Time to Hand Out Our Yearly Awards: These are the Best Boxers, Fights, and Knockouts of 2019
By Dr. Paul R. Jones! | Published: December 31, 2019 | 4:47 PM ET
Each year, we ring in the New Year by naming our annual award winners: the best fighters, fights, and knockouts of the year in boxing.
You can rest assured that our selection process is data-driven, emphasizing facts over fiction and analytics over emotion.
Without further ado, here is our list of 2019 Award Winners, runners-up, and honorable mentions:
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR, MALE
🏆 WINNER
CANELO ÁLVAREZ
Middleweight
CANELO ÁLVAREZ was a man on fire in 2019, out-dueling DANIEL JACOBS and flattening SERGEY KOVALEV, en route to earning our Fighter of the Year award.
NOMINEES
Errol Spence Jr.
Welterweight
Naoya Inoue
Bantamweight
Josh Taylor
Junior Welterweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Miguel Berchelt • David Benavidez • Artur Beterbiev • Terence Crawford • Gervonta Davis • Juan Francisco Estrada • Emanuel Navarrete • Manny Pacquiao • Jean Pascal • Caleb Plant • José Carlos Ramírez • Kosei Tanaka • Deontay Wilder
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR, FEMALE
🏆 WINNER
AMANDA SERRANO
Featherweight
AMANDA SERRANO edged equally-deserving KATIE TAYLOR and CLARESSA SHIELDS in our voting as the Female Fighter of the Year in 2019. SERRANO became the first 7-division World Champion in women’s boxing history in 2019 and a Guinness World Records holder for the most worlds titles won by a woman across multiple weight classes: #WhereBrooklynAt
The three-sport fighter (boxing, jiu-jitsu, MMA) also called TAYLOR out for a possible fight in 2019 or 2020 — a bout with obvious intrigue and pound-for-pound implications.
NOMINEES
Katie Taylor
Lightweight
Jessica McCaskill
Super Lightweight
Claressa Shields
Middleweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Cecilia Brækhus • Tiara Brown • Franchon Crews-Dezurn • Marie-Ève Dicaire • Mariana Juárez • Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa • Ewa Piątkowska
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
NAOYA INOUE UD12 NONITO DONAIRE
Bantamweight
NAOYA INOUE’s riveting win over NONITO DONAIRE is our consensus pick for 2019 Fight of the Year. This bantamweight bout had six key elements that produce a timeless bout: (1) big momentum shifts; (2) dramatic moments; (3) limited fouling and holding; (4) who would win. INOUE proved that he could beat an elite opponent without having to rely solely on his vaunted power, claiming a WBA Super Bantamweight World Title and the coveted Ali Trophy with his win over DONAIRE in the World Boxing Super Series finals.
NOMINEES
Josh Taylor MD12 Regis Prograis
Junior Welterweight
Errol Spence Jr. SD12 Shawn Porter
Welterweight
Julian Williams UD12 Jarrett Hurd
Junior Middleweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Artur Beterbiev TKO10 Oleksandr Gvozdyk • Marcus Browne UD12 Badou Jack • Jermell Charlo KO11 Tony Harrison • Golovkin UD12 Sergiy Derevyanchenko • Sergey Lipinets TKO10 Lamont Peterson • Manny Pacquiao SD12 Keith Thurman • Jean Pascal SD12 Badou Jack • José Carlos Ramírez TKO6 Maurice Hooker • Daniel Roman MD12 T. J. Doheny • Kosei Tanaka UD12 Ryoichi Taguchi • Andy Ruiz Jr. TKO7 Anthony Joshua • Dillian Whyte UD12 Óscar Rivas
FIGHT OF THE YEAR, WOMEN’S BOXING
🏆 WINNER
JESSICA McCASKILL UD10 ANAHI ESTER SANCHEZ
Super Lightweight
JESSICA McCASKILL’s unanimous decision win over ANAHI ESTER SANCHEZ was undeniably 2019’s Fight of the Year in women’s boxing. A super lightweight title unification bout that featured back-and-forth action, heated exchanges, and high stakes.
NOMINEES
Katie Taylor MD10 Delfine Persoon
Lightweight
Amanda Serrano UD10 Heather Hardy
Featherweight
Claressa Shields UD10 Christina Hammer
Middleweight
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS
PBC | Haymon Boxing
Although often criticized, PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS (PBC | Haymon Boxing) gave fans a host of compelling fights in 2019 than helped to move the needle in the sport, garnering the PBC our vote for Promoter of the Year.
NOMINEES
Eddie Hearn
Matchroom Boxing
Kalle Sauerland / Richard Schaefer
Sauerland Promotion | Ringstar Sports | Comosa AG
Bob Arum
TOP RANK
HONORABLE MENTION
DiBella Entertainment • GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS • MAIN EVENTS • Frank Warren (Queensberry Promotions)
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR (2019)
🏆 WINNER
YUNIEL DORTICOS KTFO10 ANDREW TABITI
Cruiserweight
YUNIEL DORTICOS’s jaw-dropping knockout of ANDREW TABITI was something to behold: A picture-perfect, walk-off knockout by the Cuban badass to closeout the high-octane battle for a vacant IBF World Cruiserweight strap. KTFO’s don’t get much cleaner than this.
NOMINEES
Deontay Wilder KTFO1 Dominic Breazeale
Heavyweight
Dereck Chisora KTFO2 Artur Szpilka
Heavyweight
Devin Haney KTFO7 Antonio Moran
Lightweight
HONORABLE MENTION
David Allen KTFO3 Lucas Browne • Canelo Álvarez KTFO11 Sergey Kovalev • Daniel Dubois KTFO2 Razvan Cojanu • Jermell Charlo KTFO3 Jorge Cota • Gennadiy Golovkin KTFO4 Steve Rolls • Vasiliy Lomachenko KTFO4 Anthony Crolla • Vergil Ortiz Jr. KTFO3 Mauricio Herrera • Callum Smith KTFO3 Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam • Kosei Tanaka KTFO3 Wulan Tuolehazi • Gerald Washington KTFO8 Robert Helenius • Kevin Womack Jr. KTFO2 Mark Duncan
TRAINER OF THE YEAR (2019)
🏆 WINNER
EDDY REYNOSO
(Notable fighters: Canelo Álvarez, Ryan Garcia)
EDDY REYNOSO established himself as boxing’s top trainer in 2019 by taking CANELO ÁLVAREZ to new heights and successfully cultivating young talent (e.g., RYAN GARCIA, LUIS NERY).
NOMINEES
Brian “BOMAC” McIntyre
(Terence Crawford, Jamel Herring)
Derrick James
(Errol Spence Jr., Jermell Charlo)
Calvin Ford / Kenny Ellis
(Gervonta Davis, Lorenzo Simpson, Demond Nicholson, Malik Hawkins)
HONORABLE MENTION
Joel Diaz • Ben Davison • Joe Goossen • Shingo Inoue • Anatoly Lomachenko• Freddie Roach • Abel Sanchez
COMEBACK FIGHTER OF THE YEAR (2019)
🏆 WINNER
ANDREW CANCIO
Super Featherweight
ANDREW CANCIO had a 2019 to remember, including successive knockout wins over (then) undefeated, ALBERTO MACHADO, which allowed CANCIO to win and defend his WBA Super Featherweight strap. CANCIO came out of a brief retirement for one last punch versus MACHADO and made the most of his opportunity. Although CANCIO, who also works for the Southern California Gas Company, would lose his title in November to rival RENE ALVARADO, the gritty fighter put forth a valiant effort before finally being waived off by a referee’s stoppage in the bout. His ability to overcome adversity (e.g., being released by Golden Boy Promotions after the ALVARADO loss), and prove naysayers wrong, earned CANCIO recognition as our 2019 Comeback Fighter of the Year.
NOMINEES
Alfredo Angulo
Super Middleweight
Sergey Lipinets
Welterweight
Javier Fortuna
Lightweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Chris Arreola • David Allen • Claudio Marrero • David Price • Robert Easter Jr.
MOST IMPROVED FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
JAMEL HERRING
Super Featherweight
The fighting Marine, JAMEL HERRING, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, leveled up with Trainer of the Year nominee BRIAN McINTYRE in 2019 to take the super featherweight division by storm. HERRING, the runaway winner of our Most Improved Fighter of the Year award, posted wins against a former world champ, (MASAYUKI ITO) and an undefeated prospect (LAMONT ROACH JR.) in 2019, earning and defending his WBO World Super Feather Title along the way. His opponents’ combined record: 44–1–2.
NOMINEES
Jean Pascal
Light Heavyweight
Josh Taylor
Junior Welterweight
Michael Hunter
Heavyweight
HONORABLE MENTION
David Allen • Chris Arreola • David Benavidez • Brian Castano • Derek Chisora • Chris Eubank Jr. • Tevin Farmer • Stephen Fulton Jr. • Devin Haney • Tony Harrison • Adam Kownacki • Caleb Plant • David Price • Andy Ruiz Jr.
UPSET OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
ANDY RUIZ JR. TKO7 ANTHONY JOSHUA
Heavyweight
ANDY RUIZ JR.’s improbable knockout of renown heavyweight ANTHONY JOSHUA was arguably boxing’s biggest upset of the decade and a no-brainer for 2019’s Upset of the Year.
NOMINEES
Josh Taylor MD12 Regis Prograis
Junior Welterweight
Julian Williams UD12 Jarrett Hurd
Junior Middleweight
Juan Francisco Estrada UD12 Sirsket Sor Rungvisi
Super Flyweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Alfredo Angulo SD10 Peter Quillin • Marcus Browne UD12 Badou Jack • Pablo Cesar Cano KO1 Jorge Linares • Mykal Fox Ud10 Fazliddin Gaibnazarov • Jamel Herring UD12 Masayuki Ito • Sergey Lipinets TKO10 Lamont Peterson • Wale Omotoso TKO3 Curtis Stevens • Jean Pascal SD12 Badou Jack • Ivan Redkach TKO6 Devon Alexander • Oscar Rivas TKO12 Bryant Jennings • Anthony Young TKO3 Sadam Ali • Gerald Washington KTFO8 Robert Helenius
ROUND OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. ANDY RUIZ JR. — ROUND 3
Heavyweight
ANTHONY JOSHUA and ANDY RUIZ JR. traded heavy leather in round 3 of their heavyweight clash, which featured neck-snapping, back-and-forth action with both fighters kissing the canvas in the round. The pivotal round set the stage for one of the biggest upsets since long shot, JAMES “BUSTER” DOUGLAS bested a prime MIKE TYSON back in 1990.
NOMINEES
Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman — Round 10
Junior Welterweight
José Carlos Ramírez vs. Maurice Hooker — Round 5
Junior Middleweight
Sergey Kovalev vs. Anthony Yarde — Round 8
Light Heavyweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Daniel Dubois vs. Richard Lartey — Round 3 • Jermaine Franklin Jr. vs. Jerry Forrest — Round 1 • Diego De La Hoya vs. Ronny Rios— Round 5 • Dillian Whyte vs. Óscar Rivas — Round 2
BREAKOUT FIGHTER OF THE YEAR (2019)
🏆 WINNER
JOSH TAYLOR
Junior Welterweight
JOSH TAYLOR is our 2019 Breakout Fighter of the Year on the basis of his activity level, strength of schedule, and big-time performance on a world stage. Taylor beat a borderline pound-for-pound entrant and former unified champion (REGIS PROGRAIS) in the World Boxing Super Series finale, and upended undefeated, up-and-coming prospect IVAN BARANCHYK to earn our vote in this category.
NOMINEES
José Carlos Ramírez
Super Lightweight
Artur Beterbiev
Light Heavyweight
Teófimo López
Lightweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Carlos Adames • David Benavidez • Dmitry Bivol • Ahmed Elbiali • Jaron “Boots” Ennis • Omar Figueroa Jr. • Stephen Fulton Jr. • Reymart Gaballo • Devin Haney • Michael Hunter • Emanuel Navarrete • Nordine Oubaali • Caleb Plant • Lewis Ritson • Óscar Rivas • Shakur Stevenson
PROSPECT OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
DANIEL DUBOIS
Heavyweight
True to his moniker, DANIEL DUBOIS’s fists were equipped with “dynamite” in 2019, smashing all 5 of his opponents to bits by knockout. DUBOIS was also involved in a Round of the Year candidate (vs. RICHARD LARTEY) and consistently raised his level of his competition throughout the year. For his efforts, DUBOIS is our pick for the 2019 Prospect of the Year.
NOMINEES
Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Welterweight
Efe Ajagba
Heavyweight
Joe Joyce
Heavyweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Janibek Alimkhanuly • Conor Benn • Edgar Berlanga • Joshua Buatsi • Brian Ceballo • Blair Cobbs • Chris Colbert • Michael Conlan • Sunny Edwards • ShoJahon Ergashev • Sebastian Fundora • Ryan Garcia • Arslanbek Makhmudov • Giovanni Cabrera Mioletti • Abraham Nova • Meiirim Nursultanov • Tugstsogt Nyambayar • Lawerence Okolie • Filip Hrgović • Israil Madrimov • Richard Riakporhe • Evgeny Romanov • Lukasz Rozanski • Gary Antuanne Russell • Vladimir Shishkin • Lorenzo Simpson • Vladyslav Sirenko • Tim Tszyu • Ruben Villa • Daniyar Yeleussinov • Tony Yoka
WORST DECISION OF THE YEAR
🏆 WINNER
JAIME MUNGUÍA MD12 DENNIS HOGAN
Super Welterweight
JAIME MUNGUÍA’s controversial win over DENNIS HOGAN was one of the worst decisions in recent memory, making it more than worthy of an award for the Worst Decision of the Year.
NOMINEES
Callum Smith UD12 John Ryder
Super Middleweight
Joshua Greer Jr. MD12 Nikolai Potapov
Bantamweight
Ohara Davies Dec10 Miguel Vazquez
Super Lightweight
HONORABLE MENTION
Jamontay Clark UD10 Vernon Brown • Jermaine Franklin SD10 Jerry Forrest • Sebastian Fundora DRAW10 Jamontay Clark • Josh Kelly DRAW10 Ray Robinson • Alexandru Marin UD10 Luis Concepcion • Ve Shawn Owens SD8 Alexis Gaytan • Anthony Peterson DRAW10 Argenis Mendez • Katie Taylor MD10 Delfine Persoon ■
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About the Author:
Dr. Paul R. Jones! is a boxing writer and ringside photographer for BoxingEpicenter. A scientist by day and boxing writer by night, Paul covers the humorous, offbeat, and absurd from the sport of boxing. Paul’s scholarly articles have appeared in PEDIATRICS, Race and Social Problems, and Motivation and Emotion, and he’s covered boxing online for Boxing News 24, East Side Boxing, Round By Round Boxing, BOXINGINSIDER, TheFightJournal, and WRAPSONTV.
More from Paul:
■ 2 Biggest Things We Learned From Watching Kovalev vs. Álvarez
■ Boxing’s March Madness: Sor Rungvisai Stuns Gonzalez and Twitter Isn’t #Happy
■ EAST SIDE BOXING’s 2018 AWARDS: Complete List of Winners, Nominees, More!
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