PRESS RELEASE — Based on his brilliant 2023 year, the BWAA is proud to announce Naoya Inoue as the 2023 Fighter of the Year, based on his victories over then-undefeated WBC/WBO 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton in July and WBA/IBF 122-pound beltholder Marlon Tapales in December.
Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) makes history as the first Japanese fighter to win the prestigious honor in the 85-year history of the award.
“This is a great honor for me, because all of the writers from the United States and around the world voted for me,” said Inoue, who said he would make arrangements for the BWAA awards dinner at a time and place to be determined later this year. “That means a lot to have my performances recognized in the United States, even though I was fighting in Japan.”
Inoue is the undisputed junior featherweight world champion, after being the undisputed bantamweight world champion. He joins undisputed welterweight world champion Terence Crawford, a 2023 FOY nominee, as the only male two-division undisputed champions of the four-belt era.
Inoue won over a distinguished class that included Crawford, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and David Benavidez.
https://tss.ib.tv/boxing/featured-bo...-award-winners
Any of Inoue/Bud/Haney would've been completely understandable. Benavidez would've been quite a stretch, but if one includes personal preference and/or rated the heavier weights with extra points or such I can see the argument (not agreeing but can see it). Tank? Really? Guy got zero belts and didn't even fight a contender in his weight class...or did PPV values become extra points these days that I didn't know of?
couldnt have been haney. that loma fight...it would be like giving it to canelo after the first ggg fight. crawford only fought once albeit against a very good opponent while innoue beat 2 good opponents so made sense.
Definitely could have been Haney.
It wasn't, who cares.
Was always going to be either him, Haney or Crawford.
It's deserved.
couldnt have been haney. that loma fight...it would be like giving it to canelo after the first ggg fight. crawford only fought once albeit against a very good opponent while innoue beat 2 good opponents so made sense.
PRESS RELEASE — Based on his brilliant 2023 year, the BWAA is proud to announce Naoya Inoue as the 2023 Fighter of the Year, based on his victories over then-undefeated WBC/WBO 122-pound titleholder Stephen Fulton in July and WBA/IBF 122-pound beltholder Marlon Tapales in December.
Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) makes history as the first Japanese fighter to win the prestigious honor in the 85-year history of the award.
“This is a great honor for me, because all of the writers from the United States and around the world voted for me,” said Inoue, who said he would make arrangements for the BWAA awards dinner at a time and place to be determined later this year. “That means a lot to have my performances recognized in the United States, even though I was fighting in Japan.”
Inoue is the undisputed junior featherweight world champion, after being the undisputed bantamweight world champion. He joins undisputed welterweight world champion Terence Crawford, a 2023 FOY nominee, as the only male two-division undisputed champions of the four-belt era.
Inoue won over a distinguished class that included Crawford, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and David Benavidez.
https://tss.ib.tv/boxing/featured-bo...-award-winners
gervonta davis lmfao! this guy just keeps getting accolades left and right...then i look at his resume and laugh