It’s that time of year again: World Boxing News proudly reveals the nominees for our 2025 Fighter of the Year award.
This year’s list features eight elite fighters in what has been a quiet year at boxing’s summit. Several nominees fought just once in 2025, yet earned recognition for standout performances.
Last year’s winner — and also the 2022 champion — Oleksandr Usyk returns to the ballot, underscoring his continued dominance in the heavyweight division.
However, the winner will not be crowned until the first week of 2026, with the official award presentation to follow.
This delay ensures all results are accounted for, including the highly anticipated December 27 Saudi Arabia card, featuring both Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani, whose outcomes could have a major impact on the final decision.
2025 WBN Fighter of the Year Nominees Terence “Bud” Crawford Fight: Defeated Canelo Álvarez, September 2025, Las Vegas Titles: Claimed WBA, WBO, IBF, and WBC super-middleweight belts Notes: Again, only one fight in 2025 as the first male boxer in the four-belt era to be an undisputed champion in three divisions. However, raised questions about the validity of his undisputed claim, as he did not — and never intended to — pay the WBC sanctioning fees.
Oleksandr Usyk Fight: Defeated Tyson Fury, July 2025, Wembley Stadium Titles: Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO heavyweight titles Notes: Only fought once in 2025. Continues to dominate as one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
Naoya “The Monster” Inoue 2025 Defenses: January 24: KO vs Ye Joon Kim, Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku May 4: TKO vs Ramon Cardenas, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas September 14: UD vs Murodjon Akhmadaliev, IG Arena, Nagoya Upcoming: December 27 vs David Picasso, Saudi Arabia — a win would make Inoue the first fighter since Larry Holmes in 1983 to defend all four major belts in a single calendar year, highlighting his place in modern boxing history. Notes: Historic achievement would further cement his elite status.
Jesse Rodriguez KOs Puma MartinezLeigh Dawney | Queensberry Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez Fights: July 19: TKO vs Phumelela Cafu, The Ford Center at The Star, Frisco November 22: KO vs Fernando Daniel Martinez, ANB Arena, Riyadh Titles: Unified WBA, WBC, WBO super flyweight champion Notes: Active with two defenses, consolidating his reputation as a pound-for-pound star.
Dmitry Bivol Fight: UD vs Artur Beterbiev, February 2025 Titles: Became the undisputed light-heavyweight champion, gaining revenge over his divisional rival. Notes: Another with only one bout in 2025 but claimed undisputed status. Technical mastery and historic unification achievement.
Devin Haney Fights: May 2: UD vs Jose Carlos Ramirez, Times Square, New York November 22: UD vs Brian Norman Jr, ANB Arena, Riyadh Titles: Became a three-weight world champion with another dominant performance. Notes: Showcased adaptability and top pound-for-pound skills.
Manny Pacquiao jabs Mario BarriosEsther Lin | PBC Manny Pacquiao Fight: Majority draw vs Mario Barrios, July 19, 2025 Notes: Only fought once; age 46, with the consensus being he did enough to overhaul George Foreman as the second-oldest world champion ever. Also inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for 2026, with induction taking place next summer, capping a historic year.
Junto Nakatani 2025 Defenses: February 24: KO 3 vs David Cuellar Contreras June 8: RTD Ryosuke Nishida, Ariake Colosseum Upcoming: December 27 vs Sebastian Hernandez Reyes, Saudi Arabia Titles: Defended unified bantamweight before moving up. Notes: Technical precision and elite stamina mark him as a standout at 118 pounds. The December 27 bout could influence his candidacy, depending on the results.
Who will take home the 2025 WBN Fighter of the Year crown? The winner will be announced in the first week of 2026, with the official award presentation to follow.
Every nominee has left a significant mark on the sport, making the final decision a true reflection of boxing excellence in 2025.
