Who is the “Fighter of the Year 2024”?

There are five world champions being considered for the “Fighter of the Year 2024”.

Heading the list is WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF and IBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, 23-0 with 14 stoppages, of Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine.

Usyk defeated WBC world heavyweight champion “The Gypsy King” Tyson Fury, 34-2-1 with 24 stoppages, of Morecambe, United Kingdom, twice. In June, Usyk joined in, defeating WBC champion “The Gypsy King” Tyson Fury via split decision. In the rematch in December, he won a unanimous decision over Fury.

Artur Beterbiev, WBC, WBO, IBF, WBA and IBO light heavyweight champion, 21-0 with 20 stoppages in Khasavyurt, Russia, unified the title in October. He defeated previously undefeated WBA and IBO champion Dmitrii Bivol, 23-1, by 12 stoppages in Tokmak, KYRG, by a controversial decision. In January, he stopped Callum ‘Mundo’ Smith, 29-1, in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

WBA and WBO Super lightweight world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, 47-1 with 30 stoppages, of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. He won the WBA title, beating the previously undefeated Arsen ‘Feroz’ Goulamirian, 27-0, in Yerevan, Armenia, in March. In November, he defeated WBO champion Chris ‘The Gentleman’ Billam-Smith, 20-1, of Bournemouth, United Kingdom.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO super middleweight champion, 62-2-2, with 39 stoppages, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In May, he defeated previously undefeated Jaime Munguia, 43-1, of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. In September, he defeated previously undefeated Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 22-1 with 17 stoppages, of New York, NY.

IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue, 28-0 with 25 stoppages from Yokohama, Japan. In June, he stopped Louis Nery, 35-2, with 27 stops, of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. In September, he stopped TJ Doheny, 26-4, of Portlaoise, Ireland, and Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia.

There you have it, five nominees for “Fighter of the Year 2024.” Usyk and Beterbiev lead the list. Ramirez, Alvarez and Inoue follow.