World Boxing News Fighter of the Year 2018 voting is underway as readers are given a chance to have their say on another big year of boxing.
The poll for the only award voted for by the boxing fans will run until Friday, January 18th of 2019.
Below are the twelve nominees:
Vasyl Lomachenko: The Ukrainian won the trophy in 2016 with a whopping 76% after a stellar year. ‘Loma’ was beaten in 2017 by the resurgent Gennady Golovkin with 48% of the poll. In 2018, Lomachenko won a third-weight world title when defeating Jorge Linares. He then unified after shoulder surgery against Jose Pedraza in December.
Canelo Alvarez: Defeating Gennady Golovkin in September was followed by a third-weight world title three months later.
Oleksandr Usyk: The inaugural World Boxing Super Series champion. Usyk then went on to stop Tony Bellew in a huge UK event. He beat the number two and three in his division and is a strong contender to lift the crown.
Mikey Garcia: Becoming a four-weight world champion at 140 pounds in 2018. Garcia then unified the lightweight division for good measure.
Tyson Fury: One of the comeback stories of all time, Fury was a knockdown away from regaining the world heavyweight crown.
Deontay Wilder: ‘The Bronze Bomber’ enjoyed a stellar year when stopping Luis Ortiz. Wilder then almost wiped out Fury in a Fight of the Year contender.
Naoya Inoue: Japan’s newest superstar proved why he’s called ‘The Monster’ when halting two world-class fighters in a combined total of three minutes and two seconds.
Anthony Joshua: The current heavyweight champion, Joshua further unified the division. The Briton then fended off the challenge of top contender Alexander Povetkin.
Josh Warrington: Winning two high-profile UK world title clashes as the underdog. Warrington earned his spot with a Fight of the Year display against Carl Frampton.
Donnie Nietes: Becoming only the third Filipino to win world titles at four weights sees Nietes on the list.
Kosei Tanaka: The 23-year-old two-time WBN Young Fighter of the Year scored a third-weight world title in just his twelfth bout last September.
Callum Smith: Winning the WBSS accolade and Ring Magazine title at 168 pounds. ‘Mundo’ deserves his place among the elite for 2018.
