Oleksandr Usyk is the 2024 fighter of the year. Lets get that right out of the way. Based on his two momentous victories over Tyson Fury, it's a well-earned distinction. Usyk will win as many awards as Michael Jackson did for his 'Thriller' album.
But my problem with this award in modern day boxing is that generally it's about the fighter who has the best victory in a calendar year. Which is why you've seen boxers who perform just once in a calendar year win this award nowadays.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Which begs the question: is this about the 'fighter of the year', or the 'fighter-with-the-most-notable-win'? Yeah, I understand these things go hand-in-hand, but all I'm saying is that those who have put in a solid body of work should also get some recognition.
So here are some guys who also had very good campaigns in 2024...
- Daniel Dubois: Once a highly touted prospect, then a beleaguered suspect, is now an elite heavyweight. After ending 2023 by scoring a late stoppage over Jarrell 'Big Baby' Miller, he came into his June assignment against the undefeated Filip Hrgovic for the interim IBF heavyweight title as the underdog. Dubois went through some early fire to overwhelm Hrgovic with his two-fisted attack to score an eighth round TKO.
INCREDIBLE KO | Riyadh Season Card: Wembley Edition - Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois Highlights
Then matched with the popular Anthony Joshua a few months later, he simply overpowered 'AJ' with his heavy hands, scoring four knockdowns on his way to a fifth round knockout. He is now rated second in the heavyweight division by Ring Magazine. What happened against Joe Joyce is now long forgotten.
- Junto Nakatani: As was pointed out in our last column, Nakatani (the current WBC bantamweight titlist) was the only guy in the Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list to perform three times the past year. Now, he didn't exactly face King Kong or Godzilla, but he just kept building his stature as one of the sports best young champions, and entertaining fighters.
Naoki Fukuda/Top Rank
He scored stoppages over the likes of Alexander Santiago (KO6), Vincent Astrolabio (KO1) and Tasana Salapat (KO6).
At age 27 under the direction of the respected Rudy Hernandez, he is now entering his physical prime as a prizefighter. While it may not happen this year, there is now talk of a showdown with Nakatani and Naoya Inoue in the future.
- Gilberto Ramirez: Not that long ago, the reputation for 'Zurdo' was that of a methodical and boring southpaw. He is now re-branded himself as a sharp boxer-puncher who is pretty crowd pleasing cruiserweight.
After winning a belt at 168, and then an unsuccessful attempt at a light heavyweight belt against Dmitry Bivol, Ramirez challenged Arsen Goulamirian for the WBA cruiserweight belt in March. He scored a wide decision over the rugged Goulamirian over 12 rounds, where he showed a good set of whiskers. Then in Riyadh in November, he sliced up Chris Billiam-Smith over 12 fast-paced heats.
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Ramirez in this weight class is a guy that isn't afraid to let his hands go, and has had no issues dealing with the punching power in this new weight class. He began the year as a cruiserweight question mark, he ended it as a unified champion.
- Vergil Ortiz/Serhii Bohachuk: I put these guys together because they will forever be linked for the classic battle they had with one another on the night of August 10 in Las Vegas. In what was a back-and-forth slugfest, it was Ortiz (who had to overcome two trips to the canvas) winning a razor thin majority decision.
For Ortiz, this would be his third and final bout of the year. He began '24 with a pair of first round blowouts against Frederick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme, as he came off a protracted layoff.
Cris Esqueda/GBP
As for Bohachuk, he started his year defeating the respected Brian Mendoza over 12 grinding rounds. Then after his bout with Ortiz, he ended the year by halting Ishmael Davis (a late replacement for Israil Madrimov) in six in Riyadh.
- Oscar Collazo: It's not easy being in the sports smallest weight class. It usually means having to fight as an undercard fighter -- even as a world champion -- and basically fighting wherever and whenever you can. Which is precisely what Collazo did this past year.
Cris Esqueda/GBP
He stopped Reyneris Gutierrez in three rounds at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona in January. Then in June he overcame a tough start to decision Gerardo Zapata at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. He capped off his 2024 with a dominating effort against Knockout CP Freshmart in what was a unification bout.
Riyadh Season: Latino Night | Oscar Collazo vs. Knockout CP Freshmart Fight Highlights
Right now, you can make an argument that he is the best male boxer Puerto Rico has. He isn't just a skilled craftsmen inside the ring, he also has a television friendly style. Collazo in addition to having the WBA and WBO belts around his waist, he is now the Ring Champion at 105. Here's hoping he gets to headline his own show on the island in the upcoming year.
