After taking over the division, unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk claimed the WBO Fighter of the Year Award for 2022.
Oleksandr Usyk – Fighter of the Year
Usyk overtook retired Tyson Fury in August after dominating Anthony Joshua for a second time.
In the process, the formidable Ukrainian won the famous Rocky belt vacated by Fury upon his decision to hang up the gloves.
Fury came out of retirement days later.
“Mr. I am Very Feel” was present at the ceremony to accept the honor in what should be a regular occurrence for Usyk this year.
The fact that Usyk went to war for his country, left, and then retained his world heavyweight crown before returning was an exceptional feat.
Full WBO Awards 2022
WBO Fighter of The Year
Unified WBO Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk
WBO Female Fighter of the Year
Undisputed WBO Lightweight Champion Katie Taylor and 7-Division and current Unified WBO Featherweight Champion Amanda Serrano
WBO Fight of the Year
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2
WBO Female Fight of the Year
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano
Promoter of The Year Bob Arum
Special Recognition / Commemorative Ring: Two-Division Undisputed Champion Claressa Shields for her recent victory over former WBO Champion Savannah Marshall.
Special Recognition / Commemorative Ring: Kazuto Ioka – Five consecutive title defenses at the Jr. Bantamweight division.
More Special Recognitions:
Alycia Baumgardner – Unified WBO Jr. Lightweight Champion for her recent victory over former WBO world champion Mikaela Mayer.
Devin Haney – Undisputed WBO Lightweight Champion after defeating George Kambosos, Jr.
Two-Division WBO Champion Emanuel ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete.
Puerto Rican trainers are helping the youth, Emilio Lozada and Héctor Mulero.
Next year’s WBO 36th Convention will take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Usyk Charity
Meanwhile, Usyk held a charity night the previous week in which he raised money for the war in Ukraine. Another sign of why he deserves the top honor this year.
Nobody comes close.
The charity event – aimed at helping the Ukrainians who have suffered from the Russian war in Ukraine – was organized at “The Beverly Hills Hotel.”
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the president of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Fundraising platform UNITED24, the organizer of the event – Amir Bahadori, as well as Egis Klimas.
“To all who are helping Ukraine in this difficult time. We are fighting on the right side, so victory will definitely be ours!
“Glory to Ukraine,” read an Usyk foundation statement.
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