Voting for this year’s standout fighter of 2017 will open on December 18 due to a flurry of contests over the next few weeks.
The annual poll to crown the WBN Fighter of the Year, won last year by exceptional Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko, will begin the week after ‘Hi-Tech’ participates in what is sure to be a Fight of the Year contender against Guillermo Rigondeaux on December 9.
Billy Joe Saunders is also in action on December 16 defending his WBO middleweight belt against dangerous Canadian David Lemieux meaning the finalized candidates will be delayed until the subsequent Monday.
As usual, fans can vote for their WBN Readers’ Fighter of the Year, whilst shortlists for the other awards will be revealed the same day.
Voting will end in mid-January when the winner will also be confirmed.
WBN Awards
The rest of the categories are as follows:
Editor’s choice – Fighter of the Year
Fight of the Year
Young Fighter of the Year (23 under)
Pound for pound breakthrough
Stoppage of 2017
Trainer of the Year
Comeback of 2017
World title prospect of 2018
In the frame to be among this year’s FOTY Top 10 contenders will be the likes of pound for pound number one and three-time WBN Fighter of the Year Gennady Golovkin, for his win over Danny Jacobs and draw with Canelo Alvarez, whilst the latter may well make the cut alongside ‘GGG’.
Terence Crawford has enjoyed yet another eye-catching year, whilst Lomachenko’s re-inclusion may depend on his performance against Rigondeaux. Andre Ward stepped away from the ring covered in glory and will be sure to make the shortlist, whilst Keith Thurman unifying at 147 has to be recognized despite an injury-hit year.
Mikey Garcia has put himself right back in to mix at P4P level, as has the retiring Miguel Cotto. Rounding off the more probable possibilities will be the likes of Naoya Inoue, Jorge Linares, Juan Estrada and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai on the back of his repeat win over Roman Gonzalez.
Further candidates include Leo Santa Cruz, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Wanheng Menayothin, Tony Bellew, Errol Spence and Chris Eubank Jr, whilst the likes of Ryan Burnett, Dmitry Bivol, David Benavidez, and Rey Vargas will aim to be in the shake-up after claiming their first world titles in 2017.
Floyd Mayweather making the list is a hot topic for debate, whilst Manny Pacquiao protégé Jerwin Ancajas has enjoyed an impressive twelve months, as has the Filipino’s conqueror Jeff Horn.
The final list of ten will have around a month to gain votes before the new trophy is presented in February of next year.
