over Robert Helenius buried back-to-back 2023-24 losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang setting up a possible showdown with Anthony Joshua with a 7th round TKO win over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in June.
Moment of the Year: Terence Crawford shocking announcing his retirement after dethroning Canelo Alvarez.
Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Boxers Heading Into 2026:
- Terence Crawford - Undisputed super middleweight champ (42-0, 31 KOs)
- Oleksandr Usyk - Undisputed heavyweight king (24-0, 15 KOs)
- Naoya Inoue - Undisputed junior featherweight monster (28-0, 25 KOs)
- Dmitry Bivol - Undisputed light heavyweight (24-1, 12 KOs)
- Artur Beterbiev - light heavyweight (21-1, 20 KOs)
- Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez – WBC/WBO World Super Flyweight Champion (23-0, 16 KOs)
- David Benavidez - Undefeated light heavyweight (31-0, 25 KOs)
- Shakur Stevenson - WBC lightweight champ (24-0, 11 KOs)
- Junto Nakatani - Two-division champ (30-0, 23 KOs)
- Devin Haney - Three-division titlist (33-0, 15 KOs)
Top 10 Women’s Pound‑for‑Pound Boxers Heading Into 2026:
- Katie Taylor – Undisputed super‑lightweight champion
- Mikaela Mayer – Elite welter‑ to super‑welterweight champion
- Claressa Shields – Dominant heavyweight and multi‑division champion
- Gabriela Fundora – Undefeated flyweight world champion
- Dina Thorslund – Undefeated bantamweight titleholder
- Chantelle Cameron – Top super‑lightweight contender and titleholder
- Amanda Serrano – Veteran multi‑weight world champion
- Yokasta Valle – Long‑reigning minimumweight star
- Ellie Scotney – Undefeated super‑bantamweight
- Cherneka Johnson – Top bantamweight contender
Dream” Boxing Card 2026
Main Event - Heavyweight
Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury
Co-Main Event - Super Lightweight / Welterweight
Katie Taylor vs. Mikaela Mayer
High-Stakes Super Middleweight Bout
Terence “Bud” Crawford vs. Dmitry Bivol
Super Bantamweight
Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani
The Heavyweight Heritage
Moses Itauma vs. Lawrence Okolie
The People’s Main Event: Super-Welterweight War
Jaron "Boots" Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Women’s Heavyweights
Claressa Shields vs. Franchon Crews Dezurn
Super Lightweight Showdown
Shakur Stevenson vs. Teofimo Lopez
Light Heavyweight Collision
Artur Beterbiev vs. David Benavidez
Women’s Bantamweight
Gabriela Fundora vs. Ellie Scotney
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