Get ready for a thrilling journey into the world of boxing! The 2025 BWAA Awards have just dropped, and they're packed with surprises! Terence Crawford, a true legend, has been crowned the BWAA's Fighter of the Year, but here's where it gets controversial... Crawford's win might be a bit of a head-scratcher for some. He only fought once in 2025, but that one fight was a doozy! Crawford stepped into the ring with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champ, and emerged victorious. This victory, on Mexican Independence Day weekend no less, was a historical feat, outclassing a future Hall of Famer in a 12-round battle. But was it enough to beat out the other nominees? Let's dive deeper into the story.
The male category for Fighter of the Year also featured Dmitry Bivol, Naoya Inoue, Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez, and Rene Santiago. Each of these fighters brought their own unique skills and achievements to the table. However, Crawford's win over Alvarez, a fighter still considered by many to be the face of boxing, was a game-changer. It's a testament to the power of a single, well-executed fight.
And this is the part most people miss... Crawford's win not only made him a five-division world titleholder but also the first male boxer in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles in three different weight classes. With an impressive record of 42-0 (31 KOs), Crawford retired last December at the age of 38, having conquered all there was to conquer.
In the female category, Mikaela Mayer took home the BWAA's Female Fighter of the Year award. Mayer successfully defended her welterweight title in a unanimous decision victory over Sandy Ryan and then added another belt by defeating Mary Spencer in October.
The BWAA's Male Fight of the Year award went to Chris Eubank's victory over Conor Benn in a fiercely contested 12-round battle. This fight, a matchup between the sons of British fighting icons, set the stage for an immediate rematch, which Benn won in November.
Other notable fights in the Male Fight of the Year category included Carlos Canizales' knockout victory over Panya Pradabsri, Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz's win over Angelo Fierro, and Christian Mbilli's draw with Lester Martinez.
The BWAA's Female Fight of the Year award went to Shadasia Green for her narrow split decision victory over Savannah Marshall in their unified super middleweight clash.
The BWAA Awards also recognized Robert Garcia as Trainer of the Year, Keith Connolly as Manager of the Year, Roy Jones Jnr as the Taub Award winner, Sugar Ray Leonard as the Marvin Kohn Good Guy Award winner, and John Sheppard as the Barney Nagler Award winner. Additionally, Christy Martin received the John McCain and Bill Crawford Award, and Jon Saraceno was honored with the Nat Fleischer award.
These award winners will be celebrated at the annual BWAA awards dinner, an event open to the public with details to be announced.
So, what do you think? Was Crawford's win as Fighter of the Year justified? Who do you think should have taken home the top honors? The boxing world is buzzing, and we want to hear your thoughts! Comment below and let's spark a discussion!
